I promise, no more workshop photos after this!

As promised.... the Belly Dancer! Here I'd first like to send a BIG 'THANKS' to the TSA personnel in Phoenix for untaping all my wet canvas boards (all held aprart so you could actually see in the spaces between the wet paintings), smearing the wet paint all over the paintings packed face-to-face) and effectively ruining every single canvas. I feel so much SAFER now! Seriously, there was an explanatory letter on top of them, with only my empty easel also in the suitcase. Apparently there's a threat of EXPLOSIVE paintings - now there's something I never thought to worry about! Anyway... learned my lesson, and forever more will 1) use only Galkyd paints when I travel, and 2) ship via UPS!

Enough ranting. These belly dancer paintings were only FIVE minutes long, each, so don't be too harsh! They were fun to do, because with just 5 minutes you can't get fussy! Our model really got into it, and she was so strong and fluid it was a pleasure to paint.

Then this last one was from an earlier day, with the most beautiful shawl and dress...


Things to remember from the workshop:

#1 - Be A Designer (don't let reality get in the way of a good painting)!

#2 - Title First (when you give your painting a title first, you are more likely to stick to the focal point!)

#3 - Separate the dark and light pattern with clean, interesting shapes! (and not only things in 'shadow', but things that are actually dark go into the dark area).

#4 - 1/3 - 2/3 rule , keep 1/3 of the painting light, 2/3 dark, or vice versa, to keep a rythm and interest in a painting.

Thanks to all who checked in on the blog, and DOUBLE thanks to everybody who commented - it made me feel like you were right there with me!