Taking An Art Class At Age 81 3/4 ...

[ac12]

I need to use a "paint by numbers" kit to do anything decent.

[HollyGolightly]

I certainly agree that watercolors can be challenging, but I do encourage you to pick up some of them, even just to muck about with. I don't consider myself to be an expert at them but I found I took to them quickly, perhaps you have a knack for them. You never know! If nothing else they can be good for simple washes over sketches.

 

Great stuff you've posted thus far though. I look forward to seeing more

[Dickkooty2]

I certainly agree that watercolors can be challenging, but I do encourage you to pick up some of them, even just to muck about with. I don't consider myself to be an expert at them but I found I took to them quickly, perhaps you have a knack for them. You never know! If nothing else they can be good for simple washes over sketches.

 

Great stuff you've posted thus far though. I look forward to seeing more

Thanks for the encouragement, Christina! I am enjoying my self.

 

And I know you are absolutely right on watercolor. I have mucked around as part of the class instructions. I have handled them at a level to be three questions deep, rather than one where I started. This is not easy for my teacher, who believes very much as you do. I have done the introduction to the techniques, trying to find my way.

 

Here, if you can make these out are some notes from my pad as I worked my way through a version of an oli in a typical New England composition:

 

[/url]">http://http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-04%20at%202.35.13%20PM_zpsveomr3ef.png[/url

 

I started out with good intentions and have actually produced nicer results with water color in other little studies. But I felt something needed to come out here rather than the usual postcard. So I switched to ink and markers in a full composition, and then reduced it to the essence that I think I see (and who the hell knows).

 

When you are looking 82 in the face and want to do something, time becomes a consideration. If I don't like working in a medium, I'm not going to spend my time learning it. To the consternation of my teacher who did think our next section was going to be drawing trees.

 

Reduced to the elements ... woof woof a steal from David Hockney's series on his dogs:

 

">http://http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Scan%203_zpsy63izfuo.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Thank you again for your encouragement and interest!

 

Dick

[Dickkooty2]

Came back from 60th reunion with some campus thoughts. Off-angle views of popular tourist views. Have a triptych in mind, but not of these buildings and featuring the architectural lettering as it varies with age built.

 

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Scan%20copy%203_zpsp2i0xjck.jpg[/u

RL]

 

College color is purple. trying for some mood inclusion. Don't know. May be over thinking. Just wanted to use purple. There was quite a lot of it around.

[Dickkooty2]

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Scan_zpszmbfws1k.jpeg

 

Stumbled downtown today. I don't think I'm getting anywhere in my hunt for a style. I keep drawing the same buildings. I think I have an interest in space and geometry and maybe punched up with some colors. When I do the abstracted versions I find them interesting for these qualities but not very warm. I like the kind of homliness of just the ink lines with some color. This is more ink plus color. I want an altered perspective or some off-kilter close-up to add to whatever the feeling of space is.

 

I've got to download some shots of campus buildings to do a three piece set for an old classmate who will be moving from the Cape to SC. At least I have an idea or two.

[Federalist Pens]

Great Work!

One is never too old to learn, or rediscover, a new talent!

 

When I am not teaching HS Special Education, I teach adults in "Career College" Environments

(was a computer tech/admin in a previous life!- LOL!)

I have as many people older than me (or my age), as I do fresh out of HS/College!

 

Best of Luck!

Frank

[fountainpagan]

Yep, you have a style of your own.

I really enjoy your work.

Thank you!!!

[Dickkooty2]

My next door neighbors live in Santa Monica, have a house in Portland, and may be relocating to Boston. I am sure they will keep the Hood River house as Portland is a family base and they have been here for summers and holidays for years. A long-winded background on my giving them two expressions of their house (1920's bungalow style.)

 

[/url]">http://http://s271.photobucket.com/user/dick168/media/1222%20both%20versions_zpshbx4dsi6.png.html'>http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/1222%20both%20versions_zpshbx4dsi6.png

 

I use the photo app to get some ideas of dominance of image and color. One was a winner. Next to it is what I saw as the image and the colors. The swing is a very important part of the family.

[furious]

Fantastic work! Please keep it coming, sir.

[darazs]

I like that last one

[Dickkooty2]

I am now 82.

[Bluey]

I would think that learning art also develops/strengthens lots of transferable skills that could help in many other areas.

 

Looking forward to seeing your progression, Dickkooty. The main thing is that you're enjoying your 'journey' through the learning process

Edited August 4, 2016 by Bluey

[Dickkooty2]

A view of a college administration building I'm sending to a classmate who spent many years in it.

 

[/url]">http://http://s271.photobucket.com/user/dick168/media/Hopkins%20Hall%20Final%20copy_zpsetepwvap.jpeg.html'>http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Hopkins%20Hall%20Final%20copy_zpsetepwvap.jpeg

[therecorder]

http://arcusa.com/sites/default/files/portfolioimages/3_WILLIAM_2_0.jpg

[Dickkooty2]

 

 

 

Good eye, recorder!

 

I think the addition is hokey. The original couldn't seem to settle into Richardsonian Romanesque, but back then the college was way, way out in the sticks. It still is, but the sticks have changed.

[therecorder]

Actually, I wasn't familiar with the building, but I liked your drawing, and wanted to see what you were expressing. So, I did a Google search, and looked until I found what I wanted...

 

https://www.google.co.il/search?q=hopkins+hall+administration+building&newwindow=1&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjHx7qxmZnPAhVGsxQKHfHIDWoQ_AUICSgC&biw=1397&bih=1025#imgrc=R6LJok9JEsTSjM%3A

 

There's, another photo on that page that perhaps captures more of the flavor

 

http://facilities.williams.edu/files/2010/03/hopkins-2011.jpg

[Dickkooty2]

This the one I used for reference. I pushed the colors a bit to get more flavor in the photo.

 

[/url]">http://http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Hopkins_Hall_Williams_College_zpsjw6t0k85.jpg

 

The building housed the deans, treasurer, president, admissions, secretary etc in addition to several classrooms. Williams was back in the 50's - 60's and since 1793,, a mens college with required chapel and strict no-cuts rules. The student body was virtually all-white and middle to upper (and in some cases very upper) class, Hopkins Hall had a sense of power and privilege. I tried to express this paternal lowering.

[Dickkooty2]

I'm trying other approaches. I know that the more finished stuff is a condensed view of whatever it happens to be, but done with a lot of planning, design layout and color selection before i actually tryout a couple of versions. This is a far cry from the looser stuff i was doing usually just with pen and ink and some markers.

 

I'm thinking looser and just having minimum stuff in my pocket. So I bought a Pentel 8 color mechanical grip pencil to see what would come out.

 

Here's the stuff ... a Maruman 4"x6" sKetch book, a preppy with black ink, a Blackwing 602, and the Pentel 8 color pencil

[/url]">http://http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Scan_zps3bxcm28o.jpeg

 

and here are two post cards. The colors in the pencil are kind of dumb for a palette. I was so disappointed with City Hall that I turned it into a postcard and mailed it to a friend, The view from the deck captures a little bit more but doesn't give me the push I want for what might pass for a style: lack of contrast, lack of effective color for some kinda mood.

[/url]">http://http://s271.photobucket.com/user/dick168/media/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-21%20at%2012.03.45%20PM_zpsahbi5xeb.png.html'>http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/dick168/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-21%20at%2012.03.45%20PM_zpsahbi5xeb.png

 

Yeah, I know this post is dragging along. Who knows what my "art" is and I'm not viewing it as any serious stuff ... just a way for an old guy to feel "creative". And I know I am plugging along using this post as a personal diary.

[darazs]

I am now 82.

 

I was just wondering when this would happen! Keep painting and drawing

[Bluey]

Dickkooty, did you start with sketching or go straight into painting? Ta

Edited October 1, 2016 by Bluey