Christina__14 x 11 oil__V....Vaughan

"Christina"__14 x 11 oil on linen panel___$650 ..after I tweak it a little

Christina is our model this week. A beautiful woman who we got to dress up as a Native American. (I let the kids be her "stylist" and after every break, they set her back up into this pose...The students are getting self sufficient, able to work without much help, so I am sitting in the back of the room, painting wiith their supplies, and hitting the same walls they do with the changing light and a brand of yellow that doesn;t cover well.

Hard to believe it's only been 5 days of this Western Art Academy...it feels like 2 weeks already! NOT because of the people here, but because of the....accumulation! 12 painters working side by side (not to mention the 12 sculptors in the other room!), equals 12, easels, over 80 tubes of paint, countless brushes and WAY TOO MANY paint rags and full trash cans and canvas wrappers and....We have a busy studio with artists at work almost 18 hours of every day! (not all of them at once!). We also have FINISHED PAINTINGS, lined up along the wall. The still lifes(lives?...come on, somebody tell me the correct verbage, here!) are done and drying.

Speaking of accumulation, all this "stuff" accumulating in our studio is symbolic of what can happen with a work of art. It begins with a great vision, a few lines and shapes of color, then the "accumulation" happens: too MANY good ideas, too Many good nuances of color, too many punches of dark value or too many sparkly highlights can kill a good painting!

Our lesson today:

1. UNIFY the clutter...objects, brushstrokes, subtle color shapes ....can give off a cluttered feel.

2. Once the focal point is established, every inch of the painting should support it!

3. A fairly orderly set-up will keep you engaged in the process...your paints on the palette should always be in the same order, turp bucket in the same place, lay your brushes down the same way (with the handles FAR from the puddles of paint).....and throw away the used rags,

kids!

Value Sketch___9 x 12 pencil

Value Sketch__9 x 12 pencil__
Today our class worked from a live model. Many of these talented students have never painted in oils before, so I am having them do value sketches before they paint....We went to a ranch to photograph cowboys and horses after class, so I got home too late to photograph my painted version of this model.....tomorrow!
1. MIND YOUR PROPORTIONS on figures and faces
2. MEASURE!
3. Look for greens and purples in skin tones....REALLY

Cow Man__8 x 6 oil___V....Vaughan

"Cow Man"___8 x 6 oil on linen panel__ $150 to the first to ask!
Last year our Western Art Academy students visited a cutting horse ranch and photographed this cowboy and his horses. I did this sketch today, after hours to prepare for our next session, tomorrow, when we will start working on a figure painting from a live model.... YOU are invited to the student exhibit. Saturday, July 18th from 9 am to 2:30 at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX...please come if you can. Each of these students will present at least two oil paintings and a sculpture. I am the painting instructor and Jason Scull is the sculpting instructor. Today was a day to finish up our still - lifes (lives?)...I gave a lot of personal help to students to help them with the finishing touches....tomorrow, we will do another photo shoot for reference pictures to paint from.

Thunder Academy__8 x 10 oil__V....Vaughan

"Thunder Academy"__oil on canvas panel__$250 to the first who asks for it!
This beautiful thunderstorm rolled in this afternoon so I took the class onto the porch outside our classroom to watch me paint it (at Schreiner University in Kerrville, TX) .
The sun was out in the foreground while the clouds (and lightning!) loomed. The kids watched with their cameras, and T spent a lot of time trying to capture the lightning....ever tried that? It's HARD!!!...Our lesson today, as they continued with their still lifes (lives?)focused on the following:
1. Each color has a value (how light or dark it is)
2. Using just a limited palette of primaries + white will yield UNLIMITED color combinations, and RELATING these colors to one another can create unlimited effects.
3. Physics and painting go hand in hand!

Below is an exercise they did. Each group arranged their 7 colored markers in value order. I took this black and white photo to check their work....it's harder than you think, to tell which is darker: orange or green? The camera is pretty good at showing relative values. Shoot your artwork in black and white to judge your values.

Salsa Demo_start_14 x 11__V....Vaughan

"Salsa Demo_start"___14 x 11 oil on canvas___unfinished
Click the image on the blog to really study this one, a demo for the Western Art Academy students today. I spent about 45 minutes so far, not counting my "yak" time...Lots of teaching points made, here:
1. when you have a very grainy and poorly primed canvas (like this one), it is best to tone it.
2. mixing color on a white palette can cause you to mix higher (lighter) values than you mean to. Pay attention to this, especially later on in your painting, when you have nearly covered the white canvas....it's better to mix darker values of color than lighter ones....easier to adjust.
My palette here is white, but at home I work on a neutral medium gray palette.
3. STUDENT "AHA" MOMENT of the day: "Hey! I can paint and talk at the same time!!"
---it's really nearly impossible to DESIGN or COMPOSE and talk conversationally....anyone know why???

On the Road Again_6 x8 oil_V....Vaughan

"On the Road Again"__6 x 8 oil on linen panel__$100
How I love the Texas skies in the summer time! Even though it is so hot, the skies just remind you that summer is the greatest time! I especially like road trips. My son and I bought some perfect music for our summer travels: Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, and a new favorite, Dierks Bentley, whose name I certainly misspelled just now...I begin teaching 24 young adults tomorrow at the Western Art Academy. We all met over pizza (of course!) and "Tres Leches" cake this evening. It is a good looking group, hand picked and interviewed for this scholarship course of intensive study. They all kept sying how READY they are for the challenge ahead...

Moonset Out West_4 x 7.5 oil__V....Vaughan

"Moonset Out West"___4 x 7.5 oil on linen panel___ $100 to the first to ask
I prepared my paperwork and files for my 2008 taxes this weekend. You mean April 15 has passed???? oops....Looking over all the receipts for the trips I have taken recently, I got excited about the places out west, so I painted this one from memory. I saw a similar scene one morning as I left the hotel in New Mexico.
If you are the first to want it, it will take me a couple weeks to ship this one. First, it is very juicy and needs to dry. (no real problem with 100+ temps in Texas these days)...but mainly because I leave tomorrow for Kerrville and the Western Art Academy, where I will have a FULL group of 24 high school superstar artists. I have 20 days to impart some oil painting knowledge on them and help them with the all important "oil change" or two. At the end of it all they are awarded with a group exhibit at the beautiful Western Art Museum (where the famed Cowboy Artists of America laid the groundwork). PLEASE stay tuned to my blog for lots of demos and lessons! I am in full "teaching mode" and I like to share! If you can come to Kerrville for the show, it's Saturday, July 28 at 1 pm, I think...

In the Tall Grass_sketch_V....Vaughan

In the Tall Grass__9 x 12 quick sketch___$80 from my sketch book
It was a hot morning and I did not have much time to sketch this one before a 10 am baseball game...I call it an "impatient sketch". Even though it was really hot, this horse moved through the tall grass fairly quickly...click it to see some detail.
I have not mentioned this in a while, but if you want to be the first to see my daily paintings you can sign up on my BLOG to be a "follower"...or e-mail me and I will put you on the list that gets the art in a daily (almost) e-mail, if you prefer that vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Off Season__6 x 8 oil__V....Vaughan

"Off Season"__6 x 8 oil on linen panel___$150 if you are first to want it!
Well, the Longhorns are between seasons. That's what I thought of when I saw these two resting, and thought of my favorite sports team, the Texas Longhorns. My family follows them closely, with lots of personal ties to the University...personally, I really like the color and logo for the team :)
Sunday I leave for 20 days of teaching young artists at the Western Art Academy in Kerrville. It is like an art vacation for me: staying on a college campus, all meals prepared, a nice place to stay, and no obligations after 5 pm. I get a lot of personal art done while there, and look forward to finishing my mules and dogs and other commissions. Mainly, I can't wait to meet a couple dozen young artists, and see if I can help them with their painting!

Rally__6 x 8oil on linen panel___V....Vaughan

"RALLY"___6 x 8 oil on linen____$150 to the biggest longhorn fan!
So it's the bottom of the 6th inning and LSU just scored 5 on the Texas Longhorns in the College World Series. All my baseball playing men in the house up and walked away, but I am counting on our usual rally! I painted this while watching the first 6 innings of a thrilling game, so it's really wet!
....love those longhorns!!! Turn your caps backwards, y'all!

From the Bull Pen_6 x 8 oil_V....Vaughan

From the Bull Pen___6 x 8 oil on linen panel___$150 if you are the first to ask!
I went to my nearby longhorn ranch this morning and caught the few longhorns there just as they were moving in the shade. When they switched pastures, this one was the last to leave....like a pitcher leaving the bull pen, where they warm up, to take the field with his teammates...except this one was a cow, I think :)

The Outfield__9 x 12 by V....Vaughan

"The Outfield"__9 x 12 ebony on archival paper___$175 to the first Longhorn fan to ask

I got up early this morning and went down the road where these "outfield" longhorns live. They were grazing out before the heat set in for the day....tomorrow I will take my paints to sketch them, so I hope they are out...it has been really HOT!!!

As I type this, the Texas Longhorns are battling in the bottom of the 9th against LSU at the College World Series. The third out just happened and we are going into extra innings....I sold my tickets to the finals and am enjoying it here at home! I know Stve and John and their buddies are going to enjoy my seats at tomorrow's game! I have a house full of kids watching the game, so I am holed up in my studio....More LONGHORNS tomorrow!

Shapes of a Horse__6x8 oil on linen

"Shapes of a Horse"___6 x 8 oil on linen___$150 if you want it FIRST!
This little painting happened because I "show" better than I "tell" when I teach art workshops...I brought a similar painting to the workshop with me, and as I explained that it's only "shapes of color" that make up a painting, I showed the group what colors I mixed, then I just laid them on the canvas in the same order as the sample painting and it turned out to be this little painting. To see all the juicy detail, click the image from the BLOG. And while you are there, sign up to "follow me", and you will be the first to know when I post new art :)
I PROMISE that tomorrow will start "Longhorn Week"...watch

Sheep Study

"Sheep Study"___5 x 7 oil on linen____$100 if you ask first
I call this a perfect stydy. It was quick, not "crafted" to be a painting and VERY spontaneous...just what an artist OUGHT to do when they are observing and painting from life....These sheep were in constant motion, milling around this great Oak tree, so I captured them quickly...Teaching as often as I do and for as long as I have, I see it all the time with adults and more experienced artists. They TRY too hard to create a "PAINTING" every time they pick up a brush!! Some times, just grab up the gear, locate your target and lay down the paint with all the "feeling" you can! In simple terms: "Ready...Fire.....Aim!"

LONGHORN! ...almost___4x6__V....Vaughan

"LONGHORN!....almost!"____ 4 x 6 oil on llinen___$100
There is a longhorn ranch near my house and I have been if you ask first!over to draw and paint, standing outside the fence. Been too busy to shoot pictures to post, bust stay tuned for these paintings in the next few days, unless I get distracted! THis little milk cow painting was a sketch from our workshop day at the pioneer farm last weekend in Fredericksburg.
Wednesday and Thursday I drove my son, Sam and his friend, Sam (really) up to Omaha to see the College World Series. Friday we drove from Omaha to Houston for a baseball tournament...Since we see the Texas Longhorns play in Austin all the time, we went to Omaha for Arizona State vs. North Carolina...two of my favorite places' schools fighting it out. There was a lot of excitement, including a game tying GRAND SLAM, and ASU came out on top....till they played the Longhorns last night! Now my longhorns will play LSU in the finals!