Portrait study#85 Ms. Fahima in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#84 Ayah in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm
As usual, the light changes dramatically but I really like the natural light. So, what should I do to be able to work longer...I notice the studio of P&C from Chicago, they use both natural and studio light. Maybe I should do that too! And, it looks too cold now. I should add more warm color on it on next session.

Portrait study#83 Mrs. Safa In progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm
I wish I could have worked longer this morning. That's one of the problems with natural light when we paint with it. Sometimes it changes so fast that I don't even notice. But, at the same time, I'm so intrigued by it. It makes me see so much colors that I don't usually see with my studio light. So vibrate those colors are. To me, they feel almost alive dancing on the face of my sitters. How amazing!

Portrait study#81 Nelita in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm
Today is the second session for this study. Light wasn't very steady because of the weather condition. We worked for about 2 hours then I had to stop because the light changed do much but I did enjoy enormously working with my frirnd model, Nelita!

Portrait study#82 Jeff

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#81 Nelita in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm
It's the second time that Nelita poses for me. I tell myself, I have to find a nice angle of her today. I didn't like the first study of her. The skin tone of the first study wasn't right at all. In order to paint with natural light, I move her chair close to the entrance of my studio. Then, immediately, I see beautiful colors on her face. "That's what I need!" Now, I just have to relax, paint what I see and how I feel.

Portrait study#80 Sean

Oil on canvas
45cn x 53cm
The first time when I saw Sean was at The 501 Spokenwords, a poetry club. The first impression of him was, he's a very friendly person. Then he began to read his poems in front of people. Beautiful, inspiring poems. To me, Sean is someone special. He told me, " Follow the light of my heart. The value is within my work."

Portrait Study#79 Katie

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#80 Sean in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#79 Katie in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#78 Jeff

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#76 Shenyl

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#77 Miki in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#76 Shenyl in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#75 Ms. Courtney in progress

Oil on canvas
45cm x 54cm
3 hours of working time this morning. I'll see my model in 3 weeks. Its a bit long to wait. But I must have patience. I'll need to add some purple, earth and ochre color. Too much red now. Be patiente. Just have to be patiente. 

Portrait study#74 Harley

Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Portrait study#74 Harley in progress

 Oil on canvas
45cm x 53cm

Last study at Palette and Chisel

Oil on canvas board
Saturday morning I did the last study of portrait of the artist Lenin Delsol. Lenin is a figurative and portrait artist. He's a very gentle and wonderful person. Mary too, she's a exceptional artist who gave me sincere advices of my work. Along with many other artist, they are all very humble with great personalities in my eyes. I miss them all. I'll make this trip as an once a year regular learning experience.

Last day of workshop!

Oil on canvas boards
Today's the last day of our workshop. I have 3 oil painting studies to take home with me but they are still wet. So I decided to leave them at the Palette and Chisel until they're dry enough to send from Chicago to Belize.

Visiting Art Institue of Chicago

I went to visit Art Institute of Chicago last night and saw several paintings that I was doing some seascapes studies from my books last year. They are amazing to see them up so close!

Fourth day workshop with one long pose

My fellow artist friend, "not the model Jason" and I both agree that model Jason's wide open pose is a great one! You see every single detail clearly!!!~~"especially for the one who paints right in front of him.

This is model Jason. He's a great guy!

The third day workshop at Chicago

We did several drawings in the morning then followed an oil study in the afternoon. What I enjoyed the most is this very familiar environment that I missed for long time. Just love it so much...feeling come back home...

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Mr. Henry Yan is a Chinese American artist. He is a great instructor, and very patient with his students. He has a very specific way to do his drawings and paintings. I'm learning a lot from him but for certain things, I still prefer my own approach since I've been using it for long time and I love it. But, I think I need to keep my mind open,. It's always good to learn something new. 

This is my favorite work I did in Chicago. I like its color and its simplicity.

I began to draw like this since I was living in Paris. It was almost 20 years ago. I just love to draw like this. Light and shade creat so much beauty with our human body. Nothing likes this. It is so unique!

More pictures about Palette and Chisel

This is the building of academy

Session finishes at 4 in the afternoon. Tomorrow we are going to practice more drawing in the morning, then afternoon will do oil painting.

Taking 6 days of painting workshop in Chicago

I'm taking 6 days of painting workshops at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago. Today is the second day. People are taking 1 hour of Lunch break now. Ever since I left Paris and returned to Taiwan, of course now live in Belize, I haven't paint or drew nude for more than 20 years. I feel great to return this environment again. These are some of the drawings I did.