Painting with Tom Hoffmann, again: 3 of 3

Day 3, Bernal Heights. We’re back in the city, and the challenges today aren’t just with distance and depth, they’re vertical too: the streets in this neighborhood seem to rise straight into the sky.

We start the day understanding how a study can help problem-solve a complex subject. Knowing you will be writing notes all over a piece means you make a true study, and don’t attempt a painting.

Here’s the piece based on the study above. Both done on-location.

More from this fascinating neighborhood. Steeper Streets. One going up, the other, down. Attempt #1.

Yes, a bit of a mess, but I do like one little bit. Maybe I’ll crop this and throw the rest of it out. I love drawing and painting cars. I think it’s because I understand so little about them, they’re just shapes and shadows to me. Best of all I like that dark, dark shadow that sits under them. And the bright pops of color on the brake lights.

Here’s attempt #2, which I think I’m calling unfinished. It feels like it needs some more work on it, though I don’t know what…

 

Here are my posts from Day 1 and Day 2 of the workshop.

And this is the link to the upcoming workshops page on Tom Hoffmann’s site.

Don’t think you can make it to a workshop? Well, there’s always this fantastic book, which I am rereading right now.