Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Our first time to paint this new model Melisa today. I started with a used 12"x16" canvas.  One artist friend mentioned to me that she would be confused working on uncovered used canvas.  I felt OK, and tried to paint with new style after not working at the studio about two weeks. My speed and correction were not as good as two weeks ago.  The painting wasn't near finished after 3-hour-session.  (May 10 2022)  Spent two or three hours or more fixing this portrait.  Tried to work like expressionist with black outlines, sometimes using a palette knife.  Hard to paint with consistency, in the studio and at home.  I had to stop before I changed too much from my original idea.  That was challenging working at home without a model, I decided to leave the arm area the way it was, lucky it was used canvas, the colors  matched well...

One 3-hour session portrait study in oil. Our new model was Polish , She told us that she looked like her Russian grandmother. Working on a used 12"x16" panel. The 1st picture was taken outdoors. I continued to use duotone for the portrait, and my first time to feel happy for the result surprisingly. (April 12 2022)

  We all love this model, she was fun and happy. Most of models look sleepy or tired after an hour or two, she was always smile or laughing. If we weren't struggling painting, might want to know what she was thinking of. She must be a very positive person. (March 24 and March 31 2022) I knew that I should highlight a little bit after the 2 sessions. This 16"x20" figurative panel sat on a stool in my kitchen for weeks.  Finally I did a little retouch, though it might be need more, but I thought it could be finished up right now...  (April 11 2022)

Three of us artists decided to paint outdoors together.  Followed Google maps, directed me to the Campbell Library, but there wasn't anyone there.  Called the other friends and found out that Google map was incorrect.  So we were behind schedule a little bit.   I saw a guy playing his guitar in front of a coffee shop, asked if he wanted to be our model.  One of us painted him.  Crossed the street to paint the people in front of the coffee shop, including the guy and one of the artists friends, also I could be in shade. I painted in watercolor, the other two painted in oils.  It was a lovely day hanging out, then went to the other artist's studio to check out her work, chatting, eating, learning,  fun afternoon....

We had this new model I missed the first session, had to catch up to paint this portrait in three hours. She sat stable, had a little Mona Lisa smile kind of expression on her face. Continued to painting in duotone, might touch up later. (March 22 2022)

My first time coming here to paint. Lucky I brought my down jacket, it was not a warm morning. Chose this view to practice at the picnic area. There wasn't enough rain this winter, so water level was quite low. We all have to learn how to save water in California, hope this year will be OK. (March 21 2022)

After picking my painting up which showed at NUMUNew Museum, chatted with a couple of artists. I painted at a corner of downtown Los Gatos too. It looked busy, not sure because it was Sunday noon or since masks are no longer required in public in California. Soon, most of the restaurants were occupied by many people. Some passing by me complimented my work, though it was not finished yet. I appreciate all the encouragement. A couple crossed the street to look at my work, they were a little bit disappointed that I didn't paint their restaurant. I told them that I will do it next time, and they said they prefer to wait till their patio is done. (March 13 2022)

Painted at the same spot as I had last early spring. I moved the water tower to the right, and painted a a more open landscape by leaving out the old tree I included last year.  There were several parking spaces when I arrived.  I tried five times to park my car, almost every available spot. Finally I parked back into the first spot, just because I wanted to use my trunk door's shape to block the sunlight.  It was a nice day, not warm yet.  It was getting windy around noon, I knew it was the time to pack it up. (March 9 2022)

It is the first day of our Chinese New Year.  After my hesitation as to whether I should go painting, I finally decided to follow my passion and go paint.  Though in our culture we celebrate new year for 15 days usually, lifestyle has to be adapted to living in a different culture.  Our model was a very tall and beautiful professional African American model, she was from a very artsy San Jose family.  She sat very still and had kept her facial expression too.  I'm still trying to work on my duotone style in oil, struggling through for 3 hours.  Our model liked the result, it made me happy. (February 1 2022)