Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Portrait study has been one of my favorite practices in painting. Personally, I am interested in studying African American faces, and have taken many photos for my reference. Their face structure and color tones are very expressive. I just have started painting from life models, most of them are Caucasians so far. I have found their skin tone is more challenging to me to paint, also the colors we see and paint indoors under light are so much different the everything we see outdoors. Honestly, the one on the left was after my third major correction on the original painting based on a 3-hour session.

Add caption The model looked a very experienced one, confident and stayed still well. Found out she was a preforming artist, would act in "The Mystery of Edwin Rrood" from Feb.27 to Mar.15 at Lohman Theater. Brought a used canvas panel, red color treated background seemed to be perfect fit into painting her. Slowly learning time management on figure study, usually three-hour section. I was mostly happy for the result.

This figure study mostly was done in a three-hour section at the art studio the day before. I only brought a portrait canvas panel, but the model posed so inspiring though for a square panel... lucky I had an old one painted from last week in my car. Today, I did a little retouch, but spent a long time trying to figure out how to paint her delicate and relaxed hands. Difficult to get right without the model being present, now I'm stuck...

It was a busy week for sure! Tuesday I tried to finish the figure study at home studio, but there was still some correction needed... Wednesday, went to see Barbara Tapp's very inspirational demo organized by CWA, great way to learn from her. Did a quick sketch of her. Thursday started another new figure study, still in the very beginning process. Thanks to the model Dan for collecting the original portrait I painted. What a generous gentleman, I sincerely thanks to his support and encouragement. After that, went to a gallery opening, only chatted with a couple of artists, felt so tired and hungry, went home eat. Good night.h the figure study at home studio, but there was still some correction needed... Wednesday, went to see Barbara Tapp's very inspirational demo organized by CWA, great way to learn from her. Did a quick sketch of her. Thursday started another new figure study, still in the very beginning process. Thanks to the model Dan for collecting the original portrait

Good news is one of my Plein Air boat paintings had found a happy home. I delivered my work on Sunday which was a super windy day. And Mike who just bought my painting gave me a brand new canvas as well. Here, my week was full of random things, but I kept my painting and learning schedule firm. Tuesday and Thursday working at the art studio from live models. I did mostly retouches on Tuesday. Thursday, I had to restart another 20"x16" figure study for the same position, because it was very difficult for me to correct the one from last week. Still work in progress, more correction needed... Wednesday I went to see David Savellano's Demo in Pleasanton through CWA. David did a wonderful demo, really enjoyed watching and learning from him. Friday worked at home studio retouching two oil paintings I did during the week. Although the news is not very positive regarding the Coronavirus in China, I have been worrying so much recently for my motherland...only can hope for th

2020 Day30 Strada easel thirty one day painting challenge is almost ended. I have gone through and made my own process. Really there is so much to learn in the rest of my life. Today I was a little bit "ambitious" for my #30 work started at day 1 this year, brought a used panel 20"x16". Feeling the time was chasing me for three hours, all my concentration and energy cost had made me sweat in winter, I couldn't believe it. But I didn't have time to stop, till the end, I was exhausted... I didn't manage my time well, won't be able to get to the point I could take a break. Many corrections, I have to wait for next section later.

2020 Day28 I always love portrait paintings, used to study on the photos I captured. Not today, a real model face study was challenging， struggled through three hours. The model he had American Indian blood, I tried to capture his honorable and proud stature. I was happy at this point. Of course there were many small areas I wanted to correct, but had to wait... On the way out, someone recognize the model from my portrait, she was excited and that made me happy. BTW, does anyone know which brand of linseed oil carrier metal bottle is good? The rubber part was old, and the linseed leaked. Also, the filter was too sharp, made my brush spread. Just ordered more brushes, now I need a new oil carrier.

2020 Day23 Tomorrow night will be the Chinese New Year's Eve, I haven't thought about what I should prepare for dinner. Life is quite simple here, lucky me! Tuesday I just picked up oils again. Today I went there early and did a short meditation before the Section. I kept reminding myself to relax and follow my feeling to paint - the internal visual voice... I wasn't sure which one helped, but I was a little bit happier with the result than last time. Any feedback?

2020 Day21 Picked up oil again, struggling for three hours, not a good result...

2020 Day14 Kept my promise and came back to paint the red boat at the Coyote Point Recreation park. Mike the boat owner was there, and we chatted a little bit. It was gray with wind, and I couldn't finish it, because of another figure drawing class. Ate a cracker for lunch. Did two sketches from the model in limited watercolor pallet. I thought I could have the red boat painting completed tonight, but starving and exhausted, just wanted to go to bed...

Not a rainy day, sun came out around noon. What attracted to me was the light and shadows of this house. I guessed that there was nobody at home, the dog barked like crazy... Tried a couple of times, I couldn't tell this neighborhood that I just came to paint, so I had to give up. I brought my stuff back to the car, suddenly the dog stopped barking. All right, I painted inside my car, though I wasn't in the right position to paint, but I did it and retouched a little bit more after got home.

There are more than one million visitors that have viewed my art. Have you? @https://about.me/xuelingzou "In solitude the passions feed upon the heart."  - Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton "Art starts alone – and convinces society later." - Douglas Davis Why do I love the old songs so much? Do you? "The Sound of Silence": I first listened to it without knowing enough English words back when I was still in China. It always brings me so many memories, especially during the holiday season. I just love this song, because of the solitude of my life being an artist, and with sensitivity... It takes the courage to be there for sure! Belows are the two links of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4 https://www.facebook.com/maya.huynh?fref=ts Attached the lyrics: Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again, Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping, And the vision that was planted in my br

Happy weekend :)! I saw the big Red Moon last night through the windows, did you? "White House In An Oak Grove", original oil on canvas panel, was a landscape oil painting newly finished. The reason I painted it was just because the longer I've lived in California, the more I prefer spending a couple days in the countryside during weekend. It seemed that white house was my dream place to escape from the surrounding high tech. I just wanted to smell the fresh air, enjoy hiking or sight-seeing, get inspiring from the nature, a few good friends visits, have some delicious food together, no need TV, internet or computer, maybe I should turn off my smart phone! But I realized, I already get used to taking photos from my phone, hahaha... What is your favorite thing(s) to do during your weekend? Have you written it down, drawn or painted it on a piece of paper/canvas yet???

For celebrating Chinese Valentine's Day, sharing a copy "Two Lovers" - one of Van Gogh's masterpieces, which I painted ten years ago. 七夕節快樂! 分享10年前我臨摹梵谷的作品"一對恋人". Please visit for more original art @  xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/ The Qixi Festival (Chinese: 七夕節) is Chinese Valentine's Day which is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The general tale is about the 7th daughter Zhinü (織女) of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd Niulang (牛郎 ). Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, all the magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.