Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

  Today's 3-hour session live model oil painting session. Painted on a previously used panel 9"x12". Managed time better than last time. Tried to take reference photos for the record during each break. Needs some retouch. The light indoors and outdoors can make the same painting look so different.  Or I should say that any different environment can make the same the same thing look different.  Enjoyed doing it!  (August 31 2021)

I did a small sketch  back to a couple of weeks ago when I was at the same location, but didn't bring any watercolor paper. Went back to practice painting this old Victorian style house, the Rengstorff House which was one of the first houses to be built in Mountain View, California in 1867. Spent a lot of time working on the drawing, ended up to find out that I really didn't have to draw all the details on 14"x11" size paper for Plein air painting. But it was good exercise anyway by using very limited colors, besides it was a lovely day being outdoors.  (July 6 2021)

Plein Air painters do not usually have such a lovely day painting at a peaceful location. Feeling luxurious, we sat down and painted on the table in the shade. Only I wanted to paint a different subject, the buoys on the wall. They looked so interesting and simple under morning light. Never tried and never knew that they were not as easy as they looked. Struggling through another day of practice.  

Cleaned up my studio, found some old outdoor oil paintings I didn't like. Feels like my beginning Plein Air oil paintings look like antique works after I have sanded them down and e-framed them. Shall I keep them or paint them over again?

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 ...

A red rowboat in the water near a tree at the shore caught my eyes, instantly decided to paint it. This was my third time painting here since I started Plein Air, I only painted in oils before. It reminded me that once I spent almost six hours working on a smaller size painting here on a very cold windy day. Today was gorgeous being outside, felt a little bit chilly in the shade. I enjoyed painting with another artist who inspired me, especially to get feedback in time when the work got stuck. The red boat was rowed away, I had to paint it follow my memory, lol... Used some opaque watercolors, my work looks different.

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 Day31 Today is the last day of the Strada Easel 31-day challenge to paint from life. The day before I felt overwhelmed, so only did a watercolor still-life sketch as the last piece #31 of the challenge today. Forgive my daily post, hopefully not a bother for you. I tried to be polite and not post too often but in this case it was a daily requirement. Thank you so much for your feedback, comments, likes and shares. I appreciate your support and encouragement to help me make it through. It was a necessary experience, especially for me to make personal progress, not because being a full-time artist to create art, and think through which area I should focus on depending on my own interests. I think it is important being an artist to create art and also to inspire others or to be inspired. I will continue sharing some my work and stories behind my work, and practice in English my second language. Happy painting!

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 Day29 I bought five bananas, only did a watercolor sketch of two of them. It was my first time doing a study on bananas, found they were not as easy as they looked. I am not a realistic painter, no matter whether a simple subject or a complicated one, keep practicing is the only way to become a better artist. Do you agree? Also it took me a couple of tries to display them.

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 Day27 I trimmed most of my plants before Chinese Lunar New Year, and had these trimmed branches in a glass jar of olives since then. Finally, I did a watercolor sketch before the flowers drooped. The Abutilon Flowering Maple Chinese Lantern Plant is one of my favorite plants. When we moved into this house eleven years ago, I did a little research before I started gardening. I focused on the plants that could live well in the shade and attract hummingbirds, also ones that bloom often annually . I discovered this Chinese lantern flower was the absolutely perfect plant, I love that the leaves look like maple leaves, the bell shape flowers look like Chinese Lanterns, and it can produce flowers almost year around. These plants really helped to attract hummingbirds who moved into my neighborhood, I watched hummingbird mother guard territory, built nest, raise and train her babies over the years, took countless footage of course. Now, my plant is at least three meters tall, it makes me ...

2020 Day24, Day25 and Day26 Too busy for celebrating Chinese New Year eve, ate too much food... Only did watercolor sketch...

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...

What a busy long weekend! 2020 Day18 In Chinese tradition, each household starts major cleaning after Kitchen God day. Besides that we had an appointment at noon, morning and afternoon we cleaned our garage and backyard. I went to a local Chinese friend's solo exhibit opening at a gallery nearby later. In between all these things, I did a watercolor sketch. 2020 Day19 Only had a quick still-life watercolor sketch at home. Afternoon went to Michael Reardon's watercolor demonstration in San Jose. Later, joined a Chinese Year of the Rat group New Year Celebration exhibit in Sunnyvale. I had a three pieces showing at the Gallery. Friends and artists came and had fun at the opening... 2020 Day20 Just found out my name is not on the participating in the January STRADA 31-Day Challenge. Hopefully it would be corrected soon. This is my 2nd time joining the #stradaeasel January 31 days daily painting from life is challenging. I bought a Strada Easel two years ago when I ...

2020 Day17 The Kitchen God is the most important of many Chinese domestic gods that protect the hearth and family. I am not sure that it is a religion or if it is just folklore. Our Chinese culture believes that on the twenty third day of the last lunar month, just before Chinese New Year, the Kitchen God(灶君) returns to Heaven to report all the activities of every household over the past year to Yu Huang, the Jade Emperor(玉皇大帝). The Jade Emperor, emperor of the heaven, who either rewards or punishes a family based on Kitchen God's annual report. Anyway, there are only few days each year we could see snow on top of the distant mountains at our location. It was a beautiful and cold day. Staying at home I painted another still-life. The mouse pot holder I found out the other day was made of silicone rubber. I bought another squash just because I loved the colors. So I made my still-life more fun looking, and hoping it will usher in a happy year of the rat.  At the same time I...