Jesse Reno class

I spent yesterday taking a class from Jesse Reno.

He is a very talented guy and was very gracious to all of us trying to learn his style, which in my opinion only one person in the class came close (hint, it wasn't me).  We all made valiant efforts however.

 This is how his painting started out.  What was interesting was that he did his in portrait style and the rest of us did it in landscape.  Maybe it had to do with the size of the tables we were working on.

 Here is is again in process after chopping or blocking out a shape.

 Then he changed it again.  He said he will go through this process a few times before he gets it to his liking.

 I can't believe that I am going to show you my feeble attempt, but here goes.  This was the start of my painting.  Now keep in mind, he had us drawing with our eyes closed a good portion of the time. I can't say that I would be a very good blind painter. 

This was how mine turned out.  I don't think I impressed anyone, least of all me but now looking at it I can see what I would change if I did it again.  Jesse has been painting like this for 10 years and says that he paints 10 paintings in a week and works on all 10 of them at the same time.

I think what I got out of the class was to be looking at size, shape, contrast and variation when creating a painting like this.  That is the mind part; the other part is just practice, intuition and having fun.