Drawing is Everything

Drawing is the very bedrock of representational art no matter what the medium. Drawing helps you see DEEPER and improves the channel of communication between your eyes and hand. The more improved that channel, the more facile you are with your artistic endeavors. I used Sharpie pens to sketch four of my pen and ink students at Sacramento City College (about 15 to 20 minutes per sketch). The were drawn directly with the pens without any preliminary pencil work. With this direct method of drawing and with no corrective opportunities, one needs to look very deeply and and move from point to point very carefully. I did both contour outlining and shading simultaneously. I might add that understanding and controlling value patterns is very, very important. As I moved my pen about the subject, I was cognizant of these visual, right brain items: Contours, Angles, Position of one part of the face compared to another part of the face, Shapes seen in the face, and darks and lights or Values. Remember that drawing is FUN and in my humble opinion, makes you a better artist.

Watercolor goes from light to dark, right??

Yep. Most of the time. Here is an example that I painted awhile back in beautiful Payne's Gray. If you want to learn how to do this, check out my hour and fifteen minute DVD titled "Portraiture in Payne's Gray. You even get the reference photo in the DVD case so that you can try it. My DVD sells for $55 (includes shipping). Contact me to order by calling my studio (Studio L) at 916-737-2311. I accept check payment only.

That Lovely Country Road

I painted this bucolic scene over the weekend while teaching a private watercolor class at my studio (Studio L). It was painted on 140 lb. Arches cold press paper, quarter sheet. Next week, I will have a watercolorist flying in from Texas to learn the ins and outs of watercolor portraiture painting. She is also purchasing my DVD "Portraiture In Payne's Gray" recommended by international watercolor artist Nicholas Simmons. It runs an hour fifteen minutes and includes the photo reference that I painted from. The DVD sells for 50.00 plus $5.00 for shipping. If you want to purchase a copy, contact me at:

davidlobenberg@me.com. Enjoy these progressive views of "That Lovely Country Road",

Another portrait, another detail

Portrait Details

I am having a big watercolor portrait show coming up this June in Sacramento and am very busy taking photos of my subjects to use as painting references. My subjects range from well known local news anchors, fine artists, ballet and stage directors, and my local hot dog diner owner. I will unveil them this coming June on

this blog. Meantime, here are two sneak peeks. I think it fun and instructive to see close ups of paintings. The top watercolor was painted on 140lb. cold press rough and the bottom on 140lb. cold press.

This Saturday's watercolor workshop at My Studio (Studio L)

From 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., I taught my workshop students at Studio L how to paint this sunrise over the Yosemite Valley. One has to think out a logical painting progression with most all mediums and especially with water color. If you are part of a watercolor society or club and would like a Lobenberg workshop in your neck of the woods call me at 916-737-2311, and we can talk about the possibility. Enjoy these prog. shots, and if you have any comments or questions, please let me know!

Check out my mini PBS, Channel 6 interview - Go to KVIE.org. Wait for the gray search bar to come up under the site header. Click on "Video". On the video page, click the video options under "Local Interest". This week, at least, you will see my interview titled "Rob On The Road/local artist interviews" or simple type in my name in the video search box. I am the second artist that Rob interviews. Its all done in my studio: Studio L. Enjoy, and let me know what you think of it. Just in case, here is the link.