Two watercolor portrait studies on my art hanger

The winter holiday season is a good time to play. Some of my play time has been with my favorite medium . . . watercolor and my favorite subject . . . portraiture. Here are two half sheets I just finished of two of last semester's students that were in the drawing class that I teach at Sacramento City College. I often hang my studies on my art hanger to look at and cogitate upon my next move. I would love to get your feed back, dear readers . . . the good, the bad, and even the ugly. Thank you in advance and have a very good 2012!

HAVE A ROLLICKING GOOD HOLIDAY DEAR READERS AND FELLOW ARTISTS!

Seeya in 2012.

Tis The Season

Watercolored this one a few years ago. Not much snow so far in the Sierras, but I know the skiers have there fingers crossed. I ski snow by the way. In fact, I am a Native Californian and . . . ya ain't gonna believe this but TRUE . . . I have never been in falling snow . . . whao!!!!!

Rougher water

After I posted this scene previously, I decided that the water on the acrylic painting needed to be rougher, so that's what I did? I also changed the water's hue a tad. You will also notice that the highlights on the water are brighter.

Acrylic painting versus watercolor painting

I painted the watercolor during the summer. It is about 15 by 22 inches. I just finished this acrylic for a one man show at the International House in Davis this December. It measures 30 by 40 inches on stretched canvas. Which one looks better or is it a case of comparing apples to oranges?

Two Invitations

I have recently gotten two invitations to conduct watercolor workshops that I am very excited about. I am now scheduled to teach a five day workshop in 2013 for The Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. In the past, they have had watercolor luminaries such as Stephen Quiller, Frank Web, Ted Nuttal, Mike Bailey, Myrna Wacknov, and Jan Hart. I am thinking about teaching portraiture both in payne's gray and full color. The second invitation just came in this morning from the Peninsular Art League in beautiful Gig Harbor, Washington. They saw my art on my website. If you are interested in discussing a possible Lobenberg workshop in your neck of the woods, please contact me at: sushi3@mac.com

Clouds count.

People you see on the street, people you see in a park, or wherever you see people, oft time should be seen in your paintings as well. A painting can look more natural with people in it and provide an extra "it" factor that attracts a viewer's eye. The same can hold true with clouds. Whether they be icy, high flying cirrus, low, rain sodden stratus, or tall billowing cumulus, painting clouds in your sky can add that extra "it" factor. Do you think the "it" factor is in these three?

Hey,,,heads up!!

A watercolor that I demoed at The School of Light and Color in Fair Oaks, California this Tuesday. This size rooster is the type that could devour Cleveland!

La Provence

A light, little ink and wash sketch on 5"X7 140lb. cold press. Viva La Provence!

Only the hardy and brave do this!

Three painters that were on a plein air outing with me last week on an overcast, cold, and breezy day. My watercolor here shows one of them painting with the lovely pond and vineyard in the background. Of course, I know of other artists that work en plein air in he friging falling snow!

My blood pressure is back to normal.

Dear Blogger Team, R U out there somewhere lurking in cyberspace? You punks are hiding, aren't you?! Anyway, here is a suggestion: For bloggers who are 50 years and older, DO NOT bother us with your new bells and whistles as we are too long in the tooth to manage them. In short, leave us alone. My sincere thanks in advance. David K. Lobenberg

Call me Stupid, but I got my old formatt back!

How? I ain't sure! I'm still not happy with what happened and how it happened, but I am happy with whatever the hell I did to get back home! Thank you for putting up with my ranting! I'm going to sleep now...I'm pooped. Old age, I guess.

You Blogger people are sooo "helpful"!!!!!!!!

I've also lost by book link to Blurb and my two other blog links!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Blogger people!!!!!! You are so "helpful"!!!!!!!! Did I add that I'm P I S S E D !!!!!!?

What the fuck!!!!!!!!

I've lost my followers window, my paint tube in my header, my side bar artist blog listing!!!!!! How do I get it all back????? Anyone out there that can help me. Blogger is now just like Facebook... always tinkering and making things difficult for us elders!!! I'm P I S S E D !!!!!! You suck Blogger!!! I'm old and forgetful...did I forget to add that I'M P I S S E D !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help!...anyone...help!

Winter cometh

Two watercolors from the Lobenberg files.

One of my drawing students in splendid grey tones!

This young lady is in my college drawing class that I'm teaching this semester. I photographed her out doors in a wonderful dappled late afternoon light. My watercolor of her was painted using the photo as reference. It was painted on cold press rough 140lb watercolor paper. This is my first study. I am about 70% happy with it, but I want to enjoy 100% happiness!. The future bodes, therefor, another study, and most likely on cold press regular. I hope you enjoy seeing this watercolor in progress.

Feather Man

Hot color and tight cropping can make a watercolor entertaining and full of spirit.

California State Capitol Building

A watercolor painting I just did as part of a workshop I conducted at the Fair Oaks School of Light and Color. The capitol building is where our state legislature screws up the economy just like in DC! Power to the 1%.

Plein Air Painting of A and A Bakery ruins

Last Sunday, I was invited along with about fifteen other prominent Sacramento plein air artists to paint at an annual plein air event in my neck of the woods, East Sacramento. E. Sac. is a very "tony" area of my fair city, and has some beautiful parks and splendiferous old homes. Being a fan of artist William Wray, self proclaimed "Painter of Blight", I decided to paint A and A Bakery. For at least ten years now, the bakery has been out of business and their facilities have gone to rack and ruin. Perfecto!!...a blighted area in tony East Sacramento! My painting won one of the people's choice awards during the event's exhibition. Another artist (Robert Sandidge) was painting the same scene whilst positioned behind me, so there I am in his oil painting... Sweet! I painted in acrylic. Elapsed time: 4 hours. I now proclaim myself "Painter of Dilapidated Bakeries".

A Vase is a Vase is a Vase.

A Vase is one pain in the ass to draw as well! I challenge you to take an elegant white vase like this, dramatically light it, and draw those difficult and subtle contours (on BOTH sides whilst keeping the vase symmetrical) Damn hard and great fun! My apologies to Gertrude Stein, and yes, next time I'll draw a Rose!

The Watercolor Dude after His Demo.

I have some more watercolor stuff to post this coming week, but meanwhile, here is the dude after last week's demo. A pooped dude, I might add. Hey, are those a car's headlights reflecting off his fore head??

The Unvarnished Truth of the Matter

Three evenings ago on Monday, I gave a watercolor portrait demonstration to Sacramento's watercolor club, WASH. Within my one hour alloted demo time, I attempted to paint four portraits in Payne's Gray whilst talking about the importance of familiarizing one's self with the value pattern, contours, and edges of the face. These obviously were done in a rush and lack the normal "polish" of my work, but I think they are fairly successful and instrumental in getting my message across. I manage to get three portraits completed and the initial value lay-in wash completed on the fourth. Next Thursday, I do this demo again in front of another art group. Please wish me luck, and wave me good bye. I'll post that effort as well. If I complete all four, perhaps I can get into the Guinness Book of World Records and a guest appearance on the Charlie Rose Show? (-:

Off to the Sacramento Fine Art Center to paint portraits in blazing black and white watercolor!

Tonight I will give a watercolor portrait demonstration (painted in Payne's Gray) at thge Sacramento Fine Art Center in front of the members of their watercolor club. I've decided to paint FOUR portraits within my hour alloted time! They are on one full sheet of 140lb cold press Fabriano watercolor paper. I figure as one wash is drying, I can proceed to the next watercolor etc., etc. I do hope that I have not created a quagmire with this idea! We'll see. I'll post my finished four=portrait demo sometime this week. Stay tuned, dear readers.

BEAUTIFUL B@W WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT STUDIES!

Want to paint beautiful portraits in color? DO NOT DO IT! Not until you have lots (and I mean LOTS) of experience painting portraits in mono-color. I like to do my mono-color portraits in glorious payne's grey (Winsor Newton). You first need to develop your painting style, knowledge of head and facial structures, value control, and soft, found, and lost edges. Only then can you graduate to color. Well...at least that's my advice.