A So Cal Study

Headed down to the OC to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday last weekend...one of those Big '0s. Good Time.  Then treated myself to a short visit with my painting pal, Linda Yoder.

As usual, we got yakking about artists whose work excites us and she introduced me to Milt Kobayashi. Wow!  Awesome--full of exciting color and boldness. Energy and exaggeration. His style reminded me of work I'd seen awhile back by Malcolm Liepke, but a bit more whimsical. Evidently they studied and painted together.

I decided to do a study right then and there--using his work as a lesson in broad strokes for the face and figure.  I tend to blend blend blend when doing faces and figures. Wanted to practice putting color down and leaving it alone.

Here's his original followed by my study.  Lessons I worked on: line and gesture, bold strokes for the facial planes, minimal blending, and ..pouty lips! I left out his wild signature hair in the study. I love it but thought I'd just leave the study as is for my version.
 

Original.....by Milt Kobayashi

Study oil on linen - Valente

I will do a few more to get the feel ...the motor memory and then will try and paint a few of my own people in a bolder brighter way.  One day hope to take a class with this new FAVE of mine.

In the meantime - I'll continue my bird series....and painting some figures the way I have come to at this point.  Evolving is what keeps it all fresh and fun...but it has to come naturally and not forced. We'll see where this interest takes me...