in-class studies

Last year I took two digital painting classes from Dave McClellan. I learned more in those two classes than I did in all my previous classes combined... it was amazing. Anyway. My favorite assignment was an in-class one the second semester. We picked a buddy and were each given thirty minutes to do a head study of each other. For me, this was the first head painting I had ever done. I'm glad it was from life. I'm surprised at how much I learned in such a short amount of time. Here was the result: a painting of my then-acquaintance, now-roommate Simini.
Ever since those head studies I've wanted to use the computer to paint from life again. I got the chance last week in my Senior Studio 2 class. In class we paint from models. Usually we paint in oils, but I got brave and asked Professor Barrett if I could paint on my computer. He had had only one other student try painting on the computer in-class and he thought it sounded like an ok idea. This was the result:
For me, painting on the computer is much faster and easier than painting traditionally. It's so much easier to correct drawing errors, experiment and pick colors. I feel like when I'm painting traditionally I spend 60% of my time looking at my palette, trying to match the color I need and another 39% just applying it. In class, painting digitally meant I have more time to look at the model and see what's going on. I know learning to paint traditionally is wise and has a lot of value, but I feel like there are things to learn from painting digitally, too. Today was our last session with this model, and I didn't feel like working on the above piece anymore, so I decided to try my hand at another head study. I talked with Barrett after, and he made some excellent suggestions that I will employ once I find some more time and motivation... haha. It was fun though! And I hope he'll let me paint digitally for the next model, too.