Category Archives: portraiture

Girl Genius Writes Code at FlightPath Coffee

January 5, 2010 – 7:49 pm

My daughter and I went to FlightPath Coffee during Finals Week before Christmas. This young brainiac came in late with her friend, and snagged one of the best tables. I don’t know if she knew how lucky she was – probably not. These Einstein- types can be totally unaware of the world around them. She […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, portrait sketch, sketches | Tagged , , , | Comments (43)

I Painted the Guy in the Panama Hat at Epoch

December 9, 2009 – 12:20 pm

He was reading the paper, and chatting with two girls at Epoch Coffee.  He had his folded hands resting on his forehead for just a few moments – long enough for me to get the gesture. He seemed to be  filled with the youthful optimism that everything will work itself out for the best. But […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, artist, figure painting, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch, sketches | Tagged , , , , | Comments (12)

I Painted Martin Button in My Studio

November 9, 2009 – 9:05 am

Here is Martin. We all love him. Martin is originally from New Zealand. He first came over to America to attend college at Berkley. He is a seismic engineer, and a structural engineer. At the present time, he is working on Building No. 7 (WTC), the Chinese Ferris Wheel (largest in the world), and many […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, figure painting, painting, painting people from life | Tagged , , , , | Comments (3)

I Painted Two Men in Deep Conversation at Epoch

August 28, 2009 – 12:42 pm

The tattooed man was there earlier, sitting outside. He had a brief conversation with the baristra, Ben.  The man on the right showed up about fifteen minutes later, and they came inside and sat opposite each other. I could only hear “she blah-blah-blah” running through their conversastion. It is difficult to capture two people who […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting live, painting technique, portrait sketch, sketching | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (6)

I Painted Her at Royal Ground Coffee in San Raphael, Ca.

August 7, 2009 – 10:52 am

This is one of the only 2 paintings that I was able to do while I was on vacation out in Marin County recently. My sister-in-law dropped me off at this coffee house in San Raphael. I was really nervous, since it was my first attempt outside of Austin. I just loved her pink ruffly […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, guerrilla artist, guerrilla portraiture, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting, painting people from life, portrait sketch, sketches | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Pastel Portraiture

May 14, 2009 – 1:35 pm

Summer is the best time for children’s portraits. I am doing 12″x16″ pastel vignette portraits at a special rate. This is a detail from a portrait of David: For more samples and information, visit my Portraits page.

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in art, children, parenting, pastel | Tagged , , | Comments (6)

I Painted Geneva in the Bruising Sun

April 9, 2009 – 2:20 pm

Why lie? In Texas we don’t have that nice, ambient light of the north.  We have heat and intense sun that makes us squint, burns out the features on one side of our face, and cast the other side in shadow.  It’s a biforcated life, for sure.  We love the sun and the heat, and […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, artist, commissioned painting, oil painting | Tagged , , , , | Comments (12)

I Painted Another Barristra at Pacha Coffee

January 5, 2009 – 8:53 pm
By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

I Painted This Artsy Man at Quack’s

December 18, 2008 – 7:43 am

I painted him on a Saturday at Quack’s.   He popped in and sat down two tables away from me,  providing the perfect distance and profile pose to paint him.  It was a very quick oil sketch, but I think that I captured him and his impish personality.  He came over to see what I […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, artist, figure painting, oil painting, Oil Sketches Live at Coffee Houses, painting live, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (5)

I Painted Fabi at Quack’s Coffee and Bakery

December 11, 2008 – 11:38 am

I was just sitting down to paint at Quack’s when I heard someone say, “Hey there”.  I didn’t know that someone was talking to me.  Then, I heard, “Hey, Mrs. Martin, it’s me Fabi.”  Oh, it was my lucky day!  Fabi is one of my daughter’s good friends (they have a girl band together), and […]

By Lavanna Martin | Also posted in alla prima, art, oil painting, painting people from life, portrait sketch | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (6)