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Showing posts from 2012
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  Well I am glad no one is having problems seeing the blog.  I have been getting hit with a group of different stat groups so I am trying different security settings to see if I can screen them out.  All I see is they hit my site and are supposedly improving their ratings, but it makes me nervous and after much study I can't find any way to get rid of them. Two things today, wasn't going to post as I only have done  a little bit, it was finally was nice enough to go out and run (no rain and almost 50) but U gevraagd, krijg je, hier zijn de ogen so here you are.  Hope this close up is what you were looking for.  Tomorow am going to have to get busy again and try to actually do more housework -Ugh - and cleaning.  Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year to you all.
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Well I think I made some good progress today on this leopard.  Decided to do a background this time and wanted it soft and only an impression, will add more recognizable grasses in the foreground.  Since this is the Africian velt it is pretty sparse of vegetation.  Used pastels for the background and am doing the cat in pencil.  This hind quarter is going pretty fast since it is not as focused as the face and front paws will be so I am not really having to show hair texture, but trying to get the coloration.  The mid portion of haunches will probably show some texture but once I get to the head then I need to really draw it more in focus for the face and particularly front paw. Hope everyone is having a good weekend and thanks for stopping by.
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Well she has taken me three days of drawing to get to this point.  In my work up I draw her pretty detailed in the sketch book, the I transfer to the tracing paper, making corrections after each time.  Then she goes onto the the final support and working with acetate now to try to keep this paper clean, it seems to pick up a lot of stuff.  Ok, after our call Renate, I had to kick it into motion, get over the fear of the white paper and starting.  So here we go, got my eyes in, they always get me started and then will work from the tip of the tail down.  Since this is paper and not Bristol Board, even on the smooth side it takes the pencil differently, so guess I am going to figure out a new fur technique.  Good thing I am starting at the tail so hope to figure it out as I get closer and into more detail. I think before I get too far into this I am going to add in some very light background, and think I am going to do it in pastel. This paper is a light golden beige/yellow, so I am
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Wishing you all on this Christmas Eve the best time you can spend with friends and family.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
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Hunting MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BLESSINGS TO ALL!! Isn't it interesting how the mind works.  All work week all I think about is sleeping in, and come the first day of the holiday weekend I am too excited and jump up before the dawn.  For whatever reason I haven't really figured out how to transfer pictures from Picasa to my picture file to upload so wasted a bit of time, wish I had some small amount of techie blood in me - oh to be intuitive.  So any of you smarties, if you got tips, please share. I have taken a bit of a mental rest after finishing my tiger and been floundering as to what the next thing I wanted to do should be.  Well friends, you are in this one truly from the beginning as here is the result of my light bulb going off.  You can see my ambitious project on the left.  A few things:     1)  this for me is big - 19"x27", actual picture size will be 18"x26"    2)  I am going to do the whole body.  As someone who shall remain nameless, bu
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I think he is saying the title "I know you are there" Yippee, finally I am done and on paper - sure took her long enough to make me come alive.  I think I am pretty much completed and I am grateful, this was quite a challenge; think I've learned to do more luminescent eyes, a fur technique and whiskers.  Had lot of scary moments, but he is done and I am amazed at what he looks like - didn't know I had that inside of me.  After 39 pencils, white gelly roll, black gel pens and a couple of pastel colors he looks pretty much like I imagine. I remember reading something one of the best wildlife artists said, "It is important to feel the animal, be the animal"  I have that taped to my drawing table, my husband just laughs, but I believe there is something to it. Well I felt this one.  Am going to let him hang around for a while and maybe putter on him, still need to do some spraying on the background for the wax bloom, then he is definitely going to get fra
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Well good Saturday morning all, just getting ready to go for my run and thought I'd post what I have done this week.  This is lucky 13 picture of this cat.  I am getting really close, have most of the base work in.  Hoping to get the rest of the muzzle in so then I can go to the detail.  Might get it there today.  Also I am pretty happy with my disaster area, I think I didn't detract too much, got the color in but the focus is still the eye area.  Not sure what I am going to call this guy - he looks like he is getting your scent and deciding whether or not you would be a tasty morsel.  Oh the roller coaster of artistic emotions, up one minute and devastated the next - do you all experience that as well or is it just because I am so slow and live with the pictures I work on so long.  In some ways I will be sad to draw him to conclusion now, as well, we have grown together. Hope all are having a great weekend and hope to get a pretty completed pic out tomorrow. Thanks for sto
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Thank you so much for Renate, Rita and Danielle for your messages of support.  I took your advice, while I must admist I tinkered somewhat, but tried to stay away and regain objectivity.  The world didn't really end, it just felt like it did.  I will put in the final portion of the muzzle and then adjust again, ry to do the final touches with black and white pens.  To date I have worked with pastel and color pencil to try to adjust the situation, haven't gone to adding gouache yet - but still an option.  I guess the good news is at this point I don't totally hate him.  Hoping when I get the rest of his muzzle in that will be such a focal point you won't linger on the mange - oh one can only hope. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week painting.
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Ok, I am having a meltdown.  Here is the tiger with a few more hours on him.  I put in the coarse facial fringe on the right side, but think I built up too much black underneath it.  I am hoping that once I get the front leg in and finish the cheek and muzzle there will be enough color in it to make the fringe pop.  Right now I might try to scrape out some of the black or maybe add in a little bit of the orange yellow so it looks like his neck and upper chest just glimpsing through the mane.  Man, I hate this, to come this far and now to have a blow up and of course it's in the most prominent part of the picture - dumb dumb dumb.  Will try not to panic and get everything else in before I make a decision on how to fix.
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Being the brat that I am I decided to take the day off and spend it with my art and my hubby.  Warm enough to have lunch on the porch.  So got my 2 mile run in, been playing on my tiger, but not sure what the afternoon will bring, so before I go get cleaned up thought I would post what I have done this week.  this is pretty much the non-fun, tedious part for me, getting the hair in on the body.  I still have lots of finishing work to do on it to get the musculature in, but I am pretty happy, will get the rest of the base on on the bottom and then get to go back to the fun part on the face and finish that off.  Needed to get the rest of the body in so that I can put the coarse hairs over the top.  Am hopeful that I will get him complete this weekend.  I am ready for him to be done.  Then I am not sure if I am going to do another dog or a person, but am ready for a change up that is for sure. Hope to have some more to show you tomorrow and Sunday.  Thanks for stopping by and have a gre
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Well back at it again, trying to work on my tiger who I haven't looked at and been ignoring for over a month.  So got to get back into the groove on fur and the color combination - hence the reason they say you should write it down when you are in the moment.  Am going to run to sit out on the porch, below freezing this morning and now it's 64 on the porch, so for the end of November, just got to get a glass of wine and sit out and enjoy it, but unfortunately got to clean it up first. Good to be back working on this guy, he is growling at me again so that means I'll have to try to steal lots of crazy mintues to work on him a little bit at a time as I really would like to get him done before I start on my friend's dog.  Got her drawn up and want to do her in pastel, probably will work them both together, but no more today, once it is too cold on the porch I'll be setting up my tree, Christmas is only 30 days away - ooh, then it's the new year 2013, boy where
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Well am in cleaning frenzy now that winter is coming and we have to live back inside; so just stopped to take a few minutes to complete my Zambian Lady.  I still don't know what to do about a background, right now since it is a small space maybe nothing.  I will put her in the GIMP and see if I add different background color what happens, (said that like I think I know I could really do that eh?  we'll see)  I really want her face and hat to be the focus, but am not going to do anything more as I fear I'll ruin it.  So for now I call her done and see if I have a frame for her, found a small mat, and will look at her for a while but want to get her under glass or she will be smeared and I am not ready to put her in my paper file as I want her as a reminder you don't have to labor long but go with the flow.    Also found this pastel of a lady I did years ago, this came off of a travel magazine cover and hope I don't have an issue posting it as I am not even sure
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Well we are having our first winterish day - dull overcast and just keeps getting colder.  Big storm on east coast and lots of folks will lose power and get plenty of rain and snow. Have been pretty busy this weekend so didn't get a chance to do a lot on my lady.  I am pretty pleased though as I thnk I got the round 3-D shape on her hat and it kind of shines like the gourd that I think it is.  Got her neck and chest in and am going to put a couple rows of bead work.  Gave myself a scare as I was messing with the nose and lost it, but think I have it back again, made it broader which I think is more representative of what reference shows. Just love her hat - not that I would wear it, but on her looks spectacular. I just don't know what to do about a background - I think it needs something to complete it but just not sure what and how much.  I was thinking blues and purples but don't have those colors elsewhere, not sure if I should pick up the browns and terracottas for
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First off want to thank Patrick Hedges for this wonderful reference picture - he got the most amazing lighting.  Well this elegant and stylish Zambian  lady has demanded she get painted, and has just talked to me and literally popped out of the paper almost fully rendered in just a couple of hours.  Took a 3 mile run and a small cleaning break and then had to have another go at completing the right side of her face.  Before I stop for the day, porch and wine time, I had to put in all the flesh tones roughly on her neck as I fear I wouldn't be able to duplicate them going forward after a couple of hours, so now only need to go in and accent the hollows.  Yes, I cheated and already put in the dot detail, but that is one of the compelling accents to her and one of the reasons I had to paint her.  I am surprised because as you know I am a pretty slow painter and on this painting I was really cranked up to paint, paint in pastel and am trying hard not to overwork, but just put in the
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Well have felt like an artistic slug the last couple of weeks.  Did FINALLY get my retaining wall and walkway completed yesterday - set the last 9 pavers (total of 802 pounds of concrete stone/pavers that I lifted 2-3 times)  I am calling it done until the Spring when I need to kill the "kind of" grass and plant new bushes and put out pine straw - then Renate hope my "sweet" little rabbit whom I love dearly - NOT - won't decide he now likes boxwood bushes, this morning out of the blue he cropped off all my chrysanthemum blooms that have been out there for several weeks. Anyway, since I have been in art denial I wanted to do something that I could get down fast and wanted to work in pastel.  I saw this beautiful striking lady, this picture has the best lighting effects, found as a reference piece in wet canvas's library.  The lighting gave such beautiful skin tones from the purple base to almost rosy terracotta highlights - I find that true Africans have t
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ok here is my retaining wall project, not exactly my idea of a work of art, but  certainly has been a challenge for this sweet little old lady.  Some 70 stones down the road now the end is in sight, another 15 and then 25' of pavers and until Spring I can call this completed.  Only challenge is to find something the @&$-',, rabbit won't eat.  Sorry Renate, I meant "sweet little" rabbit ...... NOT!!!
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Renate was kind enough to give this and I think it is pretty special to be thought of by her.  I am not sure I am doing correctly but believe I need to answer some questions and. Then pass on to some other people who are special as well and hope that you go visit their sites. 1.  Can you find moments of serenity every day? Yes, usually when I am painting or thinking art and painting I go somewhere else and come back quite refreshed. 2.  What is on my nightstand Pretty basic, a clock/radio, my iPod, lamp and pad for writing something I want to remember when I think of it in the night 3.  Do you sing in the shower Mercifully no, I do sing along with the music when I run (only in my head though) but maybe dear Renate if I too had a parrot that would change 4.  Have you ever dressed up? We have Halloween and at work over the years I have dressed but being pretty traditional I went as an artist complete with my French beret and palette and brushes 5.  What makes me smile? My hus
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Been another busy day as I was working on my retaining wall.  Several years ago I put in steps on the side of the house which really slants down and it started to erode, so now have to do it right and build a brick retaining wall.  Well certainly got my arm exercises in lifting those 11 pound stones, got about a quarter done, so much more to go there but think it will be worth it when completed. Well have been dabbling this week and here is Abby pretty much finished.  Still will probably darken the background and play with the right side of her hair but am pretty much happy with the result since a while ago I was ready to stop and start over.  Still am happier with the left side of the face and think I need to try to do chubbier cheeks on the right hand side.  I might post this on wetcanvas and see if they will do a critique for me, will have to bandage my pride and ego but bet I will sure learn something and hopefully improve.   Maybe after listening to their suggestions I'
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Since it is cooling off here I am thinking about winter and doing things I can't do in the summer and weaving is one of those things (I use a lap loom and it is quite hot - great for sitting by the fireplace though)  Several years ago we were at the Folk Art Center for Fiber Day.  One of the weavers, Sandy Adair, kindly showed me how to build a lap loom and gave me some basic equipment instruction and, reading a couple of books later, I was off and running.   I designed this piece (of course only read the basics and didn't do any practice on the simple designs) but jumped right in and changed thread colors like I knew what I was doing - isn't ignorance bliss?? Just so you know what I think you are looking at.... you are standing on a mountain ledge looking at the sun rise over the valley below, and congratulations if you came close and guessed any of that.  The funny things in the foreground?? well, I was trying to get the different rock planes - and yes if you want to
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Ok everyone has been so busy doing great pictures you are making me feel like a dud.  Still in the yard working again today to close the garden down (think I logged five hours between yesterday and today) so being as I am old it tires me out, so no energy to create today. I have started working through the art classes on wet canvas, started with #1, the basics and boy is it harder than you think and quite the humbling experience too.  But think I will have better drawing skills once I've completed them and already learning many tips.   Just in the drawing and sketching section there are 33 beginner lessons and another  19 intermediate.  Their library is awesome and best thing is it's FREE - just your time and practice, practice, practice. A couple of weeks ago Rita did inspire me (thank you, Rita) about getting organized in the art space.  I have had this idea about hanging my coffee cans (or oatmeal, whatever :)) so that I could get my pencils off of my workspace but still
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Well going out to work with the ladder on cutting back my pine tree, so thought I better post while I had all limbs in working order.  This is what I've gotten done this week on Abby and am not really happy about it at this point.  Lost my momentum after being out of pocket for two weeks.  I have put in the base on the right side of the face, and need to do more detail and mid-tone work, will continue on through tomorrow but she might get scrapped and I might start her again.  Goal was to do a graphite realistic portrait prelim and then try to do her in color, so might just go to that route and move on to color.  Will have to see, but am concerned if I don't resolve it here I will just carry the issue forward. Was trying to just blend in my usual method and then got going in circularism and erasing, and now I feel she is somewhat overworked as I went dark and light probably too many times.  Good practice on her blonde hair - started with the left background and will defini
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Well here is an update on Abby.  I have been really busy and know that over the next two weeks I won't get much done on either of my current projects, the tiger or Abby.  Am still not real happy with how I depicted the fine hairs that are on her forehead.  Don't want to darken her skin tone as I tried that and didn't like it, and don't like when I just outline the blonder hairs.  So maybe this will be one of those subconscious things and I will think of a way when I'm not trying to think about it. Hope everyone is having a good painting time and thanks for stopping by.
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Well here it is the end of a long weekend, not sure I am ready for it to end,but what can you do, got to eat, so got to work.  After 3 days and 4,000 video tutorials I finally got a watermark on my paper, but I still am not doing it correctly, having issues as they say.  I guess it must boil down to being a different edition or it doesn't really like Vista because I can't easily save to my picture program and I don't get the same text boxes all the other folks get, got it once, but don't know how I got it. First time I uploaded the image it pulled up only pulled half the tiger, got no clue as to why that happened, but I did it and it's there (for now) Don't laugh!!!  I am going to keep on keeping on and will get the better of this GIMP yet, actually each video says it a bit differently so maybe if I hear it enough different ways I'll get the hang of it.  At least I am learning the tools :) My tiger is coming along, worked on his back and had to
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I also am not getting very far with my Gimp, I sort of have a watermark but not right and completely transparent, then I can't save it in anything but Gimp file format which the rest of my computer doesn't read and I couldn't upload into this file.  So I still have a lot of work there, but will press on, have seen at least thousands of YouTube videos and still dumb as a post.  Duh!!   Morning all, getting ready for my run and thought I'd post what I have done which appears to be very little, but took a heck of a lot of time.  Busy work week so not a lot of art time.  Been working on the snout and it has taken quite a bit of time.  Not sure if this made a difference but worked on a soft spongy surface for these short strokes so the pencil couldn't stay on the surface long but bounced up.  Now that I am moving to longer hair again I'll go back to a harder surface.  Not sure there is anything to that but I thought there was and I need all the help I can get
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Ok coming off a highly technology afternoon, for me.  Spent a couple of hours making some CDs for my Mom's birthday present.  She likes music you can't hear on today's radio stations so I got her hopefully a "simple" Sony radio/CD player.  Now that I am in the "technology" flow.... I have asked the wetcanvas group how they used computers to work with their art - preplanning, composition, grayscale, during and after photo prep.  Got some interesting answers about how some folks edit their photos to get stronger, truer, reading images for the web, so I am committed to try to learn GIMP (free program similar to Photoshop and probably every bit as complicated) yes that noise you just heard was all the geeks in the world sighing as they anticipate what a disaster this will be.  So we'll take this in baby steps.... Worked a bit more on my tiger and then took my best photo shot and put it to GIMP and followed the man's suggestions about brightness,
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Ok Saturday afternoon here, not sure what the rest of the weekend will bring as far as progress, as I have both yard or housework so thought I'd post my progress. Finding the short hairs on the nozzle area difficult as there are lots of different directions that they go, but hoping that I am getting the feel of it.  Lots of different techniques here as the nose area is very different than trying to get the thick long coarse hairs on the face fringe.  Am going to try not to stress out until I get more of the actual full-on face area in and then make adjustments in color and shadows.  Here is the challenege for me, trying to get it to look good both closeup, when you can see the strokes, and long view where the eye blends the colors and the picutre reads totally different.  Have to tell you I did the mouth/chin area at 2ish in Friday morning hours when I guess I was unconscious, so hope it came out.  Hate to say that at that time it all looked good.  :)  I fully realize that when
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Sorry guys I don't usually post mid-week but got to tell you I am excited.  He is coming out, in my opinion, and I just wanted to share to see if anyone sees something that I need to correct, in this stage when I can.  He is speaking to me and not honestly sure how we got this far.  I can only remember some sage advice from an eniminent artist "feel the animal"
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Well here is the culmination of this weekend's work on the tiger. It is pretty slow going here.  I think I have an idea of the coloration I want to use but am sure that mid week I will be guessing again, of course I noted the colors but didn't actually write them down or chart out my layer applications (guess I better learn how to develop that habit for future use) and do see a lot of different coloration on his coat where either orange or yellow is emphasized.  Trying something new this time as well, besides a picture reference I have the cat enlarged on my computer and it really shows the colors quite well, so am hoping that will help. Have a lot of colors in here, especially in the dark part of his back, not sure about it, but am going to continue and not worry about it.  You can see I have the side whiskers blocked in although there is still quite a bit of work to be done there, but it is much lighter coloration than the regular coat and looking at this I hope I have or
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Life's lessons:  if you haven't painted using Yupo paper, don't think you can pull out and sheet and create a beautiful painting like Renate.  Morale:  Know your materials both painting media and your paper/canvas supports.  Learning life's lessons here on this one.  Am using more Prismacolor pencils and their art stix so the pigment laydown is much different - 1)  They lay down lots more wax than my Staedler Karats and are wax based versus watercolor or oil based 2)  While the layers blend easily, due to the large amount of wax, it eats up the tooth - so need toothy bristol board or have to try the Stonehenge papers that hold more layers, rather than the smooth bristol I have and am using 3)  Because of the wax now know what "bloom" is - it gets a hazy or gray look that kills color, you can try to wipe it off, but comes right back, so ..... 4)  ......Thank God for toilet paper (yes, this is one of many reasons) - read about it being one of the best, che
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Ok, here is the start of my tiger so I am off the snide of actually getting started and got something on that white paper.  The reference photo is from PMP, Gary Jones is the photographer, actually he had several just great reference shots of this big boy.  Loved this expression and how he is intensely scoping you out, he is really engaged scenting you out I think to see how tasty you might be. I tried something different with the eyes (not sure how well it's going to show up) and am happy to get multiple colors in and tried to show striations but ran out of paper without that many layers down.  Only thing different is used a blender in addition to the pencils themselves, very waxy, so not sure I am going to like that as much as it sounded good, might just go back to white, cream or yellow to burnish.  I do need to study up some more though to improve on the eye technique - probably over thought it instead of just going with it. Have him on my easel board now so every time I co
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Okay, hung in there with this one, this is for PADT August challenge. Again another ACEO because I wanted to do in colored pencil and get it finished within the month timeframe. I tried different layers here and also used solvent because the paper wasn't filling in and looked spotty.  Wasn't happy with either experiment - solvent made the background flat and my color layers didn't end up with what I thought I'd get, so used tape to pull off color and it ended up pulling off paper with it - nothing went right about this painting.  Wanted to quit in the worst way but kept on and at least got it done.  I have a lot more to learn about this medium that is for darn sure.  (Can you hear the grrrrr in there?)  Have found a super site for anyone who wants to hear from other artists and get a free art education, wetcanvas.com.  You probably all know about it, I am usually the slowest; but wow is it ever a treat for the mind and eyes.  So many talents who are willing to share
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Well darn another weekend has just flown by and tomorrow will be back at work.   Going to be August, now how did that happen? Spent most of this weekend working on my yard cutting things back - today's adverture was a big pine tree that I have and keep the top in a ball shape.  Got way bigger than me as I didn't grab it in May when the candles came out so it got big and thick. But did try to finish up my little girl along with watching some of the Olympics.  Debated on whether or not to post her as I am not thrilled but it's been a while since I did a human so guess I got to get back into practice.  I did try using a chamois to blend the skin tones, but I don't think I am using the right pencil hardness and will need to keep exploring that, since she is young she should have very light soft skin with no angles over her baby fat.  Will try some small formats to see how the colored pencil goes over the fixative that I'll put on top of the graphite and then might t
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Well wanted a breather from dogs but ended up playing with another portrait, human variety this time.  Goal here is to do her in graphite and then spray with fixative and try layering colored pencils over her - have done that a long time ago and it gives a kind of pastelly-effect which I remembered I sort of liked.  So we'll see.  Got a long way to go here just doing it in graphite.  Playing with lots of texture on her hat and have most of her features roughed in for placement.  Now that I'm thinking about it, as much work as it is, I might do something in an ACEO format and trying the layering over effect - see already chickening out. Hope you all have a great painting week.
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Well here is Buddy as he is getting pretty finished.  I think I am going to continue to darken him in spots but will let Terri take a look as she has seen him live time and see if this time we got him.  Renate I see that the right eye still appears to be looking in at his nose so will have to address that.  will do some finishing work on him and hopefully post a finalized version tomorrow. Meanwhile I have some nice practice exercises that I want to work on and since we may get rain might get to sit on the porch a bit, it will give me a bit of a break and then I'll try to get another dog on paper, maybe try something in pastel this time. Hope everyone has a great painting week last week and enjoying the weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.
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Well here is Buddy a bit more advanced.  Feel good as Terri gave the approval that I am on the right tract with him, so am pleased.  Have posted his picture too so you can take a look and make some judgements.  Will continue to go from here and love the posting as I always see things I need to enhance and change up - such objectivity.
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Neither Terri nor I were really happy and certain the other Buddy image was correct; actually I knew I took a big chance on the other reference picture as it was just an odd angle for the photo, pretty close up - lesson learned in the future, don't risk it.  However, not a loss as I learned some things from that and am sure that's one of the reasons he's coming faster.  Think it was on Rita's site that one of her teachers said you should do a picture 20 times so you really learn it.  So Buddy and I have taken a bit of a breather from each other while I pondered what do to with him from a different reference piece and what do him in.  One thing I am trying to do better is the thinking, or I should say the pre-thinking part of the pictures.  This is a similar angle to the first image, but is turned just enough so that it shows more of the blockiness of the features, especially the nose/chin/jowl area.   When I get tomorrows post in I'll add in the reference picture
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Well this is another ACEO card in colored pencil, have to say it's not my best but I have learned some things to apply for the next time.  Got to work out my parrot techniques so I can be making a card to exchange with you  girlfriend, but using your parrot pic that you forwarded.  Got a long ways to go however and need to really work out the feather structure.  It's so HOT, we broke an all time record yesterday 106F - so not much in the way of porch time.  Got lots more hot days coming, then a bit of a cool off we'll only be 97 - but that sounds pretty good right now. Also have started another pose for Buddy that better exemplifies his look, so will be working on him during the coming week at those little odd moments. Hope you all have a geat painting week.
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Here is a little ACEO that was done in pen and ink and in the pointillism style.  Like how he turned out but still need to figure out how to get more delicate and areas of more gradual shading.  Guess it just means more practice.  Really love this ACEO format because it makes you work in smaller format which for me is difficult to still get the detail.  But also it doesn't require a whole lot of time to complete something either.  Thanks for stopping by and hoping you are having a great week of painting.
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Well thought I'd post this while I am sitting here patiently (not true) waiting for a certain husband get up out of the bed so I can wash my carpeting in the bedroom.  Not one of my favorite tasks, but got to be done; really never as bad as I make it in my mind and always looks so much better. So on to more enjoyable things.  Here is the finished parrot and am pleased to how it came out as a first attempt at this type of picture.  It is pretty rough and crude in comparison to those who really do the medium and certainly can see that it will take many more hours of practice to get a more delicate touch and further develop my eye for the shading.  I do like the way the black dots add depth and shading but really like the enhancement of the colored pencil over just the stark black and white of pen/ink work to me it really makes it come alive.  This practice will lend itself well to do while watching tv or porch sitting so think I'll be able to find the time to get more of this
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Well like any great dog it feels much better when I get my teeth, or so Buddy says.  Pretty much getting to the finishing stages now, just have more detail work to do primarily in the lower jaw and chest area and have to build in more of that signature hair on the right side.  We've been fighting and  over the weekend I was to the point that I lost him and was going to stop and start over, but persevered and he kind of popped back out again, so think he is coming together.    So will keep fiddling away, adding more darks and definition, on him and hoping to get him wrapped up.  Am always worried about the teeth but think they look pretty realistic and like the way the gums and his nose came out - kind of has that wet look without being sloppy wet if you know what I mean. Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great week