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Showing posts from February, 2016

Chilli

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                                                                           Chili                                                                            11x14"                                                                              Oil Well today is another dreary rainy day and I think I am channeling something I want for dinner, and that's chili.  Yes I know this has to be the world's biggest chili pepper, but .... Thanks much to Viacheslav for the super reference, this photographer is truly an artist.  Just fooling around today and tomorrow got to get back to my project before it gets too cold.  Worst that can happen is I have to start again. Thanks for stopping by.

Ballerina

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                                                                         Ballerina                                                                           11"x14"                                                                        Color Pencil Well this weeks entertainment is another portrait.  My friend Hilda, a wonderful portrait and pastel artist, has been counseling me on another project - bless you Hilda.  Anyway she suggested I really take my time now that I am in the big time editing frame. So I pulled this picture back out that I had started during the 30 day challenge.  this picture started out as a graphite that I was going to put color pencil over, but morphed more into a color pencil.  However, I got quite a surprise when I really started working this this support.  I used what I the ought was a premium bristol board, 500 Series Vellum, and much to my dismay it turns out to have a bubbly finish.  Even with super sharp pencils it still had valleys that

Wonderment

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                                                                   Wonderment                                                                       11"x14"                                                                        Pastel I am working on an intense painting so I wanted to do something fun today and less involved.  So I went back to my old standbys - pastel. When I saw this little girl on PMP knew I just had to do her.  Such an unusual pose and expression (loved the challenge of her partial eye and open mouth)  When I first started drawing, and even my first pastel portrait was a Native American chief.  I have drawn quite a few Indian portraits over the years and have an affinity for their hair, skin tones, clothes, etc. Here I wanted to try working with different color combinations for the dark/shadow skin tones - no grays or black but lots of browns, oranges, purples and yellows.  Even the black of the hair is purple, dark blue, burgundy, brown and black.

King of the Mountain

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                                                                 King of the Mountain                                                                            15"x12"                                                                            Acrylic This week has been an interesting week, not only doing the color charts but also trying to start to apply them.  Here is an acrylic piece that I took a bit of literary license with - trying to learn that it is ok to do that you don't have to be a slave to what you see in real life or photos.  Originally he is in a grassy area, so I looked for mountain type backdrops - have to google as I have no imagination when to comes to backgrounds.  Found some mountains I thought I could paint but didn't like the color, but blocked it in anyway.  So all of a sudden was looking at my wallpaper for computer screen and it is mountains and I like the colors for sun and shadows - so voila change the dull to something I think is a bi

Zorn Color Chart

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This is what I did today while it has been snowing (well a bit of an exaggeration really, flurries only) outside.  Gotta tell you this is something I wouldn't have done when working full time.  This took me about 5 hours to do 120 little blocks.  Now I am not proficient at formula color mixing and I'll admit I am slow and of course it isn't the neatest color chart.  But it is done.  Whew.  This is done in Liquitex acrylics and I think you would get a different result if you used oils. Did I do it the same way someone else would have?  Heck I don't know if my parts were correct, but what I did learn is that I believe with the notes on the chart I can get to these colors again.  And from these colors I can make new ones by making modifications.  I guess what I am saying is I think it is repeatable. I have been making color charts for a while now but this one finally makes sense to me.  I find that it gives me more colors rather than just tints as many traditional ch

ACEOs

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When I send someone a picture I usually like to send a little something extra.  And that has been a signed ACEO.  I really have enjoyed making these little cards and I do hope that the folks who have received them have enjoyed them as well. There are many reasons to like ACEOs: 1)  Because of their small size, 2.5"x3.5" - trading card size, it doesn't take long to get one completed 2)  It gives you an opportunity to try different papers (the the white is watercolor paper and the beige is card stock I bought for a hot scheme that didn't work out, now I should be able to use it) 3)  You can try different techniques and media and quickly gauge a result 4)  Working in a smaller size helps improve detail work and drawing skills 5)  They are a great way to warm up before you start painting for the day For this batch I want to do mostly graphite as I have been neglecting my drawing practice in favor of directly painting.  It should also help me work through a book

Pretty As A Penny

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Pretty As A Penny                                                                            11"x14                                                                               Oil Well I am going to stop while I am ahead and let this sit on the easel for a while.  I might go back in and make some changes later, but right now I just don't want to overwork or ruin what I have done. I can't seem to adjust the colors on the computer to actually reflect the painting. The painting has more color, but have taken and adjusted several times.  Funny how some times the camera makes the pic look better than actual life and other times it is underwhelming.  Guess that is why they talk about working from life.  May be time to get myself back to life modeling sessions heh? Overall I am pretty happy with this as I have accomplished some things that I haven't done before (mouth with teeth) and for an oil portrait, the first in many years, I am pleased.  I still have so muc