Blood Moon acrylic wildlife portrait

                                                                       Blood Moon
                                                                          14"x11"
                                                                          Acrylic
This weeks project was another in the moon series.  The Blood Moon usually occurs during an eclipse and is caused by the moon picking up reflected red wavelengths of light.  It was a challenge as I wanted to get the primary color, the yellow, so that it would eminate out of the other colors of red/orange/purples.  I liked the idea of using the wildlife in silhouette and have a couple more of these sky pictures doing that planned.  

 This is acrylic on a canvas panel board, this time.  But had to do several gessoed layers to get it smooth enough to work with.  The other thing I am learning about acrylic is that you have to apply layers.  That is why it is so forgiving, if you don't like the way it looks, just add another layer until you do.  Also, there is a fair amount of glazing in this picture which also helps to bounce the light around and also should help create depth.  

 Another new technique I tried was applying the stars this time without a brush.  Instead I used a T-pin and put them on individually.  Would put them in, glaze and add another another layer to try to get some depth in the skies.  Also experimented with blue, yellow and red/pink  stars in addition to white ones.

 Thanks for taking a look and stopping by, have a great weekend.

Comments

Helen said…
Love the yellow against the navy!
July 14, 2017 at 11:14 PM
Joan Tavolott said…
I love the variety of color and shading in the moon, and the silhouette in front looks so good against it. Lovely!!!
July 16, 2017 at 9:45 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In The Garden acrylic painting Redo

Image
In The Garden Original painting Well, thankfully I have some folks who tell me what they think.  I value their objective opinions very much and appreciate that they feel strongly enough to tell me when they feel something is off.  In the original painting no one liked the addition of the yellow flower, and felt it pulled the eye and overshadowed the focal point.   Well, I sat on it a bit and starting playing with how I could work it back into the composition.  I wanted the third flower, but I couldn't just really dull down the yellow.  As you an see I ended up making it darker in shadows and then burying it into the foliage.  I like it better because it now looks, to me, like it is part of the picture instead of just being put on in the corner.  Moral of the story, fix it first because it is hard to come in and match colors later. What do you think of the changes - for better or worse? Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look.
Read more

Her Highness mixed media woman portrait

Image
Her Highness   I just absolutely loved the expression on this lady and knew I wanted to try to capture her elegance and serenity.  I knew that I didn't want an exact portrait and decided to try another mixed media piece.    I added blobs of paint and used my large scraper to make the areas of color.  Just put paint on a piece of watercolor paper.  Then I inscribed and mixed the colors together with the end of my brush and got all the wavy lines (in real life they actually stand up so there is a 3D effect to the background).  Where I thought I wanted the face I really scraped most of the paint off, and ended up with color blotches and tones, and if you look in the forehead you can sort of see the design that was left.  I thought it would add some variance to the skin tones. I also want to keep her very soft so I tried to stay in the pastel tones, even with the lips.   Once I got shadows and lights added in, and went over it with some skin tone and more blue colors I let
Read more

Magnolia Blossom acrylic portrait magnolia flowers

Image
Magnolia Blossoms Acrylic 11"x14" “Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you're willing to practice, you can do.”   - Bob Ross I thought this was a wonderful quote.  I don't know if it has happened to you, but people say, oh you are so talented.  Not true, couldn't be farther from the truth, although I am sure there are many artists who do possess that something extra, something special.  But for the most part for the rest of us, it is just a matter of studying,  learning your  tools and materials, practicing, and then start to trust your inner self.  I am on a journey to try to find my voice.  Not that I am a late bloomer, but I should have already found it, yes?  I guess what I am really looking for is the way I wish and want to paint.   Not necessarily how I have been doing it. I am pleased with this piece.  Many thanks to Sanne who put this wonderful reference piece up at PMP.  Personally I think Magnolias are just wonderful flowers.  They hav
Read more