NELVIA'SART.COM

Well after cleaning out the garage yesterday and washing all the woodwork inside and out on the porch today I have to go back to work to rest.  I am pretty tired so only got a could of hours of work on her and not it is down to watch the golf championship. But I was able to get started on my friend's dog.  She has been bubbling in my head for weeks now and just haven't gotten the nerve to put pastel to paper.  But think at least I got enough of her down so that we can do an eye color check and also a fur check.  My reference photos of mostly inside with flash and the one I have in sun is really bright light, so I am kind of guessing here.  She is definitely part long hair shepherd and thinking I need to adjust in more rust tones, but just want some more input before I get into her face and take her way to yellow.  This is somewhat a challenge because the black paper does funky things to the colors and I have to remember to put down purples befo...

Well I have been so art starved for the last few weeks, too much work and not any art timne.  So because I want to do a portrait on black paper I saw this challenge from Paint and Draw Together - Lela always comes up with such wonderful things to paint - and said this would be a perfect starter to see how differently the color react on black.  And believe it or not, old polkie got this done this afternoon in just a couple of hours from laying out the drawing and putting together.  Fastest color pencil piece I've ever done.  Of couse is it only 6x8 and I didn't have to lay in the background, just used the colored black ground. This is color pencil and no solvent, this time it is only layering colors and using an art blender for additional wax and then some q-tips to smush it around and blend together.  Also gave me the shiny surface that came together well with this subject. Now the rain is gone and it's time to go out on the portch for a little R&R wit...

Well since I have been occupied and not really started anything new.  Thought about what I want to do next and will try to get something before it's time to go to work again. So thought I'd post these pics I found as I was once again cleaning and organizing my art room.  Forgot I did these, many years ago.  So surprising to me colored pencils have been in my checkered past.  I loved the first little girl and always wanted to do her again.  Not fond of her facial features and would like to refine them a bit and add a puppy nipping at the lowest teddy bear.  And absolutely loved the idea of the plaids in the little garden girl.  Nice to always look back to what you did and see where you are and for a little while feel good about the progress you think you made. Rain, Rain, Rain, we are in flood watches now and have about three more days of rain to go.  So no outside work today, did sneak in a walk with umbrella and wind sort o...

Well was away from this for a few days, but thought about it and came home and did a whirlwind finish. Just dropped in the color and let it go and hope it still reads white. My Mom diagnosed my problem, I always struggle when there is color under with white on top, tough to do with my chosen media which is transparent or turns to mud. Am now at the fiddling stage but am going to officially call this done. Thanks to Gary Jones for such a great reference photo, will post to PMP and hope I did his photo proud. Got a new dog to do for a friend and will do in pastel, been pondering on her. Also am donating a pet portrait to a charity of my friend's daughter that helped her have two healthy baby boys. So will see what comes of that.

Here is an update of trying to figure out the featherwork. Just tried to go with it and put the color in and hoped I could pull out the light. Hoping to catch the image now and not look over worked, still have lots of fine detail to go.

Well, still giving me fits. Can't figure out how to get the darker color with the lighter beige feathers on top. Am asking for help and ideas. Again this is mostly color pencil and marker for background. Have put some pastel on top of pencil to fluff up the white. Do have some gel pen I here and guess that might be what I have to do is out in darks and pull out feather stents on gel and pencil on top. Whew that will surely try my patience.

Today did lots of inside work again but have clean carpets. Here is my white on white work on the feathers. Hope to have enough color to give it some shape, but once I start the darker cheek feathers think it should read white. At least that is the plan.