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Monday, February 28, 2011

Making the Unreal "Real" ... or ....It's Only a Carousel Horse

Background washes, horse masked, and with light grey glaze

Several glazes on saddle

The mane was FUN

Starting tack, and more glazing on horse

Masking removed
A bit of striping for background




   I LOVE carousels. My biggest thrill, when I was a child, was to sit on some inert object that resembled a horse. I was a regular at Loblaw's, [in Toronto] sitting on the mechanical animal they had at the front of the store. While my mother went shopping, I would ride the wind! My parents had friends in Oakville; their home had a huge yard with statuary - one being an almost life-sized rearing horse. Yup ... that's where I'd be.
   So the romance remains with me. I found several Internet sites where there are thousands of photos of renovated carousels. I had to try painting some of them. Above is my first attempt. For me, it had to look "real" and yet "unreal". To achieve that goal, I used very bright, almost unnaturally so, colors. Let me know what you think.




5 comments:

  1. Kathryn, I love it, love the bright colors and your highlighting makes it look so smooth and shiny.

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  2. Love this! Carousel horses are the best! The colors are wonderful :-)

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  3. So beautiful, thanks for showing your process. I do love carousels too. I have some photos you can have if you want them and I can find them in my computer. Just let me know.

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  4. I also love Carousels. How can you not?
    This is beautifully drawn and painted.

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  5. I love carousels too! Oh, the horses!

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