Trigger Is Off and Running ... Well, Walking Anyway ...

Lucy on the left, Desi on the right, last December.

I masked out the pinkish strip down his nose, and the trailing ends of his mane, and started in with  a thin w/w glaze of burnt orange, pink, and indanthrone blue.

I've glazed a bit more on the muzzle, and roughed in the eyes.

More detail work on muzzle.

The reference photo shows him as pretty much white, grey and black. I'd like to bring some subtle colors into the shadows, and carry them into the background. I may have to walk down to visit Trigger today, and make some notes.

I prefer this sketch, and I'll probably do something with it later, just for fun.

As for the farm, it was quite chilly last night - around 7 C, and there was a heavy ground fog this morning. The swallows have left the barn - I miss them. 

Thankfully, I put Bruno's winter blankie on last night. He's been shedding like mad for the past month, and the new coat is coming in darker for the winter, but not too heavy and long yet. It still gets into the mid-20's C during the day.

I have a photo of my sister's Boxers at the top of this post [couldn't add it to the bottom]. These are the two that I dog-sit when Denise goes away on business, so I spend a fair bit of time with them. A few days ago, I was very upset to find out that Desi has some growth around her heart and lungs. I was visiting my sister and the Girls on Sunday, and hand-feeding Desi peanut butter, as she has almost completely stopped eating. I really am upset, as they are such sweet and loving dogs with such wonderful personalities. And my sister is a basket case; these two really are her "children". We'll all know more this evening, whether she can have surgery or not.

As always, your comments are most welcome!

Done

Day light, before last wash

Day, after wash. I masked only the eye.

Studio light before

Studio light, after wash.


I think it's all right for a first attempt. Now I'd like to try this technique with a variety of subjects.

As always, your comments are most welcome. And if you absolutely cannot live without it, it is for sale. :)

Another Note to Self ...

I couldn't figure out why the shadows were making Paulina look like a bearded lady. The mixture was too grainy. So I did a small w/w with the colors I was using - cobalt blue, quin. pink and raw sienna. I think the raw sienna was granulating a bit, especially combined with the blue. When I tried yellow ochre, it seemed better. So, wipe and do the shadows again.

I'm working on details, and deepening shadows on the head. Then I will do another "wash and lift" to soften.

This is for Sandy. I put a hummer feeder outside the window where my computer sits, hoping to get a photo. I hear him humming - literally - get up to the camera that I have poised ready on the window sill, and he's GONE! How do you get your hummer photos, Sandy?

A Bit of This and That ...

I call it "proboscisizing". When a horse really likes where you're scratching, the upper lip extends and sometimes wiggles, and if it's REALLY good, they might drool! Just what you needed to know.

More good times. The white on his neck is his racing tattoo. He seems to quite like a scratch there.

All cleaned up, and ready to rock!

Don't do this at home.  I'm taking his photo while sitting on his back. It's about as bright as taking pictures out of the car while driving ... and, yes, I've done that, too. He has his ears cocked back, listening to what I am doing. 

Now the neighbor's horse has caught his attention - his ears are focussed there.

A well-earned munch after exercise.

Garden update - the lettuce and snow peas are doing very well; the rest are slower.

I've slowed to a crawl with this. There is a little voice in my head saying "I could do better. Let's start again". I am trying to ignore that suggestion. I also had a thought about doing the bridge with this technique. Hmmm ....

I worked on Paulina a bit - intensified the green of her dress, and reddened her hair. Again, I am creeping along with the painting.


As always, your comments are most welcome! I love to hear from you.

Time to Call It a Day ...

Right now, I'm tired and probably more critical than usual, so I won't make final judgment ... but ... painting the neck has made it loose the floating, emergent, mysterious quality. I'll wait till I've finished the face and mane, Then I might do one more softening [I hope] overall wash. 

Why green? The color of youth, purity ... it just seemed appropriate.

I am off to bed!

It's Too Wet and Windy for Riding So ...

I just couldn't look at the glup of whatever in front of the horse's eye.

So I started again. This is after a w/w wash of aureolin, brown madder and ultramarine. I have also carved out some of the highlights while wet.

Here's the first wash of black.

A second wash, with lifting while wet.

And I've done some lifting after it's dried, with very small and moist or wet brushes. This technique is a bit like sculpting, as you carve the highlights out of the paint - quite intriguing. 

The start of a painting of my niece as a Mona Lisa [sort of]. I've painted the darkest areas with quin. burnt orange, and then a grey. 

I started the background with a graded aureolin wash. I let it dry, then did a bit of a scrumbled wash with quin. burnt orange, to give it an oil painting look - I hope. 

I've just finished a very w/w wash, dropping in quin. gold and cobalt blue. I think the next step will be a thin overall glaze of the blue again.

As always, your comments are most welcome!

Before I Go out and Play with the Lad ...

W/w wash of aureolin, brown madder and ultramarine. Then I lifted, while still wet, some of the highlights of the face.

RATS! I did not make up enough of my soft black mixture. 

Second black wash, and then some lifting while still wet. I must sat I am really thrilled with the effect. I am not as thrilled with what I see in the paper, and which becomes more apparent as each wash is applied. I am usually very careful about clean hands and surfaces while handling paper, so I'm not sure if it's me or something in the paper. I will say that I am very keen to try some Fabriano.

As always, your comments are most welcome! 

The Complete Pictorial Saga of Misty ...or ... How to Paint a White Horse

Reference photo - it looks like it was taken in an indoor arena.

Mask, then a wash of thin purple-grey.

I start adding some thin glazes of local color.

Add more mask around her muzzle, and do more darkening of existing colors.

I need a background to judge how dark to go with her coloring. I chose  soft pink, orange and blue - to maintain the softness of the painting, and to compliment her coloration.

I darken her eyes and add more pink/orange to her muzzle.

I've painted around her mane and forelock to bring them to notice.

The mask is all off, and I am working on the bridle. I don't want it as dark as the photo, as it will overwhelm the painting.

Here she is - DONE!!!
Photo taken outdoors.

This is at the same stage, with indoor lighting.

Well, she is finished, and [surprisingly] I am quite pleased with the finished painting! Her owner is up in northern Alberta, visiting family for the holidays, so I won't get her reaction till the New Year.
As ever and always, if you have any questions about color, technique ... whatever, please ask. And ALL comments are most welcome!
Even though I am a complete and total humbug at this time of year, I wish all of you and your families a most happy and wonderful Christmas! And Peace and Love to you all!!