Rio Redux

A couple of nights ago, I took this painting, and gave it a shower and sponge bath. There was still too much color there after its bath, so I flipped the paper over, and re-sketched the image onto the back, and started over. There was just not enough unity of color. The above is an aureolin sky dropping down into a thin orange for the trees and shacks on the hill-side.

Then a blue mixture - indanthrone, aureolin and alizarin crimson for the shadowed area.

I've added some detail in the shadows [needs more], and started the hill-side and the boys playing soccer below. Most of my past paintings have been about technique, trying to re-create beauty. This one is much more a "story", and my reaction to the story. I may have to write a "Saturday Soap-box" piece ... or several. I don't believe most of us in the big
economic powers fully appreciate the pathetic condition of the rest of the world. I realized it was bad, but not this bad ...  but I digress ...

I also decided the rose did indeed need some further work. I  did several thin glazes , using quin. sienna on the upper petals. And once again, it looks much better in real life.

That's it for now. I don't feel like going into a foam-at-the-mouth rant right now ... just feel like painting. I also have another goose painting started, but not much to show yet.

Thank you for dropping by! Your comments are always welcome.

Some Work on the Latest Rose before I Go Out to PLay Dominatrix with Bruno ...

I left off here ...

I have gradually been adding aureolin and quin. sienna, and a touch of pink to the lower petals ...

... and then quin. sienna and aureolin to the top petals.

Close-up of flower.

I have to leave this for a few days. I'm starting to wonder if I like it or not - not a good sign.  Time to work on the Rio painting, and maybe another one of some geese ...
That's it for the rose for now. Off to play dominatrix with Bruno.
:(

Thank you for dropping by. Your comments are always welcome.
And YES ... in case you're wondering, all these paintings are available.

Rose Is Done

I took this photo yesterday, when we had about 2 minutes of almost- sunshine. The colors are much more true-to-life.

Today, I just put a w/w wash over the leaves on the lower right, as the whites seemed to distract from the rose.  Signed and finished!
The framable size is 13 x 9 inches.
$125.00
Please leave me a note if you are interested in purchasing the rose.

Thank you for dropping by! Your comments are always welcome.

A Process on Fabriano Paper

Reference - one of my landlady's gorgeous roses

Sketch I did while working at the gallery on Sunday. It was a very slow day.

Yesterday's efforts ...
I picked up some Fabriano paper a few weeks ago. It is quite different from my usual Arches - undecided as to a preference.  I always soak and staple paper, and I found it to be very soft, much more like cloth than paper. It seems to take longer to dry, but that could be because the weather is much cooler.  That is better for working W/W, especially as the paper does not allow the pigment to explode across the page; it needs a bit more encouragement to move, and that characteristic can work either way for you in a painting.
My colors for the petals are aureolin and quin. rose,  and for the leaves quin. gold, phthalo green [yellow shade], phthalo blue and quin. burnt orange. The stem is alizarin crimson and quin. burnt orange.

This is as far as I got this morning.  And this is definitely NOT going to be a "quickie"!  I find I am doing a lot of glazing. Another asset of the Fabriano is that you can more easily lift lines in the damp wash, and they stay lifted.
That's all for now. Bruno has started neighing for attention!

Thank you for dropping by. Your comments are most welcome!

Oh, How I Wish I Could Ride Today ...

The pond is still frozen, and so is the ground. So no riding yet ... RATS!!!

I started to intensify the rose colors, but needed some background color to judge how much more.

This is background done. Now I can get back and really brighten the rose.

I started putting in the feathers, in a sort of scrumbly manner to suggest  the irregularity of a young bird's feathers.

More feathers, and a branch for him as a perch.

I am still playing with the feathers. I think it needs more darkening in the core area to give more of an impression of his being backlit.

I thank you all so much for your well wishes. I am slowly getting better. I am still pretty weak, and coughing, but improving. I went to work for half a day on Friday, and it was so good to get out of the house! I am dying to get back in the saddle, but I really am too weak, so I suppose it's a good thing the ground is frozen, or I'd probably try to ride anyway. I will at least take Bruno's blankets off, and see if there is still a horse under there, and then maybe groom him a bit.

Thank you again for visiting and writing!

I Sound Like a Cat Coughing Up Hair-balls, but STILL PAINTING

I have almost finished the background on this rose. 

This is Round #3 on the barn swallow. The background still needs some work before removing the mask.

Well, the rain stopped. The water drained off a bit. And now it is all frozen. The temperature has stayed below freezing for the past few days, and the cold is supposed to last till the end of the week. I woke up coughing, and have been busy coughing all day. I thought I would just quickly post the latest WIP's before I take all my flu meds and hit the proverbial sack.

As always, your comments are so welcome!