Hmmm ... Need to Work on My Landscapes, BUT I Sure Had Fun!

Original value photo

A few glazes, splashes, blops, spatters ...

As an exercise - finished

Not touched up with computer color editing


I had an interesting, and, more important, fun time with this landscape.  When I stop and think about the time, it's been years since I've painted one. I found, when I was painting it, I remembered sensations associated with the scene - what I felt, the sounds, the smells ... a very pleasant experience.  Well, I liked the process of painting the landscape. I'll definitely do more. And I would love to hear from you painters who do those wonderful landscapes.

Oh ... This and That ...

Buddy

   I've been working on a portrait for the past few days - a recently-departed friend. I have to call him that, as he was a dog with a deep soul. Buddy was my landlady's dog for over eleven years; she got him as a rescue dog [ he'd been found, wandering around local barns ] He had a very good, long life here, and he deserves all that I can put into his portrait.


  Some LOOSER, more passionate paintings are my goal over the next few months, so I was out this evening getting some landscape shots with good value contrast.

Stump mounting block, at one of the park entrances

 

Some great contrast here, on the path

You're right, it's not a value study, but the ladybug was so cute

Old early 20th c. schoolhouse

Old barn, with yours truly's shadow in the shot

A trio of cool trees

A Goose of Distinction

Himself

   I like him as  high key painting. I think if I went darker with the goose and/or the background, it would look like something out a real "Grim" fairy tale!

The Domestic Menagerie Is Coming Along ...

Miss Moo
7.5 x 9.5 in / 19 x 24 cm

Added some phthalo blue highlights and a grey "shadow map"
[ aureolin, quin. pink, cobalt blue] 

Intensify some areas, lift others

Photo taken outside - much closer to "real" hues


 Miss Moo is done, and I think she is quite sweet-looking. I took the photo this morning outside, and it gives a more better idea of the true color.
The goose needs more play with his shadows, and work on the bill and feet. I am wondering about the background. My tendency is to be quite dark and dramatic, but I think this will need something more subtle. It depends on how intense I get with his body shadows. What do you think?? 

Miss Moo Is Picking Up Steam ...

 

I left her here last night ...

I've done nostril, eye, and started inner ear
Indanthrone blue for wall shadow 

Skipped around with a grey to simulate stone wall
Did a w/w wash over her face

Background - very wet w/w wash with aureolin for trees & quin. gold for pasture


I woke up this morning very keen to paint.  I've been playing with Miss Moo for about 3 hours, and I think she is almost done. The stone wall needs work. And Missy needs more shadowing on the black and the white areas. Other than that, I am quite satisfied with this sweet Holstein face.

... and Now I Am Going to Pull a Rabbit Out of My Hat!

Simple-looking sketch [with all my notes scribbled around it]

   OK ... no rabbits today. I say that only because this effort is more than I bargained for. Yes ... simple ... only a goose. But the shadows are wild. The reflected colors on the left side of the goose are going to be somewhat of a challenge.

Graded wash of aureolin

Graded wash of cobalt blue

Some aureolin in reflected shadow area
Some quin. siena so I see something other than white

The model

Mooing Along Slowly ...

Fairly detailed sketch

Background of quin. gold + cobalt blue

Background = prussian blue on grass + indanthrone blue for trees
Road map of shadows on cow with thin quin. violet + indanthrone

Underpainting of brown madder + prussian blue

1st glaze of black [aureolin + quin. pink + prussian blue]

A few light washes on darker areas of cow

"Herself"





 I haven't felt at all like painting the past few weeks, but the urge is coming back  a bit. I did the sketches for both paintings on which I am working last night. Then this morning, I traced them onto wc. paper, prepped them, and started painting. They are both somewhat difficult; the Holstein I chose just because I like cows, and the goose is to cheer up a friend who is most fond of geese [she had to euthanize her her old friend, Buddy, yesterday]  So we shall see what I can pull off with the two works.As always, comments are MOST welcome!