Taking My Time, and Trying new Things ...

Start of a new portrait. The photo reference was generously "donated" by a photographer who works in southeast Asia. Her coloring and contemplative mood intrigued me.

A ways to go yet, but so far it seems all right.

 

Reference

As you may have surmised, I am not thrilled with my art right now. I know I can do much, much better, and I am pushing myself, and experimenting right now. Between that, and the fact that work around the barn is really busy, I probably won't be posting several times a week. There are fences and gates to mend, brambles to clear, old hay to clear out, barn to clean and organize ... it seems almost endless. And the party is over - back to office work on Thursday, too.

As always, your comments are most welcome.

Calling It Done

I think i got a bit carried away with the foliage, but the rest is OK.

As always, your comments are always welcome.

A Rare [for me] Landscape

I've always loved this photo of birch trees that I took last year in the park. The shadows on the ground and on the trunks are so beautiful.

Initially, I tried spattering with a toothbrush and spraying, but didn't like the effect, so I tried again with sponging. 

Then I went over the entire leafy are with the lightest color I'd used, a leaf green by da Vinci watercolors.

I started some foreground w/w washes of two mixtures,  using quin. gold and phthalo blue.

This is basically what the foreground grasses look like. I find I don't have the patience to play with Photoshop to correct hues.

Studio light.

Day light

The entire painting is actually warmer, more intense, and the green is not so shocking in the foreground grasses. Anyway, this foray into landscapes was fun. I'll do more in the future. I'm not sure about attempting plein air, though - I really like to have everything there where I expect it to be, and without bugs, glaring sun or wind.

As always, your comments are most welcome. 

More Sketching than I've Done for a While ...

Leaf studies

I've done several sketches of the two poses I found most attractive.  One of the two is more a line drawing, the other a bit more detailed as to shadows. I'll see if Kim can mosey over this evening to choose which pose she prefers.
And I worked on leaves yesterday. Carrie Waller left a note, reminding me to SEE - as in see what you are seeing, not what you think you are seeing. I get impatient, and stop "seeing", and then end up painting what I think is a good approximation. WRONGO!!!
And now, off to the barn for some time with the lad, and some barn and garden work.

As always, your comments are most welcome.

The "Take the Bull by the Horns" Technique of Painting Leaves

Where I left off ...

Some direct painting of leaf shadows

One version of Trigger. I almost always use a grid for portraits. Then I take my time to go over it, and make sure it is accurate and has life.

I'd like to do a profile, too.

I'm still struggling with trying to paint what I think would be credible leaves. I took a lot of leaf photos yesterday, and will practice ... practice ... practice.
Drove into Vancouver to visit my sister, Steph, and the family. All were home, and that doesn't happen often. I even met my nephew's girlfriend - delightful and bright - going to Birmingham, UK to study medicine in the fall. I also took along the dreaded Burrard Bridge painting, for a final approval. John liked it, and I will have it framed as soon as he sends me the dimensions of the area in which it will hang. And I took home a bonus. Steph had just made some of her yummy potato salad!!! I dropped some off at my aunt's on the way home - she lives a few blocks from Steph. And then it was back to the farm.

As always, your comments are most welcome! 

WHY Do We Do This???

Some light initial glazes ...

... and I end up here

Leaves are basically, there, but need more touching up.

Start petals, w/w with aureolin, quin. pink and cobalt blue.

The model

Why do we paint? And ride horses? - not just ride, but aspire to dressage movements? I'm feeling like a caged tiger today. I usually do get this way when fall is starting. It must be some sort of atavistic behaviour, like following the migrating herds.
I'm feeling very frustrated today. Still fussing with the *%&# bridge, though John said to frame it - he'll take it for his office. The leaves in this painting look like felt cut-outs. How to fix?
The weather is cooler. Bruno has been gradually getting his winter coat. He is also full of himself - makes for much more "exciting" rides. That's another "why". If I had known what it meant to ride and keep a horse those many years ago, would I do it? The number of times I left a lesson in tears of frustration, the many times I was injured ... And I still go back for more! If anyone has some answers, please let me know. I think I need to go out and do some physical work.

As always, your comments are most welcome! 

Done

I left off about here ...

I've darkened the background, the rose in spots and glazed some of it with a thin aureolin. I think I've done all I'd like with this. Flowers just don't seem to be doing it for me right now. I have a craving for more portraits and landscapes. 

This is the second rose I started, same flower - different angle, and cooler colors.

Meet Trigger. He must be nearing thirty years of age. His owner was at the show I had last weekend [which was quite successful - YAY] and she decided she'd like a portrait of the lad. So I was over at her farm on Monday taking lots of photos. She wanted him painted while he still had his summer coat, as he goes very white and shaggy in the winter. More good painting news for me - my brother-in-law likes the painting of the Burrard Bridge, and would like me to have it framed for his office. But I must admit, I STILL don't really love the painting.

As always, your comments are most welcome!