Lighting Effects & iPhoto Are Making Me Crazy [ or Crazier than Usual]

I think I left off here - darkened left [in photo] of neck

Same stage, different lighting 

Last three photos are at same stage today, with outdoor light, but different adjustments in editing.

   

No editing, other than cropping

   Miss Carmella is coming along very, very nicely; I am quite pleased with the portrait. But I find myself very frustrated with the editting; the bright colors [tip of collar, and dog tag] seem to appear true to the original image. The "animal" colors just do not do  the painting justice. Ah, well ...

  I e-mailed the painting image to a friend and fellow artist, Deborah Strong, as she also does a lot of animal portraiture, in colored pencil. She is the same woman who held the silk painting class last week. On her recommendation, I darkened the tongue, closest to the upper lip [do dogs have lips?] And I darkened the pinks near her flews and the gums and teeth. I glazed a bit more warmth into the eyes with quin. burnt orange and quin. violet. I'd like to get the chain done today sometime, and then put it aside for a day or two before really critiquing it. But I also would love to spend some time with Bruno today; I left him to his own devices on Wednesday, and Thursday I had to go to work.

   As always, all comments and criticisms are most welcome!!! Thank you all!

Something Different Today

Deb's studio

Deb, on far left, instructing

A simple example

My aunt, totally absorbed in her work

Linda, graphic designer, completely into her painting

EEK ... my 1st attempt

My next attempt, photographed in a bit of a hurry

My aunt's work

Another student's work

Most of Linda's work, which was fabulous

My hands, when I got home [they will be colored this way for almost a week]

   Deb Strong is an artist friend of mine [and was also an avid horse person, so we have a lot in common] She paints beautiful animal portraits and intimate nature scenes in colored pencil, as well as creating rich painted silk artwork. My aunt very much wanted to take her introductory course, so she generously signed both of us up.

   The course was one day, and gave us all a taste of what it is like to paint on silk. It is QUITE different from watercolor on paper ... WOW!!! But everyone found the process to be a heck of a lot of fun, and I know my aunt and I would love to do more. Another student, Linda, was so completely absorbed in her creative process, she did not speak, and we had to check to ensure she was still breathing. [kidding ... she was totally gone into her work] 

   A great time was had by all, and I would like to thank Deb for her wonderful instruction, and kindness for hosting us at her studio. And I must thank my aunt for her generousity in allowing me to attend the session.
   I almost forgot to mention - there is an excellent web site with several painters' work available for viewing. it is the "silk painter's guild", and the work is exquisite.

Carmella Continued

I think this is where I left off yesterday.
Taken in morning light.

Taken with flash
Some detail work around tongue/mouth.

More color around mouth.

Afternoon light.
Still working around mouth.

Very distorted color and value with flash.
All colors are placed [not at finished value]
except for chain and dog tag.




 

   I must say I am quite excited about how this portrait is coming along! The last photo I took [at night] does it NO justice whatsoever. But it's getting late, it is very hard to paint with blacks at night, and I am working as a dental hygienist tomorrow. So, off to bed!

Evolution of a Yellow Lab ... or ... Miss Carmella Will Need More Time than I Thought

I started off with a fairly detailed sketch.
This is on 13 x 18 inches.

I've done the first VERY light washes of aureolin & quin. burnt orange.
The watercolor paper is 15.5 x 22.5 inches.

I had to get the eyes done, so somehow it looked a bit like a dog.
The nose has several glazes done, the tongue 2 or 3 washes, and
I have started putting in washes of a grey for shadows.

 

More intensity all round, and I found I needed more aureolin on the neck and chest. 

I took this photo in morning light today, and primarily posted it
to show the effect of different lighting.

Here I am now. And it's 11:15 PM ... time for bed.

Kouza Dogwood

After the last session, I added some cobalt blue from the bottom up

More blue

Some darkening of leaves
Also, photo taken in daylight - WHAT a difference 

Completed ... I think

   When I was at Darts Hill last June [for an art event] I had an opportunity to spend some time taking pictures before the public arrived. It was a glorious evening with perfect lighting, so I took as many photos as I had time for. One of the "models" was an Oriental or Kouza dogwood, with a very elegant flower. Here are my photos, and my interpretation of one of the shots.

A Little Bit of This and That ...

SPRING is springing!

The gardens are starting to look like gardens.

Buds on the fruit trees.

Bruno catching some rays.

WHAT a SWEET face!

Having a munch in his shed [very bright, and over-exposed]

Still munching

   It was a glorious day yesterday, warm and sunny, and unpredicted as such by weather forecast which made it even more special. Everyone was outside, walking, gardening, enjoying the gorgeous weather. Myself, I went for a walk with Pat and the dogs, did some garden neatening with my aunt, and groomed the BrunZ [got almost another horse in hair!] Did a bit of painting, but I'll put that in the next post. Today it was overcast, and right now it is raining so hard, I'm wondering if I should see about starting an ark for the beasties. Such is spring weather.

Guess What? ... Another Process

Value/composition sketch

Start on leaves with "home made" greens

More leaf glazing, and start flower center

Shadows on flowers. Will need deepening.
Background wet-in-wet wash of aureolin

Another very wet-in wet wash of permanent rose 

   I've played with this off and on for the last two days. It's not bad, but almost everything will need more depth ... more shadowing. The background will remain very simple, with more wet/wet washes of probably an orange and some blue, darker at the bottom and gradually lightening at the top. "Carmella" is coming along, and that process will be posted later. Please feel free to comment or ask questions.