Cute Pony Update

I left her here last night ...

Finished the eye, and did some more shadowing on her face ...

Added some shadow to her neck, and gave the mane and forelock some shape. I think I'll lift the masking, and get on with the bridle - after some playtime with The Big Guy!


I was sitting here typing, and I could have sworn I heard a tree frog croaking. We have been fortunate in having a mild winter [so far] but I don't usually hear them till mid-February. Hmmm ...   As always, all comments are most welcome! 

Play Misty for Me ... Couldn't Resist That - It's Her Name

I think her muzzle looks done. The inside of the eye is good; the outer aspect needs more shading. Then I'll get to her mane and forelock, and finally the bridle.

You MUST Pardon My Moment of Self-Congradulation ...

Misty started to come alive here ...

I did a quick, thin mask outline, and then painted some w/w washes.
The mask is mostly off, and I must admit I am REALLY pleased with the result [and that doesn't happen often!]
I was dancing around the kitchen, singing "Shit, I'm good". True confessions ...
Now, the edges need some cleaning up, more shading and detail work, and of course the bridle. But first, I am going out to play with the slightly-neglected Bruno.

The Flea-Bitten Grey ... and a Short Peek at Buddy

I love this photo of Jessica and Misty.

This is the one Jessica wants to have as a portrait.

First, the masking goes on. I'm using Winsor Newton now, and I find it to be a big improvement. It  flows more readily, covers better with a thinner layer, and is removed more easily.
Next, I mix a grey with aureolin, pink and French ultramarine [for its granulating quality]. The pigments are applied w/w to get softness and maximize the granulation effect.

I have done more w/w glazing with the lighter grey, and am also going into a darker grey [quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone] to intensify the shadows. The pink of the nose is quin. coral, and the eye has been started with the orange/violet/blue mix, tending to the brown.

I'd like to think Buddy is almost finished, but realistically, I think I am at the halfway mark. He needs more texture in the black, more brightness and depth in the tan ...   I showed the painting to his mom and dad the other day, and they were almost teary [hate to do that, but it is a good sign that the painting captures the subject]. Pat has a good eye when it comes to art, and when I asked her what else she would like done with Buddy's portrait, she requested a background. I'll have to give some thought as to how and what to do with that.



The portrait of the grey is a commission for a "horsey" friend. Jess rents a house on Rhonda's property. Rhonda is my riding instructor, and the woman for whom I painted the two portraits of her dog, Carmella. When Jess saw the portraits, she decided she wanted one of Misty. Misty is what is called a "flea-bitten grey"; she is basically white, with very small speckles of a brownish-grey all though her coat. She and Jess have been together since Jessica was 8 years old [she is now finishing her bachelor's degree at university]. Just as I had finished mounting the sketch of Misty on watercolor paper, Jess sent me a note, asking if I could do her other horse instead. But now, she wants both of them done. Of course, I would love to paint both of them!!!
As always, all your comments are most welcome!

Finally Finished the Gourds

I left them here, unable to decide how to give a background that was not too detailed, but gave some depth and a bit of a "story".  Also, I was not keen to mask the gourds, possibly damaging their rich coloration.

I put a thin wash of new gamboge over the entire background, dried it, and then put in a thin graded wash of phthalo blue/cobalt blue for the sky. Then I painted the suggestion of grasses around the fence with mixes of gamboge, carmine and cobalt blue. I think it's enough - depth and an idea of space. 

Where Am I ... Sneaking Up on the Details!

I left off here, with Buddy looking possessed, with those masked out eyes.

The masking is all off. I am softening unwanted hard edges, and from here on will be doing a lot of touching up. No, I just remembered - there is still mask inside the eye area. And since it is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey [apparently a British naval aphorism], I'll be spending more time inside painting. Bruno is bundled up in a warm quilt liner, under his winter blanket - warm as toast! I'd love to ride, but I just do not function well in the cold weather.
As ever and always, I'd love to hear from you all!

Where Am I Now ...?

A "road map" of Buddy's coloring to start.

Started by intensifying some of the very dark areas.

More darkening.

I did a w/w wash all over the black, with a purply black.

I painted another w/w wash , ears first, then all the face and neck. Now I have to go in and soften the hard edges, and do some dry brush work.

Propped up on my desk, checking for the darkness of the blacks.

I think he's coming along well. I can probably remove the masking fluid, as I won't be doing any more large, wet washes. And as you all read in each post, all comments are most welcome!