The last step

Here is what we artists must do after

the piece is completed. Photograph it

for our records and for using in our

promotion materials.

Some of us may be qualified to do a

professional job of it, but here you see

that I am having it done by a professional

instead of doing it myself.

It can be shot indoors with special

color-keyed lights, or in this case, using

the natural spectrum of daylight.

I must say that as a painter, I have

long felt that when I had completed a

work, I was DONE! But there are more

things that one has to consider before one

is truly DONE! This is one of them, and

getting it sold is the next!

Tearoom painting in progress

As you see, I've developed a lot more of this piece

since the previous post. There is a 'feeling' I'm

after in this painting that is what the magic is all

about in art. It is the reason I like original art

on my walls instead of prints. I can feel the magic

from the artist imbedded in the paint. And to my

way of thinking, in a print, you only get the physical

image, not the soul of that artist shared with you

through a magical vibration coming off the paper

or canvas.

There is still LOTS to do with this painting before

it is done.

"Tearoom" in progress

This is the current state of this painting. You can

see that I have scrubbed thin layers of paint as

I am working out the tones and subtle colors of

this piece. It is always very interesting to see if

what I have been cooking up in my head actually

appears on canvas. So far so good. Stay tuned!

Completed Portrait

This is the completed and accepted portrait.

When one paints for others, and most especially

when it is a portrait, it is a joint affair. One must

please oneself in terms of one's art goals for the

work, but also one must meet what is wanted

by those who commission you to paint. When

both or all parties are satisfied, it is the most

wonderful thing to be an artist.

Cat painting nearly done!

Several posts back, I showed you the sketch on

canvas for this painting. Since then I worked on

it at a demonstration I gave a few weeks ago.

She needs a bit more tweaking with whiskers

added and some attention to the pillow, but then

that is it! What shall I call it? "Here's looking

at you"?!

Portrait close to completion

There is a point when I know I am

almost done with my work. All is now

in place for the final elements which

bring the entire work where I wanted

it to go from the beginning.

This is rather like the last movement

of a symphony when you hear the

various parts of the orchestra bringing

the melody to a crescendo, building to

that point of total focus and feeling.

The sketch and story of 'Tearoom' painting

I have had this painting in my head for a long time.

I took some shots of this tearoom a couple of years

ago and have not been able to get it out of my mind

because of the atmosphere of the place and the

lighting. And because it has in it a sort of timeless

feeling of all the ladies who ever shopped taking time

to sit with each other and chat and share some

delicious sweets while resting their feet!

The photographs are not great, but they serve

me just enough for me to invent what I want it

to be. We'll see how it goes.

It is a rather large painting. I will have to check

the dimensions...but I think it is 28 x 32 or so.

Bigger than the recent ones I have been doing.

Also, the settee at the back just grabbed me as it

was the most unique little piece with wood carved-

inserts. It had as much presence as the people,

maybe more!