Saturday, May 29, 2010

Next commission

This painting is going to be on a 16 x 20 panel.
This is the beginning sketch to work out the
position. I want those shadow shapes just right!
The flower pot may or may not be in the final
version. Have to work out what looks right.
The other big part of this is that they will be on
an oriental carpet instead of the rag rug in the
photo. A challenge!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Lilacs in their final version

Here is the final painting. See if you can see the things done
to it that differ from the last post of it about halfway done!
I am loving this painting. Did it all in one afternoon because
the flowers were drooping fast! Tried to take breaks so I
would be sure to see it 'freshly' during the painting process.
It is so easy to lose one's objectivity if you paint on one painting
too long. One of my teachers told me that 2 hours is about
the maximum time you should work on a piece without stopping.
I have adhered to that and it does make a difference.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Set up for lilac painting


This gives you an idea of how I set up small still life work
in order to paint it. Light differences on the set up make it
look much darker than it is in fact. My painting table is on
my right and you can see some of my brushes there, as well
as the handle of one sticking out of the thinner bottle which
sits in a drawer beneath the table top with my palette on it.

Lilac painting in next stage



I am considering this about halfway done. It is
more developed overall. It is my approach to
work steadily around the painting so that no area
gets over-developed. It is easy for this to happen
when you get very interested in something such
as the flower mass in front and all its intricacies!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Painting of Lilacs on Linen

A while back I bought two linen wrapped canvases
that have clear gesso coatings. I had never seen
this before so made the purchase. I am just now
painting on the first one and LOVE IT!
First, I really love the color and texture of linen.
Second, this subject matter and its colors seem the
perfect combination to use on a linen canvas.
It is a wrapped canvas, 16 x 20.
Stay tuned for the results!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Starting a cat commission!

This is my initial rough sketch for a portrait commission
I am doing. These two feline companions snuggled
up together often and their owner took lots of photos
of them in this type of position. But when you are
doing a painting, BOTH cats have to be visible and
in many of the photos, you could see one of them,
but not the other! So this has now become the chosen
pose.
What you see here is what I've done to work out
the pose to fit properly on the panel I will be painting.
It is 11 x 14 and it will be in oil.