Another portrait course through Domestika.com - this time the artist teaching is Arthur Braud and I like his style and his teaching ability. This is the first few layers of this pretty boy and I added some of my own touches (made the tattoos star-shaped instead of flowers and added an earring). I wish I had stopped at this stage but I needed to go on to “finish” it. I could have left it at this stage and called him a merman!
Before the background is added, she looks very red, but I think it’s done except for a dark background which might change the look.
This girl started as a regular portrait and then I decided I wanted her eyes to be very green and match with her hair (which, I admit, looks more like a scarf than hair because I made it too one-dimensional). The course then goes to PhotoShop to add “motifs” to the painting after scanning it in. I don’t have that program so…just painted the little seahorse in gouache over the top.
Now, I need to catch up on my blogger buddies’ posts - I am behind due to this course, watching the US Open Tennis tournament in NYC (on t.v.), and some family health issues. Will catch up soon, I promise.
A second online course through Domestika. com is by Ale Casanova, also a portrait painting course. Not as much information as the first one, but still learning things. Ale paints by lightly painting an underlayer over the portrait and building up the color and shape. Again, too heavy-handed so the color was too intense right away. Not sure I will ever learn to have a very light touch with watercolor or drawing.
Decided to take a few online courses through Domestika.com. The courses are full of good information, videos, extra printouts, etc., and are very inexpensive. One drawback = they are all in Spanish (so far) with subtitles or English overdubbing. You get used to it and I have taken 2 and am in a third right now - all to help with watercolor portraits. We’ll see how it goes.
So far, I’ve finished a course by Sol Barrios, who taught us how to use watercolor and graphite pencil for portraits and painting very lightly, layering the color. I did okay with the portrait she used in the course, but then tried one of my granddaughter and really got too heavy-handed so add to add watercolor pencils to it.
Then I tried again and did better. As with every new way of doing something, you have to practice. I think I need to go back into the 2nd granddaughter version around the eyes and make them pop more.
At least, these are interesting and I learn something from them - and it makes me get into my little art room and do something.
It’s hot and humid. The news is not good, there is nothing much I want to do so…
going to take a break until September, I think (unless my painting muse returns from her sabbatical!!).
I appreciate all the comments on my post and apologize for not doing the same for you on your recent posts (there are some blogs I cannot post on for some strange reason - it keeps asking me to sign in, which I do, then it leads me to the comment section and I try to comment and it tells me I don’t have permission and need to sign in with Google - a loop that gets me nowhere - I’m sure it’s just a google glitch and will fix itself someday).
More painting by spritzing water and putting down color, bit by bit. Trying to do things other than foliage, but it works great for foliage - and maybe birds.
Another painting done by spritzing water and then dropping in the pigments, letting some dry and spritzing water again, dropping different pigments. I like the light, airy, loose way these look and am going to try doing this with some other subjects.
From a couple of photo references taken at the Extension Center gardens.
Finished this one the way I started - by spritzing water on the paper and then dropping in color and letting it bleed and blend out. Let the first layer dry and did it again, adding the blue-violet behind the first flowers.
Easy peasy - and quick to do. I like it as a loose floral.
Thought this one was finished but just not pleased with it because of the background so…
decided to make the background green with yellow around the bill, indicating the chirping (actually the baby mockingbirds whistle for their food) with yellow.
What do you think? The right decision?
Started a few things - not really in the mood to finish or start anything - perhaps it’s the heat coming back. Last week it was over 100 degrees (heat index) several days and going back up this week (not that high but close). It doesn’t matter if I stay inside in air conditioning, I still feel the effects of the heat - I get lethargic and I’ve felt on the edge of passing out for several days - blood pressure is okay and don’t feel ill in any other way but have to be careful moving around (even driving). Who knows what’s causing it?
This little mockingbird fledgling was begun on a block of Hahnemuhle 140# cold press (Harmony style). But have just left it for days.
And picked up another block of something (Arches?) and playing with putting down color on a piece of paper I had spritzed with water to get drops on the paper all over. Not sure where this will go.
Does the weather affect your work - or do you go into the studio every day no matter what? Or do you paint outside?
This one is on Hahnemuehl 140# cold press from a block I had. I liked the way it lifted (but I also tested the colors before using them to make sure they would lift easily - only 2 violets, 1 green and 1 yellow).
A painting of a baby mockingbird (from a photo by Sweetie) for our Anniversary - 27 years!
I find myself painting more slowly than normal - and it is making me a better painter because I am taking the time to see better. But the true color of this large pod stumped me so I just added cool and warms here and there to mimic the colors. No one would know unless I told them.
Need to finish this one - and finish the cactus (which just has one small part to finish).
Not sure why we often get into painter’s slumps - and find no inspiration anywhere, in spite of many things blooming and growing and greening up around us. But it happens. I imagine it has a lot to do with the world’s problems and so much hate and anger seeping in to our souls.
I am almost finished with this one and am liking it so far - one more red flower to paint and it will be done.
Hope you are all doing well and can find places of respite and calm in your days to soothe your souls. I’m finding it hard right now but this will pass. A good soaking rain will help (and we are getting that).
Started a painting (half sheet Arches 140# cold press) of a cactus from a photo Sweetie took on a trip to a Florida garden a few year’s ago.
Painting slowly in between doing other things.
