I usually don’t render with complimentary color, but I started to take in the shadows with blue. I have a long way to go on this and I will get it done for the juried show I am planning on entering in December. I need to work on the hands and fingers, I am taking my time painting. I just worked on the top boy’s thumb. I will work more tomorrow afternoon. Busy day today. A very busy day tomorrow as well. Thank God for His Blessings today.
I believe I will have a window of time to continue working on this watercolor, it is quite large. Which is obviously taking longer to work the entire composition, but taking more time and patience on my part. I wanted to finish this and enter two watercolors instead of one for a juried show in New York, but I realize if I rush it will not turn out like I expect and envision. So, the mature thing is to wait, not get frustrated, finish on a timely manner and look for another show to enter. There will always be shows to enter somewhere. Why add more stress to already the stresses that come with each new day? Just do the best you can today and let God handle the rest.
This watercolour had been a challenge for the size like I said before and I decided to paint the two boys a bit older when this photograph was taken. I don’t know why….I drew it three times and I realized the painting was coming out that way so I went with it! Maybe a bad idea? Sort of has a new level of challenge. I have too much time in now to toss it….and never just put a piece of artwork to the side and think you will finish it sometime,,,,,later never comes. I like the way the forms are starting to define themselves in the legs for example. This wc has a long long way to go. As you can see in the photo the background is a bit busy, I need to tone that down when I sketch that out. I like the idea of the fence on a diagonal, it adds to good composition. You want objects in the composition taking your eye through the painting. So, the diagonal fence I will sketch in and some blacked eyed Susans, other than that I am stuck. If I raise the fence in the background I can add more grass and less sky? I don’t want to paint trees in, the subject matter is a more up close view. Always look at the distance in composition and how the foreground subjects are. Awe….this needs a lot of work. This new show called Splash 15 has a deadline Dec. 3rd., so that works.
I got pretty far last night and than this morning. Watercolor is all about adding layers of the same color to create form. In realism it is hard to just jump to the darker forming colors at the beginning. You must paint the form first. I want to work the entire picture first; then I will go back and put in the major details. I’d say the top child is about 70% done. The darks or darker values will go in last. I like to work the composition to a certain point, let the paper rest and go back with more dry brush wc. If you are impatient then wc realism will kick your butt and it will frustrate you. You must play by the watercolor’s rules. Watercolor is not to be feared….you can paint with any medium…you must respect the medium and learn how to use the paint and what it can do. Keep working on your skill and learn the medium.
It is extremely difficult to paint abstract anything until you know how to draw it realistically. How can you paint abstract if you can’t draw it first? Start by working in life drawing; work on drawing skills and values of graphite. Start by drawing a sphere, if you don’t have a sphere [ball] get an egg and draw that. More later.
LOL! This doesn’t look like the people in my picture….augh. At first the hair didn’t look like it should, then the highlights! Remember the highlights when painting, not after. Adding lighter highlights afterwards is harder and the paint [watercolor] looks thick then. Plus, the flesh color layers of color are really sun-kissed and that is throwing me a bit too. Just remember to paint the face as form and normal color first, then add the tan rosy hues. I only had about an hour to work on this late last night, so once a background goes in I hope it starts to resemble Adam better.
It has taken me until to now to realize I rather paint up close realism, but I need to expand my artwork subjects and not get stuck painting the same subjects just in different comps. If I do that my work will get boring even though the skill is top-notch. This wc is large and hard to arrange the board to hold or put the board an angle to actually paint. The size is a bit overwhelming at first. I drew this three times! Once it came out too small for the subject matter and the second I had it drawn larger and beautifully….I had spaghetti sauce on the back of my hand and didn’t see it and I even washed my hands very well! Guess where the sauce went? If that isn’t a kick in the ass…..I drew it again. Understand, this is what it is to “keep pressing through” the situation you’re in. Here I have this great composition to paint, which I think has a good shot at least getting a mention in a show if I paint it well. Then here is the devil coming against me trying to destroy me through stupid sh** like the spaghetti sauce. He knows the Great things God has for me and if I give up too quickly or don’t keep trying I will lose and he wins. Thought for the day; Don’t give up and be defeated….keep pressig through”.
Sometimes in your drawing or painting [and the actual artwork skill is good] but, something just does not look right to you? Maybe it is the size? Are you drawing it too small? Some subjects need to be larger drawn to “MatcH” the subject matter. For example; when I drew this smaller it didn’t look right to me. When I drew it again larger it “Fit”. But don’t overwhelm yourself at first with size…..work your way up to sized compositions.
Thank you to Gabrill and the office mates for all the kind words and checking out my artwork…….God Bless.
Almost finished. Next day: now that this has had a good night to dry [in natural air not ac.] I will go back and detail and fine tune the realism. I could leave it at this point, but I want to showcase my skill and knowledge about painting realism. {plus it bothers me if I don’t!}. It has to be REAl to me. ONly certain art can be left unfinished or not realism. See what today brings?
If painting or drawing realism is your goal then you must follow a simple rule; take lessons with me or follow the law of layering color or graphite. You can not just simply put down the last vivid hue of color first,,,,,must be a layering building process to form the shapes. Go through all the prior post on this picture and notice the building of color.
This has been a crazy watercolor painting so far. I still need to fine tune the realism and finish the bumper sticker in the background. Not sure if I will enter the wc juried show with this one yet? IDK…. I need to take down the value of color of the reflection in the car. It needs to be toned down in the car color when it dries well. I don’t want it to smear and blur. Plus the shirt needs attention….
Anyway, this is it so far.
Entering a juried show can be a ball of tension. Now, I know and remember why I don’t care for entering them! I am trying not to focus on the due date vs. “Just painting”. Plus the fact I think it depends on who the judges are and the style of artwork they prefer. Lately I have been looking at the artwork that was chosen to win in various shows and I am not sure why some artwork was even chosen to win? Is it political? I am sure the judges see something I don’t or at least I hope so. I am not going to concentrate on the nerves of the show [ follow the show’s rules], but I am going to start this watercolor today with the intension of entering. If I don’t finish, then I don’t enter this show; there will be other shows. I like to joke and say “I am almost half way to 100 yrs!” Ouch. Yeah, say that outloud…..so at this point in my life I have learned Not to lean on my own understanding, but God is the director of my life. If I keep doing the same old things I do [that don’t line up with Him] then I keep going around the same mountain until I do learn my lesson. I heard something pretty cool this morning and it is: Every opportunity has difficulty and every difficulty has opportunity and in adversity God created Beauty. Very interesting when heard like that.
I will begin this watercolor today in a bit and post pictures and tips as I go along. Here is the sketch that I think I am satisfied with. Before you start a painting and if you sketch it out first sit it down and look at it a few days before adding paint. Once the wc goes down it is harder to change or fix a mistake once started. Ask others to look at the sketch and tell you what they see wrong. You may be just too close the problem and don’t see it. Trust me on this. Be careful when using the H graphite pencils……the hard pencil will score the paper and the indent will not come out and be seen through watercolor. Use a 4H or 2H to sketch but lightly! The watercolor will dislove the graphite and whatever is still there can be erased once the painting is completely dry {the next day} with a kneaded eraser.
I drew the one hand about three times before I got the size right. When I first worked on this it was coming out 18 inches square, compositions do not work square unless it is pattern or Folk art styling. I needed to extend it and it is something close to 16 x 20, a standard size which will allow me to have an easier time framing. When I start a wc I need at least three hours straight to put down the first layer which will set the pathway for realism. If the first layer is not right then the painting will not work. So, my house is quiet……aman…I have a few things to do first and then I will start painting and posting. Thanks for looking!
This is how far I have gotten today, about four hours. This is only the foundation of hues and shadows I need to bring up detailed realism. I like it so far……:}
Have you ever been somewhere and you know the place, but you have never been there before? The surroundings are familiar and you know what lies beyond the corner. This is Deja Vu I believe. Is it a spiritual thing, a past life prehaps? It is very profound especially if you are praying and talking to God about the same experience or subject matter. Then is it a vision of something good in your future? It is the same thing as Seed, time and harvest I believe. You plant a seed of Faith about something you hope for or work for in your life. Then time…..good old time…the test of virtue and patience. When you are going through [fill in the blank] it takes forever and you feel it will never be over. Then when the time has passed and you reflect on the waiting you just went through and passing of the time seems like a week ago, but in reality it was a year or so ago. In retrospect we need to Trust God and His way even when it doesn’t seem like the situation will work out in our favor; the Time. Then the Gift…….the Harvest and Blessings. My father always told me you get out of life what you put in into it……..seed, time and harvest. Very interesting. When God opens a door…..No man can shut. Take a moment to reflect on your blessings and notice how and where God is in the mix. Saying no where is NOT an option.
Just thought I’d share. I think it makes me the artist I am. Do not ever be afraid to be who you are or someone you were create to be. Don’t be afraid to dream Big dreams for yourself…..God will fulfill the desires of our hearts to those whom Love Him.
Tonight is the last night for life drawing at Lafayette College for the next two months. I am a bit sad because once in life drawing studio again I realize how much the class has reinforced what I have already studied. That life drawing in the foundation for all art, either if you are a painter or whatever medium you work in. It is hard to manipulate realism if you do not have a basis or understnding for it first. Like I stated before sometimes I am not in the mood to draw by 7 pm at night! For the simple reason it has been a long day, I have back pain and really don’t do not feel like putting forth effort….many other reasons, but I need to prove to myself this is the only way I will improve as an artist on all levels. I need to have a strong foundation in order to stand tall so to speak. So, today I will attend in hopes to draw a professional model that doesn’t move so much. If I get tired of sketching gesture poses I will and need to concentrate on drawing hands and foreshortening views. I have this watercolor I am starting in hopes to enter this juried show in NY by the end of July. I have it drawn out and I like it so far; I am having some trouble with the foreshortening of the one hand. I will try to work on that in a bit.
I have included a picture of my sketch that was drawn out in a “H” graphite pencil. If you use the H pencils be careful not to press hard on the paper/board because it will impress your paper with a mark or indent that will not come out. Do not press hard! Also when starting to prepare your watercolors make enough of the base color, for example: This wc has blue as the base color of the car which means I need a lot of blue pigment. I use a porcelain egg tray for my palette, I find it works better than a porcelain plate because of the wells. I will make at least three pots “wells” of the same color blue in sure that I have enough of the same color blue to pull from. If one dries up it doesn’t matter just add water once again. Covering up a watercolor palette until next time just makes the paint have a funny texture for the next time…..just re-water to activate again.
This composition is starting to come into a 18 inch square and this I don’t care for. If it was Folk art then it would work, but I need to extend it somehow. Maybe by continuing the car a bit longer on the left side? That will give me the opportunity to show off some reflection work. I will see once I work a little longer on this.
I ended up changing the arm angle and drawing in the hand larger in the picture below. Took the composition to 16×20, this way it wont be so expensive to frame because 16×20 is a standard size. I need about three hours straight to start painting and right now it’s late…home from life drawing which eas excellent as always. Now, for two months I can have Thursday night free.
It is very important to follow the form in drawing when trying to create realism. Shade in the form in the direction of the object you are trying to render. In the next two pictures notice how the cat’s backside is flat in the first picture below. Notice how the backside looks after the highlights were added in the shape of the form. Use the light and dark contrast to your advantage. We worked on composition and putting in darker values.
I know how intimating drawing can be and it gets very frustrating when you are not sure what to do next, but keep trying and don’t be afraid to use rich “B’s” pencils. Squint at the picture and see how your drawing looks….is there a value range in graphite? Joan still needs to fine tune the drawing; the darks need to be added and don’t be afraid of the eraser. This drawing of Belle Looks Fabulous! Way to go Joan! A+. Great job!
Artist tip: The “H” pencils are hard and warm tone and the “B” pencils are cool tone and softer graphite. The coolness in value shades will sink into the background while warm tones will come forward in space.
Roxanne 