Absent!

I have been absent a bit lately.  I had a week long visit from a very dear friend who now lives in North Carolina.  We have a great time and I did not paint for that week.  I have done some painting since then though and also got my new camera!  Hurray!  A Nikon D5100 with two lenses: a 18-55MM and a 55-300MM.  Now I can get those great candid shots of folks to use as subject matter.  In fact the camera does so many different things that it will take me a while to really explore all that I can do with it.  Anyway, that is my birthday, anniversary and Christmas gift for this year and I couldn't be more pleased!

I have done a bit more work on this one of Brazos.  I was not liking how the clothing and hat seemed to not be a part of the whole, so I added some loose colors and strokes to the background as well as letting the colors overlap on his clothing and hat.  I like it better now. 

And more work on my sweet little shot of Freddie when he was four.  I really like the way this is turning out.  I want to do a bit more work on the background, add some richer colors to his hair and then call it finished.  I'm going to shock everyone and do a painting of how he looks now soon.  With this new camera, I have lots of motivation to get some new photos to use.

Hope you have all been well and are enjoying this marvelous early fall weather!

Brazos

Ok, so I have some issues with this.  First I don't like what is happening with the scarf and clothing and I'm not sure what to do with that just now.  I like the face.  I liked what was happening with the hat in the last post.  Then Soon decided that it should be darker.  After darkening it, I feel like it doesn't have much character now.  I'm really in a flux between Soon's methods and style and those of Ted Nuttall.  I love his loose looking style and the very painterly look.  Soon's work is much more detailed and tight looking, which I really love for some subjects and I am anxious to incorporate that into my own style.  I know that if I ever get a commission for a portrait, that her style would probably be the one most folks would choose.  I know I have alot to learn from Soon and she is already getting me to use more pigment and not do such pale and weak colors.  That is a good thing!!!

So I'm thinking that I need to do some portraits on hot press paper in Ted's style and keep on improving on learning to do that better.  At the same time, I want to really work on learning as much as possible from Soon so that I can paint in her style too.  Good thing I don't have a full time job!!!!  LOL!!  I'd never get to accomplish all that I want.

Progress on Brazos

I'm really pleased with how this is looking.  I took the masking off of the hair against his hat and did a light wash of a lighter version of the hat.  I think it looks pretty good.  First time I have tried that!  I have also done some work on his clothes.  This is on Arches 140# stretched cold pressed paper.  My intention was to do some of the pattern in his scarf but I have changed my mind and erased the pencil drawings I did of those designs.  Before I attempt something that detailed on a real painting I think I will do some practicing on scrap paper to see the results. 

Brazos

Brazos is one of the cowboys I photographed back in May in Fort Worth.  I have done a painting previously and posted it as a WIP on June 25.  I really like this picture of him and decided to take another stab at it yesterday.  I'm pleased with it so far.  I can really see the improvement I have made when I compare the two.  I used a bit of masking on the wisps of hair against his hat.  Hopefully that will work out OK.  Didn't think I could successfully paint around those little grey hairs.  I also made an attempt to depict the rough texture of his skin. I also want to get some of the detail in his scarf and that will take some time and detailed drawing.  As usual I couldn't wait to get started on his face and hat so this is where I am at this point.  This is on 140# Arches stretched cold press.  Not my favorite weight paper but it is fine if I take the time to stretch it.  I have a bit of it in my stash and need to use it.  Good paper is by no means inexpensive but well worth it in terms of results. 

Thanks for reading! 

A couple of cowboy WIP's

Back in May I had the opportunity to visit the Fort Worth Stockyard area and snap some photos of some folks in character at an old fort exhibit.  There were some great subjects and they were all so willing to pose for me.  The first is "Maverick".  The second is "Brazos".  As I say, neither of these are finished.  They are posted on the bulletin board in my studio for further evaluation.  Takes me a while sometimes to see what else needs to be done.