HOMEWORK THREAD for April Monthly Class

[painterbear]

Please post your questions, comments, and paintings in this thread after reading Robert's lesson in this thread: April 2012 Class — Fur — Cats, Dogs, and Maybe More!

Thanks,

Sylvia

[ullahennig]

It seems that I am the first one to ask a question: Am I right that it is best to begin with the lightest colour (let's say some sandy, light yellow) as the first layer and then to go darker with each layer, adding the fur?

[skappy]

Yep Ulla, you're right. With watercolor it is dark over light so the lightest diluted color is raw sienna — more transparent than yellow ochre they could look the same on the palette but mixed with the same blue they won't give the same green, Naples yellow is light a bit chalky I tested recently Daniel Smith buff titanium not very transparent but intresting
to make very light transparent grey raw sienna and violet works well
Robert

[Vivien Maloney]

Robert - I haven't done any of these Learning Zone homework exercises before - do we have a time frame for these first exercises to be in by?

[skappy]

Hi Viv just try one or two fur sample there is no rush good or not it will be more practice it takes a lot to get one right so more mistakes more you learn and life is learning so take your time and have fun
Robert

[clode]

I will try this year .. it seems difficult .. but nothing ventured nothing .. laugh! thank you for this class!

[samben84]

I'm not sure I have the patience for this, but I'll probably give it a try.

[WthrLady]

Found this wee creature in my studio today. Hope you love him. Please forgive the HORRIBLE cell phone quality - and I had to compress it to post it. I can't figure out where my camera card has wandered off to. I will post the step by step photos on the blog as not to clutter here. It's far less blurry and the colours a little more bright in person!

4x6"
smelly arches (looks like a mouse, smells like a wet mouse !) LOL!
colours,
base azo yellow
english red
brown was a mix of azo, panthol red, and UM Blue

to deepen the blue I mixed with DS Moonglow.
Forgot - thank you to StalktheDawn for the photo. I hope you enjoy.
I've named him Sweetie.

[rozzi]

Sylvia - I clicked on your link here and couldn't get through to the lesson. Don't know if it was me or the link.I went back via the learning zone and got here that way.
Ros

[painterbear]

Ros,
Thanks for letting me know about the problem with the link. I've fixed it, so it should work now.
Viv,
The class runs for the entire month of April, so you have time to do your practice pieces.

Sandy,
Go for it. You'll have fun.

Caryl,
Your little critter is so fuzzy and scared looking. Awwwwwww, poor little guy.

Sylvia

[Antiqueteacher]

Okay, I have read all of the first info and am trying to decide where I start. . .I suppose. . .at the beginning-fur!! Carly whipped out a cute little mouse today, so, surely I can do some fur samples!!

Thanks for hosting, Robert, you are a master fur painter!!

Katherine

[WthrLady]

Found the camera card. It was in the camera. ::sigh::

[Vivien Maloney]

Caryl - Awww, sweet little mouse!

Robert - Looks like I'm first with an attempt at fur on a Tiger Sorry everyone!
I know I haven't done a great job but I want to learn more about Gouache, so hope that's ok.

This is the ref photo I took the segment of fur from


And this is my attempt
Gouache - 8in x 6in - watercolor paper


I did a Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre underwash, then painted the black stripes over it. I then softened the edges of the black and that's as far as I got. I don't usually use a black paint for Watercolor but in this instance thought it would be easier than using Crimson and Viridian.
I know I haven't taken it far enough, so please tell me what to do now, as I'm really keen to learn Gouache.

[skappy]

Hi everyone I'm looking forward to see your work.Try to take pictures of the wip , if you can do right the edges between color changes that is very

Important.Remember under the fur there are muscles and bones that show volumes and curves with light and shadow.

Nice little furry friend Caryl I've check the steps on your blog well done

Nota: I'm Using mostly Arches Hot pressed paper to get thin details now I like the rough too for textures but I prefer hot pressed

Have a great day

Robert

[skappy]

Tis is very good Viv, it loook like a tiger for sure and can work fine the way it is,but like the class is to try to go further you can paint over it tiny black brush strokes going out from the black edges and once it is dry some tiny sienna strokes towards the black all that in the fur direction , do not make all the hai parallel change a bit the direction for each one if one hair isn't right leave it or wipe it right away and take care of it once dry.In order not to disolve the previous layer your paint must not be too diluted
Then you can define some hair on the sienna part of the fur make three different shades of your colors and switch often but do not go over it untl dry

Good luck your off to a wonderful start

Robert