What's on your easel! July 2012 - Page 2

meggs · #16 07-03-2012, 04:06 AM

Susan, sounds like you need to take a break from it, put it away for a few days, and come back with fresh eyes.

This is the second stage of my painting, hope to work a bit on the ocean tonight,want a bit more light and shade in background. Roughed in foreground water flow last night... waves are not my strong point.. Photo taken very late this afternoon, still not true colours and crooked again

mstarkweather · #17 07-03-2012, 12:28 PM

Susan - I agree with Meggs. Take a little break! It looks so much better though, and now you know that photocopy trick for next time.

Meggs- thanks. Yours looks amazing! I'm excited to see it come along.

Kathie - thanks.

I'm just starting a couple more pieces; I'll post once I get past the gridded canvas stage.

susme48 · #18 07-03-2012, 01:31 PM

Meggs....sad to say, I am not usually too good at putting a painting down, or at least not for long.

Melody, I have always used my photo proggies to help me....but do not really have access to them at the moment. Usually just put the ref on top of the painting and fade it....then can see exactly where I am off or on. I need to take the time to learn how to use this one more thoroughly!

I did leave it alone most of last night, and the morning, as I was tired, and had a headache. As the headache receded, my interest came back, as well as some ideas on how to proceed.

Still a long way to go, at least to me....but I am so much more pleased with it now....

Have already worked more on the details, but have not taken a photo yet. The photo taking, being online, etc. are breaks for me...I tend to paint intensely for a couple or three hours, then stop to photograph, smoke a cig (I know shame on me

...I am down to less than 1/2 a pk a day, and all smoked outside),drink some coffee... I sit on the porch and read, with the painting on an outside easel where I can study it, or just peek now and then, to see where I really feel like I am. Sometimes people come over and make suggestions....you just never know where inspiration or possible help may come from.

meggs · #19 07-03-2012, 06:00 PM

Hi Susan, sounds like you and I are a lot of alike. Only thing I know other than painting, where time disappears so quick is on the the computer.
I retire to have a ciggie to and watch a bit of TV, also with the painting facing me. I spend as much time thinking about it as painting it.

susme48 · #20 07-03-2012, 06:56 PM

Ah Meggs...a kindred soul! I have found, that sometimes, thinking about it, will show me at least what I WANT it to look like, but my skills do not always allow me to produce it. I have learned that I just cannot over process it, on the canvas....I never had gridded much or sketched more than the barest outline, to show my where to put things, and it works better for me if I don't. I tend to spend all the time I wasted on this one, usually doing it in my head, where I can change it easily...lol. If I had done it my normal way, I would have been here sooner...or so I think. Usually by the time I sit to paint, I have already done it a few times, if not more, in my brain, and so maybe that is why I can skip some of what doesn't work? Who knows...

I have been sketching some, and looking at photos my brother sent me...and what I am trying to do, is capture his face, as it was when it was younger. I obviously did not know him then, as my mom was not born yet...so I have worked and worked with cleaning up the ref photo, and trying to decide what is "real" and what is glare and imperfections on the photo...as well as figuring out what he looked like older AND younger. Ran to a friend's office and begged a copy of a composite to use, I love hard copies as well as what is on the pc.

This is all I have at the moment, of his "lifetime" in photos, tho' I imagine there are more if I were to beg from other relatives...

My brother now wants the sketch as well....

I guess since he is paying for my time, he might as well....I can be generous (sometimes

)

I tried to sort of combine what I COULD see, with what I thought should be there, and add a dash of his 3 yr old face in as well, to make him younger. I might be getting there. As long as my bro likes it, that is all that really matters...

Just a few more details here, nothing new on the face really yet...

meggs · #21 07-03-2012, 07:35 PM

Susan I think you have done pretty darn good on the face. I havent yet tried my hand on a portrait piece really, and I cant draw a damn. or come to that even draw a straight line.

In the 2 years I have been painting, I have tried many techniques, but for me it appears My Way is simply to sit down with a brush. I have never been able to copy a reference photo.. I just take the components and it evolves.

Sometimes I swear these paintings paint themselves, because Im amazed at what comes to life. I get frustrated many times, because if I Try to do something, I cant! I swear I must suffer from a mild form of dyslexia, not only in this but other things.
However Im hooked, I love the challenge and Thanks to WC peeps Im improving and can do something I have always wanted to do, but work and locality have always prevented me from pursuing.

meggs · #22 07-03-2012, 08:52 PM

Did a little work on the painting last night and finally got a chance to photo in the daylight.
Still not happy with background water, needs more shading and better blending. Hope today to work more on surge water and maybe start to lay in colour on rocks. Think I'll name this "Rocky Cove"

OkeeKat · #23 07-03-2012, 10:18 PM

Howard, Love the mask!!
Susan, I LOVE THE Changes... dont touch it, his face is great, love the sketch too!!
Meryl, Great painting, love the water and rocks!!
dog coming along slowly.. can't really post it.. its a surprise..

JoanED · #24 07-04-2012, 12:31 AM

I hope I'm not butting my nose in too much, but SusMe, if you'll bring the left side of his hat back to where it's just in to the branch of the tree, I think you'd like it better. In the large photo the left side of the hat doesn't cross the whole tree branch , it's just a little past the tree branch. I know it looks big, but it isn't that wide in the picture. Hope this helps as that's what I'm trying to do, it's a wonderful likeness in the face! I love looking at all of the old time pictures of him at different ages! I'll post a pic of mine that's in progress tomorrow. It's late right now...JoanED

**idylbrush** · #25 07-04-2012, 02:17 PM

Mask 7 is started.

artsniffr · #26 07-04-2012, 05:20 PM

I have been away from painting for a while but got inspired by these square watercolor boards... I wasn't happy with the results of my watercolor attempt on the board, so I dove in and went with acrylic once I found an inspirational photo that fit my layout. I put down the 3-D stuff (Spackle, actually) the first part of the week and finished the final glazing this afternoon.

Hope all of you in the U.S. are having a great 4th! (sorry for the out of focus!)

meggs · #27 07-04-2012, 06:06 PM

Artsniffr, Hi to you and where do you hail from? I have never heard of Spackle, (unless for fixing holes in walls.) Im interested ..can you give more information.. I have been working with Impasto lately.

( actually plaster spackle gives me idea's, just happen to have some on hand)

I really like this and imagine in real would look fantastic with the texture truly evident.

susme48 · #28 07-04-2012, 06:21 PM

Joan....that is fine....speak out. This is how I learn! Fresh eyes always help out!

Howard...really like the masks!! What did you use for the eyes?? wowow!!

Artsniffr...really interesting!!! Turned out great....I never heard of using spackle with acrylics...but have not heard of so many things....I use modling paste to get texture, and it is so much fun to work with!! Actually have totally enjoyed all the dif mediums for texture, from glass beads to black lava!

**idylbrush** · #29 07-04-2012, 06:28 PM

Sue, the eyes are modified ping pong balls. Added gauze that has been ink dyed and used a GAC fabric stiffener to get that to stay in place.

artsniffr · #30 07-05-2012, 06:37 AM

Thank you meggs and susme48! I'll have to seek out your work!

Yes, Spackle is for filling holes in walls - around here (North Carolina) it is cheaper than modeling paste. The kind I picked up dries matte and holds the brush stroke (though you loose the brush.) The 'coral' turned out very nicely -- I piped it on like cake icing and then poked holes with a toothpick before the Spackle set up.

I have since glazed over the fins twice (once to knock them back and once to bring back a whiter base value) and now have a third attempt at hand to detail more with the bright orange next weekend. One of the artists I took lessons from was so right-on when she said to me "never paint anything unless you observe it close up" and working on a subject I haven't seen except in photograph or movie really shows through, I think, in the extra work with this piece!

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