Miss Pumpkin 1

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #1 11-22-2005, 02:25 PM

Acrylics, 11x14, on canvas board.

I've tried to send this larger, but HP is stuck on "Error".

Maybe later.

Pumpkin Ballard, my granddaughter's cat.
I sure did get tired of painting cat hair, and to think that God knows every hair on our heads! Wow!

Marilyn

KJSCL · #2 11-22-2005, 05:24 PM

Great painting! Is this a present for your granddaughter? I can relate to you about the cat hair though - I just recently finished a 16x20 leopard!

I'm not sure if you wanted C&C on this or not so you can totally ignore this next part if you want! First off his face and body are great, the eyes are wonderful. However, I don't know if it is just the picture or not but the area around where the rear feet should be looks like it was cut off or something. Was there a fold in the tablecloth that was covering them up? Also the "toes" on the front feet are a little too pronounced, they could be softened a bit.

Overall you done a great job and your granddaughter should be thrilled with it.

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #3 11-22-2005, 07:05 PM

Hi, Kathy,

Yes, this is to be a Christmas present for her. I knew it would take me a while and sure 'nuff! It's so strange that I can look and look and not see the obvious, until someone with fresh eyes points it out here. I see the feet now, and you're right!

This is a fat cat, and that's her belly hanging over. I guess I could trim a couple lbs. off. ha.

Did you log your time for your leopard? I work in little pockets of time and forget to keep a strict record. I must break that habit. I 'm slow, but I probably have worked more than 40 hrs. on it.

Thanks so much!
Marilyn

krystakaye · #4 11-22-2005, 07:20 PM

Beautiful job! I am sure she will be THRILLED with this wonderful painting! Well Done!

**Lady Carol** · #5 11-22-2005, 07:45 PM

40 hours

Wow!!!!! But what a great result for all that time.

What size is this?

Toadie · #6 11-23-2005, 07:43 AM

This is amazing! I thought the painting was a blow up of the photo. Super work. Yeah imagind every hair on our head.......

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #7 11-23-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJSCL

Great painting! Is this a present for your granddaughter? I can relate to you about the cat hair though - I just recently finished a 16x20 leopard!

I'm not sure if you wanted C&C on this or not so you can totally ignore this next part if you want! First off his face and body are great, the eyes are wonderful. However, I don't know if it is just the picture or not but the area around where the rear feet should be looks like it was cut off or something. Was there a fold in the tablecloth that was covering them up? Also the "toes" on the front feet are a little too pronounced, they could be softened a bit.

Overall you done a great job and your granddaughter should be thrilled with it.

Feet, etc. are fixed now.

I'm happy with it now. Thanks again for your help!

bjcpaints · #8 11-23-2005, 02:12 PM

Wow - I would have been happy with it before! Really great Marilyn!
Barbara

KJSCL · #9 11-23-2005, 03:37 PM

Hi Marilyn

The kitty's feet look much better, glad you're happy with it, your granddaughter will love it.

Yes, I do keep track of my time. The 16x20 leopard took me 30 hours to complete. Here's a link to a thread where I had posted a really bad photo of it. http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300813. After the gloss varnish was applied the colors became much more vibrant.

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #10 11-23-2005, 11:16 PM

Kathy, Your big cats are beautiful! Thank you for sending me your link.

I'm trying to learn how to blend the acrylics. Do you use a retarding medium? I did on the base color of the fur, then I used various sized brushes for the under fur, brushing and then blending back away from the stroke with my finger to soften the brush marks and make the fur look like down, then paint the tiny brush strokes with a liner brush, for the highlights, and sharper details. I still used my finger tips to soften and blend some of the receding colors.

What kind of acrylic varnish did you end up using? I use some I got some years back that is still good. It's Acrylic Varnish, by Delta, that I bought at Michaels. I thin it a little, and apply with a good house painting brush. (water clean up!! yea!!!) It says matte finish, but it has a nice satin sheen to it, and drys very quickly, within half an hour. A second coat can be applied when it is no longer sticky. I'm leary of sprays, because of the uneven coats and it's more costly and wasteful, I think. Besides, I don't like to fill the air with it. I was wondering, if a good quality of Acrylic varnish from Wal-Mart would be just as good. I don't really know if it would yellow over time or not.

Thanks again for your help.

Marilyn

KJSCL · #11 11-24-2005, 03:57 PM

Hi Marilyn

Thanx for you comment on the leopard - much appreciated.

For fur texture, I tend to achieve it through layers and glazing as opposed to blending. If and when I'm working on large areas to be blended, I use Golden's Acrylic Glazing medium. It's great, it allows you enough open time to blend colors together.

As for the varnish, there was alot of good information about what to use in my leopard thread . On this one I ended up using Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish. At some point I will probably also apply a removable varnish like was suggested, but so far I just haven't had the time.

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #12 11-24-2005, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJSCL

Hi Marilyn

Thanx for you comment on the leopard - much appreciated.

For fur texture, I tend to achieve it through layers and glazing as opposed to blending. If and when I'm working on large areas to be blended, I use Golden's Acrylic Glazing medium. It's great, it allows you enough open time to blend colors together.

As for the varnish, there was alot of good information about what to use in my leopard thread . On this one I ended up using Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish. At some point I will probably also apply a removable varnish like was suggested, but so far I just haven't had the time.

Thanks, Kathy,

I'm glad to know what works. Maybe I can trim down my working time, because I kept having to redo parts of it. It seems to be a learning curve for me. I am more comfortable with the challange of watercolor. see page 9 on link:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294308

I would like to learn how to blend the skin in Acrylics. I'll check the archive's articles, too.

Marilyn

tubby2legs · #13 11-25-2005, 08:07 PM

i too thought this wa a blowup of the picture. great job.

Marilyn Speck Ballard · #14 11-25-2005, 09:02 PM

Thanks, Janice. I'm having a good time with it, as long as I can get such good help with the critiques.

Marilyn

**Lady Carol** · #15 11-26-2005, 05:37 PM

Small adjustment in the feet has made this a winner. What a superb painting.

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