Fur In The Paint

Angela asked me to explain about how I use Inktense as my base color on suede. And I thought “Heck why not get a post out of it.” Plus it’s so much easier to explain with pictures. I decided to just show the entire process while I was at it.

The Inktense Pencils are scribbled in (literally) dry. For the areas that I want to be lightest I keep the color to a minimum. Here I used Deep Indigo and Moss Green.

I imagine a brush would work just as well for this but I like the q-tip because I can scrush around the color if I want to. I am pretty sure this would ruin a paint brush.

Note: Once again whenever adding water to suede be aware of it’s wicking tendency so apply water sparingly to the edges.

While the suede is still wet I “impregnate” the suede by rubbing a dry pencil (or Neocolor ll) over the surface. Since Neocolor ll has a tendency to allow only so much pigment to be applied I started doing this with the wc pencil first. Though it turns out when used this way the Neocolor ll works just as well and doesn’t limit the amount of layers I can apply over the top. Here I used a orangey pink color.

Note: Be aware that the you’ll use a lot of pigment (pencil or crayon) this way.

After letting the suede dry completely I begin the dry work which in this photo is just the tips of the horns. You can see the subtle lightening of the image when the suede dries along the area at the base of the horn. I am using both wc pencils and Neocolor LL for this stage.

Note: The impregnation layers looks more intense when everything is still wet. It will lighten and soften when it dries.

And then finish the area and move on. I uses wc pencil as the last medium to cut through the Neocolor ll to create skin texture.

I’m Flying Without A Net Here Folks
So I began this with the knowledge that I really wanted to do a rhino painting, but other than that I had absolutely no idea what exactly I was going to do.

The trouble with being a portrait artist who doesn’t actually do much in the way of portraits (meaning I do essentially wild animal portraits that have no actual owner funding me) is, that I still have this artist side of me wanting to be creative. I don’t just want some rhino head. I want something with character and presence. In the end it will look to everyone else like just another rhino painting but I want to feel like I made it my own. I had a moment where I almost turned him into one of my Crayola Critters but fought it off (for now. Wouldn’t he look just awesome in pink, blue and green.) Nope not today though. Today I’m shooting for a more realistic look.

I like to think I set a challenge for myself every painting. And for this one I’ve set two. First I’ll be using my new Neocolor Water Soluble Wax Pastels for the majority of this piece. (We’ll see how that goes) And the other will be that huge expanse of background. Yikes!

I’m thinking a dark (not settled on the color yet. Mauve maybe?) horizon line and the foreground soft like the dust is billowing. Yup a totally new thing for me to try. And you know me, either play big or go home so this paintings size is about 20 x 32. So that way you can watch me succeed marvelously or crash in burn in grand style.

My biggest struggle beginning this piece was finding the color scheme. First he was too blue (big surprise there.) Then he was too green. Eventually I settle for all the colors of the rainbow. I realize it’s hard to see in these pics but he has all the primaries without turning Crayola. And that makes me a happy girl.

You Know Because Rhinos Are So Soft & Fluffy
When I took the second WIP photo Mike said that what I’ve filled in so far makes him look like a dinosaur. I’m like “yeah, but then rhinos look kinda prehistoric anyhow.” Really if i put a few spikes on his frill (which is actually his forehead) he could pass for a Triceratops.

And yes this piece is again on suede and no it’s not because he’s so soft and fluffy. My original intent was to use Inktense penciuls as my base colors and the Neocolos over the top. Which is what I’m doing. Since this has been a practiced technique for me I went with suede. ALso creating a soft dusty atmosphere seemed like it would be easier with the suede than on paper. Time will I guess.

So this is where I’m at on Sunday Morning I’m hoping to get a whole bunch more done today. I had a great time playing my horse this morning and now I’m ready to get after it. Mike is in the hay field and all the doors. There’s nothing holding me back . . . well, except the Budda needing love.

If You Want A Bigger Better Look please visit my The African Wildlife Art Squidoo Lens

Here’s what I’ve got done at the end of today. (Sunday, August 1st. You know deadline day!.)

I’m really down to the tweaking stage and getting their manes not to look so much like bad toupees. The article is written and is also down to the final touches. Whew!

It’s really hard to get this thing to photograph well so here it’s looking a tad washed out.

Since I was having so much trouble getting a photo with enough contrast for the blog I decided to edit this photo in a different photoshop. I think I got somewhat better results.

As the deadline for the next Apples ‘N Oats is fast approaching I am painting and writing my little heart out. I had a bit of a rocky start since, well let’s face it. I write about draft horses an awful lot and seriously what new thing could I possibly discuss on the subject.

So since the painting is of my neighbor’s mares I decided to go with my favorite story of them. (the horses not the neighbors) Sorry guys, you’ll have to wait until the magazine comes out for it though.

I included another detail of my third horse. Once again the muzzle area is not done. This is the work that I completed yesterday. Today will be all about getting her body in and then tackling the job of putting in mane and forelock on all three. (Shown here only the under wash is in for the mane)

My plans for a background are going to be very basic. Light blue sky. Very soft and subtle. Because as you know I’m all about the horses.

Place Your Bets! So whether or not I make my deadline is kinda up in the air. I am pretty sure I can. Unless I run into difficulties getting the manes in which honestly is the only area that I am feeling a little anxious about.

Another possibility is the gallery chaos will overtake my painting time. We shall see I suppose.

Here’s what I got done at the last art fair.

I usually prefer to finish one critter at a time before moving onto the next. But for demonstrating I figured watching a horse face materialize would be more interesting than a shadowy neck. So I got a couple of floating heads.

So today I worked on adding the shadowy necks and anchoring my horses. This took longer than I expected since I put in far more detail than I originally thought I would. I always feel better once my subjects anchored.

Once again since the distance photos appear so dark so I included a detail shot.

The muzzle areas are still unfinished. Also I think I’m planning on covering the right horse’s left eye with forelock. I put in the eye to help me visualize but it will most likely get covered. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to finish up the necks and begin face number three.

Well this photo is rather dark so I did a close up shot as well. This is pretty much all that got done on demonstration day at Mari’s gallery The Side Street Gallery. Keep in mind for me this is a pretty big piece so though it doesn’t look like a lot, it’s actually is quite a bit of square inch-age. I plan on taking the painting along to this weekends event ( Clear Lake Art Sail) to work on as well as long as it’s not supposed to rain.

The demo went well though this is probably too large a painting for doing a demo at Mari’s. Her gallery space is pretty tight to I took up quite a bit of room. Smaller (like last year’s Red Buffalo) are better suited. We had an okay crowd and sold a few things. I had my picture taken with a couple of happy patrons (but alas though I brought my camera I took no photos.)

The thing about the lakes areas is if the weather is nice, everyone is out on the water. In the end it was worth the trip and was as always, fun. I will continue to do it as long as Mari wants me to.

I plan to put in the base colors on the rest of this horse and the head of another so it has time to dry and be ready for all the dry work while I’m at the event.

In this photo the muzzle area is unfinished. I plan to leave the purple-y thing I got going. So often I start with loads of blues and purples and then start smacking it with reality and toning it all down. So we’ll see what happens here the farther in I get.

20 x 22 3/4
Inktense and Watersoluble Pencil on suede board

Framed and Sold
Yup I went ahead and send an email to the person on the top of my giraffe list. About 5 minutes later I got a response. These two are now going off to live with many of my other giraffe works. This makes me happy and just a tiny bit sad as well. While I wasn’t totally ready to part with them just yet, I also am not heart broken about it. The biggest challenge will be getting prints made before the delivery date.

So anyway I thought I’d do the start to finish thing with this painting since it took me so long to actually finish it. I had wanted to do more tweaking on them but there just is no more time so, it is what it is.

Yeah, okay. So I know I said I’d post a picture on Sunday but it turns out my hubby took the digital camera with him for the weekend (and by weekend I mean until Wednesday.)

So I scanned in a partial of it to give you a basic idea. In truth I could have scanned in the whole image but it would have been done in with more than one scan being stitched together. So for the work in progress shot I chose to give you only a partial peek because I’m . . . technically incompetent, . . . too lazy,. . . short on time.

For those just stopping by this piece is a freebie to be used for the image on Rolfe Rodeo & Saddle Club t-shirts for sale during the rodeo. Still not sure if everything is going to come together to make it work for them, but I’m working my bohookie off trying to get something done. I had told them they could use an already existing image but they seemed okay with waiting for something new.

I’m taking wagers on which of the following will be the Rodeo Clubs response when seeing the painting,

1. It’s totally awesome!
2. I guess it will work.
3. It’s . . . . um . . . blue ?!?!?!
4. We wanted a bucking bull. You know like in all the rodeo photos we sent you. (Okay c’mon people my gallery and business is called Wild Faces! Faces! get it. cut me some slack) Oh yea, I’m so prepared for this one.

Anyone want to wager what their response will be?

NOTE: The horns won’t be that pink. They just have the bottom wash in. And the background will be that chartreuse-y green I’m so fond of lately. When I post the whole image I’ll go into the medium and size and stuff.

Creature Comforts -Work In Progress
20 x 22
watercolor pencil on suede board

Getting close to done here. One or two more quiet afternoons should see it wrapped up. The left body leg is just washed in and I need to add a couple more legs and a tail as well as the background. I’m thinking a sage green background that bleaches out as it goes up.

Sunday Painting Progress
Back to work on my art. I have quite a lot of gallery business at the moment and I really have trouble shifting from business thinking to artsy thinking. So I’m always grateful for a quite Sunday to work on my art. Oddly enough, though writing is a creative endeavor I can work easily on my Squidoo pages while working at the business. So maybe that means for me it’s more business than art. huh?

In case your wondering the left head belongs to the right body. And the right head has yet to have it’s body added. Kinda like safari critter version of Twister. The legs just have the base color washed in. Maybe just maybe I’ll get some work in on her tomorrow.