Every Day Original

Over a year ago, Marc Scheff and Lauren Panepinto created an online gallery called Every Day Original. I mentioned them in my last post. Basically, they offer smaller, affordable original paintings, drawings, etc. for the public. It's challenged me to have a new piece every month. This month's is called "Camouflage", a 10" x 10" oil on canvas. Here are the progress shots.

I began with a cradled canvas panel and applied 3 coats of gesso, WET sanding in-between each layer. On top of that smooth surface I drew the sketch. Next I applied a coat of acrylic matte medium which created a nice texture with the graphite.

 Next I began with oils.

 This was the first pass.

And below is the finished piece. A wonderful patron bought it within the hour which for me, makes all the hours spent on the painting so worthwhile...to know that someone out in the world connected with something I created is so fulfilling.

Models in a Pinch OR The Hazards of Being Related to an Artist

 

I thought it would be fun to post a quick look at my use of family members for models. With 6 children and 15 grandchildren, I usually have someone I can finagle to don a cloak or whatnot for photo reference. Some are more willing than others. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Christmas Card Continued - 1st Watercolor Layer

Here's the first swipe of watercolor. Next I will go in with my super-magni-vison goggles and get the detail washes down. After that, the colored pencils to pull out highlights, deepen shadows and define some edges. Then I'll put down some snowflakes with white gouache and call it good.

(This scan is a bit blurry because the painting is stapled to a board.)

Christmas Card Continued

I felt the rabbits needed more variation in shape so I redid them. Changed the hat on the girl on the left. I've now printed this out on a sheet of Bristol smooth and will do a little colored pencil work on top, pulling out highlights and darkening shadows and then I'll call it good. Christmas waits for no man....or procrastinating woman.

Fan Art Process - Part 1

I have been asked a few times how I go about drawing fan art. I guess the initial start of the process is finding a book I connect to. . . how much I want to envision the character(s). Let's take one of my favorite finds last year: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Could not put it down and am anticipating the next in the series, Catching Fire, due out in the fall. The main character is a 16 year old girl named Katniss Everdeene. Say I want to flesh her out of my head on to paper. First I start with the author's physical description which surprisingly, wasn't a great deal. On Wiki is gives this info: Katniss has straight black hair, which she normally pulls back into a long braid, olive skin, and gray eyes. She is slender and athletic, especially skilled in wilderness survival. Archer.
I also go through the book and highlight any scenes that disclose to me particular characteristics of her personality...kindness, anger, selfishness, determination, tenderness....etc. Then I go hunting. First, I try to remember any actors that have an interesting face. For instance, one of my very first Twilight fan art of Edward and Bella had me going back to an actor I remembered from a Mel Gibson film called Gallipoli. His name is Mark Lee and played the unforgettable character, Archy Hamilton. Though he was blond, he had the chiseled features that I envisioned for Edward. Plus he had portrayed the goodness that I felt was part of Edward's personality.

For Katniss, I remembered an actress....didn't know who she was at the time, who played Becky Thatcher in a 1995 film of Tom and Huck. She was tomboyish and yet you could tell she was going to grow into a lovely young woman. I discovered it was Rachael Leigh Cook. Had to do some digging, but found a photo of her around 16.
Her hair isn't in a braid, but it's dark. I can work with it. The ragged t-shirt is a good start for her clothes, although the Nirvana underneath will have to go as will the eyeliner. But she has potential. I wish the lighting of the photo was better, but I can work with it. If there's no one I can recall, I will go through faces on Flickr, modeling agencies, etc., hoping someone will jump out at me. If it's black and white and good lighting, all the better. So, this is how I start. Next will be the beginnings of the sketch and the use of other references.