Paintings

Next week is the new session for my painting class.

So it's time to show off the things I've wrapped up lately, since I haven't been posting progress reports.

I *finally* got all the Little Portraits done.

Priscilla

Clark

Mr. Roboto

Last night I re-did the background on Mr. Roboto and DAMN does it make a difference.  The background was just too dark before and this lighter choice is so much better.

Over the last few sessions, I also did an abstract painting.

The photo doesn't do this justice.  I really wanted to play with texture and this painting has some nice chunks and globs of paint.  That means it's going to take forever to fully dry.

So, now I need to figure out what I'm going to paint next.  I'm still kind of tired of painting my sewn creations but I do have a pretty nice picture of Violetta (the small version of the squid) that I think would be fun to put on a BIG canvas (ok, not huge or anything but big compared to the ones I've been working on lately).

But I also kind of want to do another abstract just because they are so quick and loose to do.

I've also been curious about Pointilism.  But I'm not exactly sure how to approach that type of painting.  But I kind of want the challenge.

I have a week to figure it out.

Painting: FINISHED one!!

I'm officially calling one of my paintings DONE.

It's been a long haul for the Little Portraits set and I wish the whole set was done but alas, only one is Officially Complete.

I give you:  Clark (aka Super Worm)

It took a long time to get the green shade right and to get it to a place where I feel confident it is done.  I don't hate it and even kind of like it, so that's a good sign.

Unfortunately, after seeing how well Clark turned out I need to go back to Priscilla and Mr. Roboto and tweak them a bit.  So the Little Portraits set won't be totally done for a few more weeks (hey, it's been a year now, what's a few more weeks, right?)

Close up (without my classmates butt in the background!)

I think the scarf may be my favorite part of this painting.  I also like the stitching along the head.

I've already started re-working Priscilla.  Nothing major (no do-overs, just working with what's already on the canvas).  Ok, I did re-do the entire background but that wasn't really a big deal.  It made a huge difference, too.  I'll show that one off next week.  I'm also going to give Mr. Roboto a small tweak.  His antennae is a bit flat looking so I need to do the shadowing thing on it a bit better.

Someday I'll get to my next painting project, a break from painting my sewn creations.  I'll be doing a total abstract painting.  I can't wait.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Before and after (top and bottom).

Look who finally has a mouth!  I also cleaned up the background to get the line more straight.  I'm officially calling the background DONE.

I also worked at "fuzzing" the whole thing.  I need to add in some little fibers here and there to give the whole thing more texture.  You can see it a tiny bit around the edges of his head and you can see how much lighter the mask is.  I need to do a few more layers (some dark, some light) and then give some shadow/light to the mouth (it was wet so I need it to dry a bit before I play with it more.

I'm feeling confident I'll get this painting DONE next (and final) class.  At long freaking last.

But that means. . .oh no!. . .I have to come up with a new painting idea.  Right now I'm kind of toying with just doing the weekly still life offerings the instructor puts up at the front of the class.  It will help me work on my drawing skills and will force me to work a LOT faster if I want to get any type of finished product.  I could also play with making more abstract works.

I was all inspired by that idea, so I took this pic.  I just enjoy painting clutter and this one shows all the paint stuff and the photo I'm working from along with the photo my hubby is working from (he's doing a self-portrait. . .you'll be hard pressed to find me doing that, that's for sure).

Ok, enough painting talk.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Oops, forgot to do this yesterday.

So here it is now.

I think this just might be on the way to being DONE.

I've just been blending and blending and futzing and. . .yeah, nothing super exciting.  Though looking at it now I think I need to clean up the line on the background.  It's looking kind of bowed instead of straight.

Now I just need to add the mouth (I'm nervous about that) and then add some of the wisps and threads on the surface of the felt (especially on the mask).

We signed up for two extra classes in December, so this little monster should be done then.

That means. . .oh no. . .I have to come up with a new idea!

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Yes, I worked the green even more.  It looks extra washed out in this pic but in person it looks more like the true color (a chartreuse).  I like the shade in the before shot, but it's too bright and too cartoony looking.  So I'm almost there with the green.  Once I get the green just about set, I need to work the red the same way.  Then just make the background pop (based on the new body shades) and then add the fine details like the tiny fibers you can see on the surface of the whole doll.

I'm finally feeling like I'll see an end to this final Little Portrait.

Next week we have a live model so I probably won't work this painting at all, which is kind of good because I need to start thinking up a new idea but I'm kind of "meh" about the whole thing right now.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Oh yeah, the green is finally getting to the shade I want.  In fact, I'm really damn happy with the shade.  It just might be "right".

I worked the green last night (a lot) and then enlarged the pupil.  I wondered why the eyes looked extra derpy and then realized the pupil was too small.  I also worked the background.  I like the slightly lighter background.  I think it helps bring more brightness to the green.

Speaking of green, I need to get me some thalo green.  I'm still using the tiny booger someone lent me.  Thankfully you don't need much to get the bright shades, so maybe that booger will last until this painting is done.

I've been thinking on what I want to do next and I *might* have an idea.  I think I want to do a painting of my Day of the Dead shrine.  That is if I can get a decent photo of it.  The lighting in my house is so horrible.  But I could make a bit of a light box to get a decent pic.  Hmm, that could be a fun challenge.

Then again, in two weeks we'll have a live model in class so if I could just make this last Little Portrait last until then, to give me time to figure out what I want to do next.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

OH NO.  I took off Clark's mouth and one of his pupils.  Poor Clark.

That one pupil needed to go.  It was on all wrong and was accentuating Clark's derpy-ness.  Clark is fine with being a bit derpy but that pupil was just. . .no.  His mouth was all kinds of off, too.  The shape was wrong.  I also had to work the color of his face more, so the mouth was in the way.

I'm liking the way the green is finally getting to the right shade.  It no longer looks like a yellow-green shade with white over top.  It's now heading more toward the chartreuse shade I want.  All thanks to. . .

Thalo green.

Imagine that, they make deliberately bright paints.  You don't have to just struggle with the bare basic colors and scowl when everything is so muted.

This is why I pay to take a painting "class".  I need someone to direct me toward fabulous mysteries of painting like Thalo green.  Thalo green makes things bright.  Thalo green is the color of the light bulb over my head as I "got it".

I need to get me some Thalo green.

Can you believe that the green is pretty much all I worked on for the little over two hours I painted?  Crazy, right?  But seeing the before and after side by side, it was worth it.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Something a little different.  I put the before and after right next to each other.  I kind of like that better than the old way.

Bit changes this time around.  The most noticeable are the pupils and mouth.  I'm always amazed how something like that can completely change a painting.  I also lightened Clark/Super Worm a LOT.  I'm getting happier and happier with the color now.  And in lightening the figure, the background now looks lighter (even though I didn't touch it at all).

Still needs a ton of work, but it's coming along.

Progress Report: "Little Portraits"

So, I'm down to having only ONE little portrait to work on.  Soon, very soon, I'll have to come up with a new painting idea.  *groans*

Ok, progress report time.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Wow.  Seeing the photos side by side, this little canvas really changed last night.  The colors are getting more toward what I want.  I want the overexposed part of the head to be really bright but still have a green tone to it (it looks straight white in the photo).  Overall the green is getting closer to the real tone (which is a chartreuse).  The red is coming along, too.  I'm really liking the background, too.  I want it to be a contrast to the highly blended part, so the background is going to be very "flat" in comparison.  I also wanted a very defined straight line to mimic the windows in the photo but not get into all the details of the windows (I didn't do any detailing in the backgrounds of the other little portraits).

I'm happy with the progress.  I can't believe I spent a solid two hours on just this wee canvas.  I thought for sure I'd need to have another canvas to work, but I was wrong.

(but I will need to get my thoughts together for a new canvas. . .I swear that's the hardest part of the whole process).

PAINTING!! Little Portraits Progress Report

Holy guacamole, it's been a long time since I've painted.  I had a nice break but now I'm back and ready to finish up the Little Portraits.

Last night I did a tiny bit of finishing up work on Priscilla's portrait but it's so subtle I didn't think it would be noticeable so I didn't get a pic.  I'm still not satisfied with that portrait.  The eye patch is just BAD.  (I'm hyper critical of my paintings, I think I've only truly liked one of them and even then that means I just critique it a little less than the others).

I did get some great progress made on Super Worm.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Definite progress.  The pic is a little dark because I didn't take it on the easel.  Seems the art center decided to get rid of pretty much all the stools, opting instead for folding chairs.  The problem is, my canvases are so small I can't clamp them to the easel and paint while seated in a low folding chair (the top clamp on the easel doesn't drop low enough to secure the canvas).  BOO to that.  I'll just have to take my own stool to and from class.  No biggie.  If I work on a bigger canvas for my next painting, the chair thing probably won't be an issue.

Ok, enough about chairs.

I really worked the green on Super Worm.  I'd say the majority of my time on this painting was on the green.  Then I added the whites of the eyes and worked the red a bit.  Despite how it appears, I didn't work the background color at all last night (the pic is just dark).  I'm happy with the progress I made.

But now I need to really think about my next project.  Super Worm is such a small canvas that I need to work a second project at the same time.  I think I'm tired of the small canvases and want to go back to a more classic sized one.  I kind of want to do a long rectangular one again (like the canvas used for Baby Elephant Walk).  But I can't decide the subject.  Part of me wants to keep with my theme of painting the items I sew but another part of me is bored to tears by that.  All I know for sure is I have to paint from a photo (because my free hand painting/drawing suck-diddly-ucks).

SO. . .time to start thinking about a new subject.

Progress Report: "Little Portraits"

Good progress last night.

First up, the subtle changes on Priscilla.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The only changes are to the nose (slightly darker) and major face-lift work on the eye patch.  I enlarged the patch last week and this week I recolored the stripes to blend in the enlargement.  Then I whittled down the nose, mouth, and whiskers and did a little work on the eyes.  It's looking better and better every time I work on it.  It's finally starting to lose that out of place feeling it had before.

Next up, Clark/Superworm.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Oh yeah, it's starting to take shape.  Even at this rough stage, the tiny bit of shading I have on this makes it look SO much better.  I'm trying something new and working in some of the shading as I paint instead of making it all one color and then adding in all the shadows.  I'm also really liking the color that's coming out for the background.  I don't have any one color in mind for it but I am leaning toward a bluish/steel gray look.

I didn't have time to work on Mr. Roboto last night but he's VERY close to being officially DONE.  I just need to do a bit more work on his antenna (and maybe the eye) and I have a feeling he'll be finished.

I don't think I have any more painting sessions left.  I'm vacationing next week so I'll miss that class which I think is the last.  There's one extension class after that (you pay extra for it) but I'm not doing that this time around.  So these lovelies will likely sit for a bit.

Progress Report: "Little Portraits"

It was a good night for painting last night.

First up, Mr. Roboto.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Bad photo aside (the before is an awful shot) it's getting harder and harder to see the changes as I make them.  They're all subtle tweaks to the shading and whatnot, so they don't translate well via photos (especially my crappy cellphone pics).

Last night I worked on Mr. Roboto's antenna, mouth, eye, and some shading on the background (making it darker).  OH, I also shaved down his one shoulder which I really like.  I'm tempted to shave down the other one but it really is that pointed in the photo so. . .

Next up, Priscilla.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Again, ignore how crappy the photos are (especially the "before"--the lighting is so awful on that).  I didn't spend as much time on Priscilla last night, so not as much was done.  The big change is in the size of the eye patch.  I was wondering why it just looked so off from the rest of the painting.  While I realize the entire painting is "weird" (hello? cat with an eye patch!) but the eye patch itself just really stuck out as not working with the rest of the image.  Yes, it's not exactly true to the original image (my version's face isn't as low and wide) and while discussing the funky eye patch issue with the instructor, he mentions how the shape of the painted eye patch didn't look like it would fit over the existing eye.  So that could be why the eye patch was standing out so much and wasn't working.  The minute I widened it just a bit, it started to look more and more like it belongs.  Once I get it colored properly (fix the stripes so the new bit matches the existing part) and then shade it up, it should be good.  Yes, it's still very different from the photo (one big thing is, in the photo you can see the black fabric around the edge of the pink--I edited that out for the painting) but it will work for the painting (which has a host of small issues that make it far from an exact rendering of the photo).

So why did I have so little time with Priscilla?  Because I started the third canvas in this collection.  I think this third one will be the last in the set.

Here's where working with such small canvases becomes a trick.  You get them covered fairly quickly then have to find something else to do while they dry.

Hopefully that mess up there will slowly morph into a version of this:

Of course, the size isn't the same so the photo was cropped a bit to fit the canvas.

I was going to do another robot and cat but I'm bored with that now.  The I toyed with doing paintings of T.P. Day and Mr. Durr but they have such muted colors and I'm about burned out on dark shades for now (so much gray and black lately!) that I needed a pop of color.  Clark/Super Worm definitely has that.  I'm not sure what the background color will ultimately become, but for now I liked the blue/gray shade so why not fill it in that way and work from there.  It's something different for my.  Normally I'm very methodical and don't like to put down multiple layers of paint.  Like normally I'd leave the mask/eye area and fill it in with only the "right" colors but this time I just greened out the whole head area and I'll build on it with the "right" colors.  No need to be so uptight when I'm working with such a small canvas.  There will be time for that later.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Finally back to painting.

First up, Mr. Roboto:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The changes are more and more subtle.

I darkened up the corners (they were just too white) and worked on the antennae.  It still needs a lot of work to get it less bright.  But it's coming along.  The eye is also finally heading in the right direction.

PRISCILLA

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Wow, the lighting is bad on this photo.  Very washed out.  For the record, I made the eyes on the eye patch larger (and I really like them).  Again, the changes are subtle because they're mostly shading/lightening (which shows for crap in this really bad photo).

I'm liking where both are heading.  I plan to do at least one more little portrait.  I was going to make two more (another cat and another robot) but I'm just not motivated to sew the other robot and I'm kind of bored of the cat shape.  But I do want to make at least one more of these little canvases.  So I think I'm going to use Super Worm for one of them.  But don't quote me on that.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Update time.

First up, Mr. Roboto.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The changes are going to get more and more subtle.  Lot of shading and what not.  But I still need to do a lot of work on the eye and antenna, so those changes are fairly obvious.

Priscilla.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Same story with Priscilla.  The changes are going to get more and more subtle from here on out.  Still a lot of work to do on the eye patch and a lot of shading work.  I'm really happy with how her eye is coming along and how that one circle (the one that was missing in the "before" shot) turned out.  When you're up on it (looking really close) it's warbly and ugly, but when you're at a proper distance from the canvas it looks decent.  It kind of conveys the shape of the head.  I'm pleased with it.

Since these two canvases are small and don't have a lot left on them, I had to start on my next canvas.  I decided to use one of the extra 8x8 canvases to do something completely different.  I've been wanting to do some truly abstract pieces so I think I'll use the two 8x8s I already have for experimenting with texture and blending.  I want to work some fibers (from scrap fabric/thread) into the paint and just play.  It will most likely be a disgusting mess but it should be something fun and different (while I'm trying to figure out what I want to do next).

The new painting doesn't look like much yet (and probably won't ever look like anything exactly).  I just used paint that was already on my palette and then added in some straight white to get some peaks and chunks of paint.  I think I want to add touches of color to the tips of the peaks once the white is dry.  And (like I already said) add in fibers from my sewing projects.  I think that will kind of keep these paintings in my theme, which is making paintings of other things I have made.  I like that idea.  AND, it will use up some stuff I just throw out anyway.  Love that.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Time for an update!!

First up, Mr. Roboto.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

The overall lightness of this pic is just the pic.  I didn't do much work on this painting.  I put in some high and lowlights (using the thinned out paint method--there's a term for that but I can't be bothered to look it up right now).  And obviously the antenna is there.  I'm not sure about that antenna just yet.  It will need a LOT of work.  So will the eye.  Right now it just has another coat of base color.

Next up, Priscilla.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Again, the overall lightness is just from it being a bad photo.  I didn't get a pic of the crap I had to fix.  It was an easy enough fix, not too time consumming.  I did get rid of two circles, but I plan to put one back (the one over the eye).  The shape was just not right and since I had to put some black in to blot out the damage, that circle needed to go so I could try and do it better.  I'm really liking the eye.  It's coming along nicely. 

Overall it was a good night of painting.  I did cuss out Mr. Roboto's antenna at one point but only briefly.  I don't think any of my paintings have been completed without being cussed out at least once during the process.  Sometimes I wonder if painting isn't really a type of therapy, forcing me to constantly go through the feelings of rejection ("this painting sucks, I suck") only to finally accept them for what they are ("this one's not too bad, I like this or that on it").

Deep.

Progress Report: Little Portraits

Finally back to painting class.

True confession, we missed the first week because we had to go out to eat.  The wife had a groupon that needed used NOW and I never miss a chance to eat at Savoy (great restaurant) for a deep discount so. . .painting could wait.

But, now I'm back to it.

First up, Mr. Roboto:

Before:

After:

Yes, I gave him an antennae-ectomy.  I added to it but it just wasn't right so I lopped it right off.  OUCH.  I also worked on his eye a bit and fiddled with some detail work.  I didn't do much to him since he was second on the easel that night.

Priscilla was first up to be painted, so there are more changes to see.

Before:

After:

Crazy progress.  Some better than others.  A few of the circles I'm not really keen on.  The one on her face at the base of her tail is AWFUL.  I'm really toying with just getting rid of it completely.

I worked on the circles, the eye and the eye patch (oh and quick coat on the nose).  I'm really liking the progress on the eye.

BUT. . .something horrible happened.  As we were leaving the heavens opened and it was pouring rain.  I put a garbage bag over both paintings (bag stretched over each, wet paint facing inward so the plastic wouldn't touch it) to make my dash to the car.  I made it just fine and didn't notice any crazy moisture on either painting.  Until I got home.  Once at home I noticed there were little pink speckles all over Priscilla's face.  I was PISSED.  Still am, to be quite honest.  So now I'm going to have to either black out the whole face and start fresh or tediously cover all the pink speckles bit by bit.  There was also a bit of blue speckling on the white of the eye.  GRRRR!!

So a hearty eff you to mother nature.  Of course, I got all emo and claimed I was just going to throw the whole thing in the trash, but I'm over that drama now.  I'll just have to take the time to fix it.  Double GRRR!

I guess this gives me time to finish sewing the other robot I want to use for these portraits.  She's been languishing for EVER, so I really do need to get back to her.

But first,  need to do some more work on my Giant Squid.  I registered for Art All Night, so now I need to get that squid done by 4/27.  *whip cracking sound*

I also want to make some stuffed toys for the April charity project at Hopeful Threads.

Busy, busy, busy.