Birthday Card

This week my project was to make a birthday card for a friend for her Mom.
I was thankful for my calligraphy classes from way back.
Here is what I came up with using Yupo paper. I will cut and paste into a card.
FUN!!!

Finished Piece

Finally I am done adding small refinements.
I sign the painting. I am pretty happy how this turned out. It does capture my niece.
Hope she likes it. :)

Background and Finishing Touches

I have now worked the background in and continue to add finishing touches. I don't want the background to overwhelm the subject. I want it to enhance and ground the model. I often use this splatter technique because it is subtle yet helps to create balance with color and texture. As you can see I leave a lot of white so the painting has a simplicity to it.
Finishing touches might include just a small spot of color here and there to draw you eye in or to balance darks, color or temperature, or even another light layer or glaze over an area to make it richer, such as the pillow. I almost always try to put a little red somewhere where it works.

Details and Layers

I continue to create more definition in the clothes and add layers and shadows to skin.
I am always pondering what I will do for background... this is one of the most challenging parts for me.
You might have noticed that the feet are large because they are closest to the observer and also because this model has narrow, long feet. Feet are very unique to all of us. They are almost like faces... very specific and unique to the individual. Sometimes I spend time just trying to capture the personality of the feet!!!

Evolving Portrait

Now you can see by adding color and some definition the painting starts to come to life...
Skin tones in the face are always tricky. Layers are added very carefully.

Evolution of a painting

One of the ways I stay connected to my painting journey is to give myself projects.
I have done this for years, but without being really consistent. Now my journey requires that I paint regularly and have something to show for it. It doesn't have to be GOOD, it just needs to BE.
For her birthday in October, I gave my niece an opportunity for a watercolor portrait.
We started this week with the photo shoot. Photo shoots are daunting (hence it took some time to get her into my studio) but usually they end up being fun.
I take up to 20 pics and then pick one. Once I receive a hard copy and blow it up a bit, I begin a preliminary drawing. After I play with that for a while, I recreate a light pencil drawing on my watercolor paper. Then the fun begins and I start to add color.

NEW ART SHOW AT THE BAGELRY!

Paintings are up for two months at The Bagelry, Railroad Ave, Bellingham WA, starting this week.
These paintings are selections from my new 2011 calendar, IMAGINE.. A Yoga Calendar.
Please come downtown, have a bagel and enjoy the art.

UNCLAD 2011

UNCLAD 2011 is the annual art show dedicated to celebrating the nude figure in art. This is a juried show and I am excited about entering my work. The show will run from March 12th - 27th at Gallery by the Bay in Stanwood , WA. I am working on several pieces that I will be entering.
The first one is entitled "Spring". The second one is "Baby Love".