September 2, 2012

What Should I Paint Next? (Plus another Work In Progress)

The Art Harvest Studio Tour is looming ever-closer so I am painting, painting, painting!  At any given time I like to have several paintings in progress so that I can let one "rest" while I work on another one or two.  

I need your help! 
What should I paint next?  



A plow-horse team, A bumblebee on a dahlia, a cottontail bunny or my streptocarpus flowers?  Please vote in the comments section of this post.

In the mean time, here is what I am working on now.  Last week I put it to a vote here and on my facebook page and Buttonwillow won hands down.  Here is the reference photo: 


 
First I've sketched in her pretty face and used masking fluid to block off areas that I want to stay absolutely white, such as the whiskers and the glint in her eye (it will be rubbed off later on ).  




Next, I did an underpainting of warm colors.  This will give a warm glow to the transparent colors I choose to put on top of it (plus it makes lifting "mistakes" that much easier!)


 I do not own a tube of black paint.  It's easy to achieve much more interesting blacks and grays by layering two or more colors on the paper.  A classic mix is a dark blue, such as ultramarine or Prussian blue and burnt sienna. So that's what I've done here.  The paint tubes say blue and brown, but your brain says "BLACK"!



The eye is the focal point here, so I am going to take extra care to make it shine.  I'll work on that later today and show you the results soon.

While things are drying, help me decide what to start on next... Thanks for your help! 

5 comments:

Marilia said...

Buttonwillow is a lucky kitty. The painting is wonderful. ConCats!

Birgit said...

Oh, please paint the bunny! :)

PS: I hope I can post this comment, as the verification is becoming a real challenge... Next try...

Kd Brown said...

I think you should paint the Streptocarpus Flowers next. I used to have one of these plants years ago. I was gorgeous! I'd love to find another one. :)

Kd Brown said...

Susan, what is this blue masking fluid that you are using? It is very curious.

Unknown said...

Hi Kd,
There are lots of different kinds of masking fluid available, also called "frisket"-- you can find them in art catalogs and most art supply stores. I'm using Schmincke which comes in a squeeze bottle that I like. Others come in jars and you can paint it on with a brush. Here is a link: http://www.dickblick.com/products/schmincke-aqua-masking-fluids/. It's a great tool for water media!