Home - Painting Commission In Progress

Well, it has been a while since I've posted any artwork on my blog. The Christmas shows have kept me busy, but now it is time to settle back into my painting routine. Currently I am working on a painting commission of a home and family. The house is a modern large stone and wood structure that has a feeling of history and warmth despite its young age. The challenge is to capture the character of the home and its family...the house size really makes this a challenge in a medium-large sized painting of 30 x 24 inches.

As you can see, I have the initial composition sketch on the canvas and I am beginning to block in the sky. This is an exciting stage of painting...it is the genesis when anything is possible.

Pondering A Memory - Finished

Here is another painting for the Western and Wildlife Art Show set for next weekend. This one is titled Pondering A Memory. At first I wanted to call it The Hat, but then decided that the grin captured the painting. Hope you enjoy it.

Bathing Beauty - Lady In Waiting Finished

Well, here is the finished painting. It's bath day for this beautiful shire, and it looks like the soap and ladder are at the ready. Now we just need a volunteer for the job. Someone better show up soon...the water is running and the sponge may float away. Hope you enjoy the painting.

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

Here is a close-up of her face. I still have to complete her halter...tack...gear.

This little shire filly is coming along. She still has a short tail, but I think I will add a full one...what do you think?

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

Well, the water has arrived along with the soap. I roughed it in to get a sense of how it would be, then decided it was time to make this shire come alive.

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

A slight head cold has kept me from working more diligently on this painting, but I think the fog is clearing. For a while there I felt that my head was a large balloon...about to pop. In any case, the painting is taking shape. I have pretty much completed the background and will now concentrate on the horse and the other items in the foreground.

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

I have now added a ladder and you can see the possible buckets and sponge that I have quickly sketched in. I will probably have to move the hose. It might be nice to have it winding around the objects...connecting them in a way.

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

Today I worked a little on the background and the horse. You can see that shadows are developing. My horse still looks challenged, but soon she will have personality. I haven't decided on the type of bucket I want for the lower left corner area...wood or blue plastic. Any suggestions?

Work In Progress - Bathing Beauty

Now that the toucan has been completed, I am starting a series of horse paintings. The first two will be large...depicting Clydesdales getting bathed. I got the idea for this when I visited the fair and watched them bathe these beauties...how patiently they stood for their baths.

I have blocked in the initial composition, attempting to pick out the values. There is little emphasis on color at this point. I fear that the horse's anatomy is slightly wierd...the ears look like those of a mule. Left out is the bucket with soapy water and the brush. I will place them in the lower left corner.

Toucan-Still In Progress

It is Sunday night and the work continues. I have added more leaves and some flowering jungle plants. The leaves to the right seem to be reaching out for the toucan. I guess that is the way the jungle is...it has an agressive spirit and, as I have been told, so do many of its inhabitants.

Toucan-Still In Progress

Well, it has been a while since I have added a new post to my blog. I have been working on shows and found myself forgetting to blog my painting progress.

As you can see, I am still working on the toucan. This is a wonderfully colorful bird with lots of energy. I am working to provide that feeling in this painting.

Currently, I am working on the bird's feathers. Since the toucan's black feathers have little color variation, it will be a challenge to make them feel like feathers.

Notice, too, that I have slightly changed the position of the waterfalls. They also need a little work.

Summer is going so quickly. I hope this bird will be flying off the easel soon.

Work In Progress - Toucan

This weekend I am doing a show so my painting time is limited. However, here is a photo of the toucan painting. I have now started to play with a waterfall in the background. It is still rough, but the idea is interesting. The toucan is still very rough.

When the weekend is over and I have more time, I will dive into this painting and finish. I think the toucan is getting impatient!

Work In Progress - Toucan

Here is another photo of the painting in progress.

Work In Progress - Toucan

This weekend was spent at the Mill Creek Arts Fair which was a wonderful event. Our booth was packed with paintings and we had many visitors, some stayed to watch me paint.


I worked on the toucan painting when I wasn't selling stuff or talking about commissions. The painting changed many times...I guess I am still searching for the proper background.


As you can see, the toucan is roughed in...I want to see what background colors will work with this beautiful bird.

Work In Progress - Toucan

After painting a number of landscapes I have decided I need a little wildlife to spice up my life. This step is the formulation of the composition and still in gray tones. I like to draw with paint and often start with a range of grays looking for value contrasts and interesting shapes. Right now the painting is flat, but will gain dimension as it progresses (I hope).

This little toucan will be very colorful and fun to paint once the composition is established. I am considering having a variety of leaves and fruit in the painting...maybe with a flower or two. What do you thing? Perhaps I should add another toucan to keep him company? This is the fun of painting...so many possibilities.

Blossoms on the Quad - Final

Here is the final photo for the painting, Blossoms on the Quad. It took some time to get here, but I enjoyed each stroke. It is hard to stop painting this one...but I don't want to overdo it.

If you are ever in Seattle during the cherry blossom season, check out the Quad at the University of Washington. You will think you just passed into some strange wonderful fantasy land...without homework.

Have a great 4th.

JR

Work In Progress - Cherry Blossoms, etc

Here is the painting with the initial painting of the cherry blossoms on the foreground tree. There is still a lot of shading and highlighting to be done, as well as the grass and walkways.

What do you think...are the blossoms too overwelming?

Work In Progress - Foreground Cherry Tree

I am now working on the foreground tree. It's darkness will be contrasted by the beautiful cherry blossoms on the tree. I also need to work up the tree highlights to add interest.

Cherry Blossoms In Progress

I am now adding the cherry blossoms and other trees in the background. I haven't added all the shading yet, but it will be needed to show distance and separate the trees, etc.

I have also worked on the large tree in the foreground. It has a lot of character...hope I can capture that.

Work In Progress - Quad2

Work on the painting is coming along...I am working on the trees and blocking in certain background colors. I will probably do a series of washes over the background before coming forward. This is a lot of fun!

Work In Progress - Quad

For years as a student at the University of Washington (and believe me it felt like centuries) I would walk through the Quad area on my way to class. It was like a stress free zone...the beautiful cherry trees with arms stretched would welcome anyone looking for some peace and quiet.

In April they put on an amazing show, their blossoms decorating the area...turning the Quad into a pinkish wonderland.

The painting will hopefully capture that feeling of springtime excitement...only temperary, but so dramatic. Soon the leaves will take over the trees, the blossoms will be sent to the ground, and their pink carpet will be swept away by the wind and the gardeners.