Painting Fun

I've been having a wonderful week - I think that perhaps my body is happy with the current level of thyroid meds I'm taking for hypothyroidism! At any rate, I'm painting up a storm - having had 6 birds drawn out on canvas just waiting for me to pick up the paint brush and go to work. I've completed 3 of them now, and have three more up on the easel, ready to begin tomorrow.

If you like the step by step approach, I'm including some here. Hope you can learn something from seeing the subtle and not so subtle changes as I move towards the completion of a painting.

Above, I've laid in the first layer of color - the groundwork upon which to build the painting. You can see I am working from several different photographs, which is both more difficult but also more helpful in capturing the personality style of the bird, not just it's frozen image.

Each successive layer builds up light and shadow.

Time to bring out more highlights on the beak. The female cardinal's beak is a slightly different color than her mates is. Males are more colorful all around, although their colors due soften somewhat during the winter.

It's always fun to add the black accent on an otherwise black-free painting. However, black is essential for Cardinals, as you can see the bird is becoming more life-like with this addition.

Finally, the eye with it's tiny reflective spots giving a more life-like impression that a totally black eye would offer. Also, the addition of lighter over-colors in the feathering. I also did a bit of a change on the right side of the beak - a subtle shift in the "cheek" to give the head a more appropriate look in the tilt.

Here is the pair of Cardinals together on the easel. The photo is a tad darker than the paintings actually are.

Hope you enjoyed the process. I certainly had fun with her!

Hello Again!

Downy & Cardinal on my easel...

Yesterday was a day to replenish the spirit - so I listened to smooth jazz on my iPod (Acoustic Alchemy. Rippingtons, not that they are that "smooth!," Peter White, David Benoit, Russ Freeman, Bob James, Boney James, Chuck Mangione, Dave Koz, Euge Groove, Fourplay!!!, George Winston, Gerald Albright, Jazz Masters, Paul Hardcastle, Rick Braun, etc...) while I lost myself in art.

All the arts are wonderful ways to renew the mind/heart/soul/spirit! I had a great day and can show you what I worked on.

I had been going to leave the whites merge with the background, but decided at this point, that a pale background just around the white areas of the woodpecker would enhance the painting - especially from a distance.

Then it was time to refine the areas around the eye, accent a few places, tone down the pale background, and complete the work.

Downy Woodpecker - (c) Pat Dolan - Acrylic painting 12" x 12"

Reds are hard to paint - they are just so bright!

Adding the beak, which is a slightly different color from the body, of course.

I like the white background on this one - crisp and clean. These paintings are designed to harmonize in any decor, from country to modern and beyond.

Then it was time for the finishing details - the eyes, the beak high-lights, a deepening of color here and there. And a signature.

Male Cardinal - (c) Pat Dolan - Acrylic - 12" x 12"

So today, it's another day for music and art. I'm loving my studio time. I think I'll do a cow next! Nothing like adjusting to change!!!