Getting ready for Godfrey's

I will be doing a "Meet the Artist" event this coming Saturday at a wonderful shop called Godfrey's - Welcome to Dogdom.  It is located in Mohnton, PA in a converted farmhouse and is true to its namesake.  If you have a dog, then Godfrey's is for you. They carry all things dog and all the things they carry are high quality, unique and truly unmatched by any big box store you could go to. I met the amazing owner of this place, Barb Emmett, a few months ago and she graciously invited me to come on out to do a painting demo and meet the artist event. Very exciting! In addition to the demo, I will have other paintings, matted prints and cards available for sale.  And, in celebration, I am offering 2 specials! If you reserve a commission with me the day of the event, I will frame it for free, (a savings of $45-$65), and, if you sign up for my mailing list, you will be entered to win a matted print of one of my many dog paintings! 

 Below is one of the brand new framed paintings that I'm bringing along for sale. It can be yours if you love it and have to have it! :)

Summer Tanager on Terrier, oil, 6"X6", $90

The prep for an event like this is no small thing, but it is exciting none-the-less.  I have been busy, painting, making frames for new work I plan on bringing, matting lots of prints and packaging cards of my work, planning the demo I will be doing and of course letting everybody know all about it!  

If you live in the area and have a dog, this is a must do event.  Especially if you have always wanted to immortalize your pet in a fine oil painting pet portrait!  

Stop in Godfrey's Saturday, April 7th from 1-3. They are at 4267 New Holland Road, Mohnton, PA 19540. Their phone is 610-777-5755 in case you want more details. Hope to see you there!

The Designing of Left Red Chuck with Goldfinch

 I have been asked to give a demo at the Berks Art Alliance this coming Tuesday.  Being that I have had many people ask me about my alla prima technique, I wanted to design a painting that I could do that showcases the techniques I have developed over the past 4 years, and uses imagery that I like and have painted before.   Below I outline the basic process I used to design the reference image I will use during the demo.

1.Choosing a subject, gathering reference images

Image taken by me of my red chucks

Chuck Taylors/Converse all stars, whatever you call them, have been a long time favorite of mine... I've painted them a bunch, both as stand alones and in my Ducks in Chucks series. :) I like chucks mainly because of their iconography, but also because of their myriad colors and great lines and shapes that you find in their design. This is a picture I took of my red chucks.  I opted to use the left one for this painting.

Image courtesy of https://morguefile.com/creative/AcrylicArtist/

 I also enjoy painting birds and I've painted a lot of them...again, many that are straightforward paintings of birds, and others where birds are found in unlikely places. As I am no bird photographer, I searched a royalty-free website called Morguefile for reference images.  After trying out a few other birds, I settled on this guy.  

2. Composing the design (or is it designing the composition?)

Why not put these 2 subjects together?  

Couldn't think of a good reason not to, so, I did!

The placing of the bird...

3. The making of a background
  

After cutting, pasting and arranging in Photoshop, I decided I wanted to throw a background in to just get an idea of what might work. I often just want some abstracted pattern and colors in the backgrounds of these types of compositions,.  Rugs and wall paper are a great source for both and can be found in abundance all over the internet.  They provide a relatively easy way to get an idea of how different colors and patterns will work.  The final background in the completed painting is often a little different than what I initially design in photoshop but it is a nice way for me to quickly solve some compositional problems... For this design, I wanted some vertical energy and muted colors.

Image of a blue and white rug

After putting just the stripes in behind the Chuck and Goldfinch, I layered a few more things on top of the stripes, messed with the opacity, brightness, contrast and saturation levels to lessen the strength of these stripes a bit...

image of a 'neutral' rug

Texture I added using a natural brush in Photoshop

4. Remembering compositional 'rules' and tools

Composition designed in Photoshop

During this whole process, I also pay attention to compositional 'rules' like the rule of thirds, using diagonals to lead the eye, using focal points that occur at major intersections and the like.  The above image shows how I worked out some of these design details.  As a disclaimer, rules like these are flexible, and don't have to be used at all.  I find they help more often than not, though.

5. Checking the Values  

grayscale

 I almost always will check out the image in grayscale to make sure my values are where I want them. If they aren't good in grayscale, they are not going to be good in the colored version either.  They weren't quite right so I did have to go back into the colored version and adjust some levels.

6. Finished Reference

Left Red Chuck with Goldfinch

This is the final image that I will use for reference during the demo.  As you can see, there is quite a process involved in this stage of the game, but I find that the more problems you have resolved before you even pick up a brush, the better the painting is and the easier it is to paint too!  

I don't know if that is really what I will title this painting... I haven't even painted it yet so the title will probably change, but for now, "Left Red Chuck with Goldfinch" is the title of this design. 

Outtakes

Below are outtakes...2 other designs I tried initially, but nixed.  I first thought I would use a sparrow as I like the subtle, understated nature of these birds.  Decided they were a little too understated.  This red chuck needed more of a statement bird.  As it turns out, the goldfinch works nicely when I added the muted blue background as now I have a primary color scheme going on, which I think adds an element of fun to the image. :)

Although... there is something about the simplicity of this one that I like .. might paint this one some day.

Making a Studio Painting

My Studio Process – From composition to painting

Below are the basic steps I take when creating a studio painting.  I also do plein air painting, which is a different animal altogether, and I don't describe here.

    Subject: Decide on subject matter and acquire reference images.  Here, I had the awful task (ha ha) of visiting some puppies in a pet store, having my daughter hold them for me while I took some reference photos.

Compose/design : This is the most crucial stage of the whole thing.  It includes cutting and pasting (the digital way) cropping, combining images, adjusting values/colors, and moving things around on the ‘picture frame’ to achieve a harmonious, dynamic design.  I will often section off the picture plane into thirds, as well as use diagonal lines and the concepts of ‘sacred geometry’ to help with composing.

Original Image of a Jack Russell Puppy I met in a pet store with a cupcake that I Photoshopped on her head.

Gridded Panel with sketch of design

·         Grid: I usually digitally overlay a 5x5 grid on my final image then transfer the design to my gridded panel.

·         Transfer design : I use Prismacolor colored pencils to sketch the design onto my panel. They write nicely on gesso and erase pretty well too. My favorite colors to use are white, light gray, burnt sienna and indigo.  Without fail, an excellent composition and drawing will always make for an easier painting to paint. 

·         Mix colors:  I almost always premix all of my colors before laying a brush to my panel.  I will carefully study my design on my tablet, to accurately mix and match the colors.  I sometimes “posterize” my image with one of my editing apps,  This simplifies the colors in my image so I can better see what is going on.

·         Coat panel with medium:  I mix my own medium and use a big brush to apply it to the entire panel, if I will be painting the whole thing in one day.  I then lightly wipe with a paper towel so it’s not drippy.

Panel has been coated with medium and I am painting!  Adding darks first.

·         Paint!:  Finally, I get to paint.  I have always said that the actual painting of a studio painting is about 35% of the process and it generally holds true.

·         Alla Prima:  If I am painting a painting that is 11”x14” or smaller, I will strive to get it done in one sitting.  I prefer to paint Alla Prima, or wet into wet, as I like the spontaneity and brushwork I can achieve with this method.  Anything much bigger than this usually requires more painting time.  If I know this is the case, I will only coat the segment of the image with my medium that I know I will be able to finish at that time and leave the rest untouched until I am ready to paint on it.

Still painting wet into wet - Alla Prima

·         Dry: Once I am done, my paintings take about 2 weeks until they are dry enough to frame and be moving around safely.

Finished Painting!  After all of the colors are added I do some blending with my fan brush

·         To varnish or not to varnish:  I prefer to not varnish my paintings as my method of painting usually has an even sheen, so I don’t need to do it for that reason.  Also, varnishing should be done only after the painting has had at least 4-6 months to dry. I include info on the back of my painting as to whether or not it is varnished, so the person who purchases it knows. I will gladly varnish any painting someone has purchased from me, later down the road, should they desire.

·         Frame:  I make all of my own frames from wood I purchase or from reclaimed barn wood and other reclaimed wood.  This is a process and art form in and of itself, which is too detailed to go into here.