Portrait of us

We returned from a trip to the beautiful state of Oregon the day before my painting class (eek!) so I found myself in a rush to pick a new subject and prep my canvas for class.  I settled on one of my favorite pictures of my husband and I back in our dating years. It was taken after a long motorcycle ride to Kettle Morraine State Park.  I braided my hair to keep the wind from whirling my hair into a knot.  Anyway it was a fun hike even with the hordes of mosquitoes and my poor moto-sore butt because I was crazy in love with that cutie beside me.  :)

Anyway back to the painting.  So I started Just washing in colors. I always feel so relieved when there's less white canvas. Then I did another pass with thicker paint.  As I worked I decided to change the background.  I knew right away I wasn't happy with the thin spray of branches and countless tiny leaves so I found an out of focus forest and photoshoped it into my background. 

 

 I also had a cloth slung over my shoulders that was an awkward shape so I removed it in photoshop using a layer mask.  

I used the Nova Color acrylics again I just love that paint!  It's not too thick and mixes so nicely.  This is actually the first portrait I've painted of my husband and I.  I guess I was scared to paint one before because it's always hardest to paint people you know.  But in this case I didn't want to finish it because the memories of those days are so sweet.

Anyway this painting will be up at a show in November at the hospital gallery.  It won't be for sale but maybe someone will be interested in commissioning a portrait.  :)  I'm so thankful for my teacher getting us involved in showing our work.  I hope there will be more gallery showings in my future!

14" x 18" 

acrylic on canvas

Mucha style portrait of Mary and Tom

I'm a big fan of Alphonse Mucha's artwork.  My husband and I got to go to a showing of his work in Debuque, IA last December.  I really wanted to work on a decorative, Mucha-style art project.  so when my sister-in-law got engaged I began sketching out ideas and doing color mock-ups in the ipad.   Here's my 1st go at it:

But in this concept my details were too tiny for the scale of my canvas so I started again.  

For the new concept I tied in more details that reminded me of Mary.  My sister-in-law said she might use curly willow and green lady slipper orchids in her bouquet so I worked that in.  The little mushrooms and white trillium flowers are native to the Oregon forests.  I remember her telling me that Trillium flower was protected and that reminded me of her too.  The two rings that the portrait is framed in are their wedding bands.  And the warm color pallet match her wedding colors. 

I did the line work in Photoshop and then color mock up on my ipad.  I stenciled the line work, you think that would be faster but actually making the stencil was pretty time consuming, but worth the effort.  

 

                                                                                 

With my sketch completed I began painting.  I started painting left to right, background to foreground.  It was really helpful to work this was to prevent smudging paint.  Having the white of the canvas mostly covered before working on the portraits also helped me to pick colors with out my eye blending in the background white.  

One of my teachers really saved me by pointing out I should use a wet pallet with acrylic paint.  The portraits wouldn't have gone so well without it!  I used a cookie sheet for my pallet. Lined the bottom with a wet paper towel and then wax paper.  Using this method my paint stayed wet for an hour instead of 5 minutes!  And I didn't have to use any acrylic retarder to slow the drying time. Here are a few photos of my progress: 

                                  

And finished!  I have to say, I really liked working with acrylics.  It was so nice to have a finished piece without the long drying times.  :).  Mary and Tom loved the painting.  I hope it always reminds them of their beautiful celebration of the sacrament of marriage.  :). Love you both!   

29" x 29" Acrylic on canvas

Photoshop Painting Class

So Here was the final project for the class.  I learned a lot about making my own custom brushes for hair and grass.  We spent time building off of silhouettes, building form from black blob thumbnails and then going over them with low opacity brushes in white and black to build form.  I'm still trying to pick up all the quick keys that will eventually increase my painting speed.  All and all I learned a lot in this short summer course.

My teacher wanted to submit it to the student art book.  If it gets in that would be pretty cool.  :)  

Stations of the Cross: Coloring Book

We finished ink drawings of the Stations of the Cross about 4 years ago for a friend who teaches at our church.  John and I split the job in half so we had 7 each.  Recently I went back and cleaned them up for an 8 x 10" printed coloring book for her students during Lent.  Who knows, maybe one day it'll be published.  :)  

Happy Valentines Day!

Here's my coffee shop sketch:

There's something nice about getting out to a coffee shop to draw. Maybe it's because I love lattes.  I was thinking of Portland and the Dahlia fields.  I might paint this sketch.  I like how the flowy hair turned out.  

Since Valentines day is just a few days away.  I thought I'd also post one of my favorite poems to go along with it.  :)  Enjoy!

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

by Lord Byron

Christmas Card 2013!

Another husband and wife team effort card.  John drew the angel and instrument and I painted it in Photoshop.  It was a rush to finish but fun to work on and I think it might be one of my favorites.  :)