Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 11
PeeWee's Memory Portrait
Is PeeWee's Memory Portrait finished? After talking to Kirsten and Joe, I learned that I needed to fix or change a couple of things in PeeWee's portrait.
I darkened the sky a little, I straightened out the top of her nose a bit and I eliminated some of the straight lines in her jowls. I am not sure I like the highlight on PeeWee's nose and I think I need to give it some color. It was tricky trying to figure out how to highlight her nose because it is up against a light blue sky. What to do? I painted in a few more trees in the background behind the highlighted area. Like I stated above, I think I need to give it some more color. Your thoughts?
...until the next Memory Portrait! Thank you for coming along on PeeWee's artistic journey!
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 10
PeeWee's portrait is almost complete!
PeeWee's portrait is getting real close to being complete. This is fine tuning time for me and this will continue for awhile. In fact, it is sometimes good to leave the painting alone for a few days or "walk away" so I can be more objective the next time I look at it.
It just so happens that an exciting interruption occurred just in time for me to take a break from the easel. We went to pick up our fist dog - I grew up with dogs, but have not had one as an adult - yesterday. She is a rescue dog, about 3 years old, a Nowegian Elkhound/Shepherd mix and a real sweetie! She even has a paint brush for a tail!
Back to PeeWee... The pastel layers have been smoothed out a little more, as well as more layers in the trees and water. A pattern on the bandana has been added and perhaps more contrast in her highlights, but I am not sure. I struggled with PeeWee's grey beard, it was a technical challenge, and I need to know if she looks the proper age. This is also the time for Kirsten & Joe to let me know what they think needs to be tweeked.
How do you think PeeWee is looking?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 9
PeeWee's eyes are nearly done.
I love painting the eyes in a dog portrait - I know an artist who paints the eyes in the very early stages of a pinting - but I like to work up to it. By waiting, we become better acquainted and I am able to acquire deeper feelings for the wonderful pet. How do you react to her eyes? Is her intensity there? She is beginning to appear as if she on the look out for something, though we may never know what it is.
You will also notice more detail around her eyes and integration of the colors throughout the painting.
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 8
Is PeeWee starting to look more like a black labrador? You can see that more colors or layers of pastel have been applied throughout the painting, except for the sky. It may be interesting to know that pastels are made up of many degrees of softness and hardnes, and each plays a role in my pastel painting. The hard pastels, which are quarter inch square sticks, are similar to the black board white chalk hardness. I often use them for detail and they work well for smoothing out the soft pastels that feel almost like butter when applied. The latter are about the size of a little finger.
PeeWee eyes now have some color and I think her left eye is about finished. It is so small, therefore only a few strokes are allowed to convey that eye. Creating her intensity through her eyes is a welcomed challenge and we will see how I do in the next stage of the painting. The background trees are remaining subdued so that they do not compete with PeeWee. I also have to be careful not to make the bandana too red or it will detract attention from her. Painting is a constant balancing act, which is all part of the process!
Any comments or questions at this stage? Will PeeWee stay in the boat or jump into the water?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 7
PeeWee begins to feel 3 dimensional
PeeWee is looking more like a chocolate labrador at this stage because I need those under tones to create the brown-black. No worries, she will be a black lab soon!
I have started to darken up her fur, smoothed out some of the highlights, integrated many of the areas on her hed, established a shadow on the bandana and applied several layers of pastel throughtout the painting. It is tempting to start working on her eyes, but I am holding off a little bit longer.
Is she starting to look more three dimensional? I almost forgot. Can anyone find the "7" that I hid in the painting? It seems appropriate to ask that since we are at Step 7.
For those who do not know, PeeWee had a white spot on her chest in the shape of a seven!
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 6
At this stage of the painting, I am beginning to slow down in my application of pastel. The digital image is a tad small, so you may not be able to see the various changes from the previous stage. Here are a few things that I have done: 1) softened the background; 2) started to build more colors on the bandana; 3) added some reds on PeeWee as if it were a bit of seasoning; and 4) begun developing the rhythm of the water.
The eyes are so tempting to do at this point and I like painting the eyes, but even I must wait a little longer, as I want to have her face more developed before I paint her eyes. Patience! 
I can feel the spirit of PeeWee, can you?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 5
Second layers of pastel applied
At this stage of the game, I am starting to apply what we artists call the "local" colors. In other words, the blues are applied to the sky and water, fall colors are applied to the trees,. etc. The painting is going to look flat, because I am still just applying colors in areas and I am not trying to make anything look three dimensional. Ahhhh yes, PeeWee's nuzzle does look a little like she is going to blow some bubbles, but that will change later on.
You will notice that the sky is smooth in texture, yet a little of the warm orange peek through. I smooth out the pastel with my finger - the pinky - which is frowned upon by some pastel artists. Since pastels are made from pure pigment, I do wear latex gloves to protect toxic absorption into the skin. I like to get the background down fairly quickly when painting a portrait so that the edges of the dog remain clean and sharp, since PeeWee is the star of the show! The water has just one layer of blue on it with no smoothing done to it.
Some of the colors may seem a bit saturated, or strong, at this time. This is done so some of these lovely colors show through in later layers. It is also much easier to dull down a color than it is to brighten a color over a dull color.
Faith is needed during the next few stages of the painting. PeeWee will look like a real dog eventually! Can you "keep the faith?"
Just like people and dogs, paintings go through awkward phases. Any questions or surprises?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 4
Pastel painted with rubbing alcohol
This is a quick step but might be interesting to see and know about. After the first light layer of pastel is applied, I paint the pastel with rubbing alcohol using an old watercolor brush. Each color is painted carefully to try to prevent the colors from running into each other. The light colors are painted first and I have to change the alcohol to keep it clean. This process permanently stains the pastel paper. We artists call this the underpainting which is akin to a foundation.
I believe that I forgot to mention that I am painting on a sanded pastel paper specifically manufactured for professional artists. It has the feel of a very fine and soft sandpaper. The grit allows for the pastel to adher to the paper better than a regular piece of smooth drawing paper.
Now for some colors to be applied. Ready?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 3
First layers of color or underpainting
Don't these first colors seem a little weird? Why are the sky and lake painted in an orange hue?
At this stage, I am establishing the larger areas of the painting and minimizing detail where I can. All areas that are hit by the sun light are painted in warm colors - orange, red, yellow - and all areas that are in shadow are painted in cool colors - green, blue, magenta, purple. Hence, since this scene is on a sunny day, the lake and sky are a shade of orange. Note that the eyes are treated differently and start as pure black.a
You may ask "Why are the trees blue?" because are they not being hit by the sun light? Yes, they are, but since they are way in the background and are essentially a vertical structure, a blue color is applied. Blues or cooler colors are needed to help establish depth in a painting. One of the many challenges in painting is creating a feeling of dimension on a two dimensional surface. I happen to love drawing the viewer into a painting as if it is a 3D experience.
At this stage, I have also lost some of the accuracy of my initial drawing, but that will be corrected as the painting develops.
Any questions about some of the colors I chose for this first layer? Does it look kind of strange?
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 2
Color palette for PeeWee
It is now time to determine the color palette for PeeWee's portrait. As a result of my interviews with Kirsten and Joe, I learned that PeeWee is a brown-black versus a blue-black. They also want fall colors in the background trees and I have a red bandana to take in consideration as well as the blues of the water. So what will the colors be?
Unlike most artists, I choose a color palette for every painting I paint. Nearly all artists have a "palette" they use, particulary those who paint in oils and acrylics. In other words, they have the same tubes of paint that they squeeze out every time they begin a painting or go from one painting to another. I, on the other hand, have studied color for years - and have taught it - and like changing my palette. It keeps the colors fresh, avoids ruts in color mixing, but most of all, it helps me harmonize the colors in each painting; the latter is something I have strived for throughout my painting career.
PeeWee's colors lean themselves to the red-green palette. (I know this from the number of color charts I have painted.) I chose this color opposite palette - versus my blue-orange or yellow-purple - because of the reds, browns, and fall colors. You can see in this digital image the major color hue families that I will be using. The lighter colors are not included and it is difficult to see that the right hand column has orange-browns and a black. Chances are that I will use this same palette for all four labradors, but that will be determined later.
Now I need the approval from Kirsten and Joe to continue. Do these colors seem odd in anyway? It could be difficult to extrapolate at this point, which I understand. Your comments or questions are certainly welcomed.
...to be continued.
Memory Portrait of PeeWee - Step 1
Pencil drawing of PeeWee
Where to begin and how? I have just been commissioned by one family, Kirsten & Joe, to paint the four black labradors they have owned, two of which currently reside with them, since the 1980's. Do I paint all four at the same time, in what sequence, and how do I interview for all four dogs? These were some of the questions that rambled through my head as I prepared myself for this exciting commission. I have not had a multiple commission before. (Then to add a little extra juice to the sauce, Kirsten and I recently discovered each other via the interenet and we are third cousins! It has been great fun to get to know someone in my distant family.)
When I begin a Memory Portrait, I develop a list of a questions unique to each painting. These interviews are critical to glean the wants and desires of the customer as well as to learn about the personality of the animal (or place) that I will be painting, particularly if I cannot meet the dog or if she is deceased. I have been told that my interview process is more thorough than the typical artist, and this is probably due to my school psychology background. Some of my questions were: Where did you get PeeWee & why? Where did her name come from? What are her salient personality traits? What are some of your favorite memories of her? What kind of puppy was she? What colors do you think of when you think of PeeWee? ...and several more. It can take 20-30minutes per painting. It is a great way to get everyone connected. In this case, they were on a speaker phone and I interviewed them simultaneously.
Kirsten provided me with many photos - the more the merrier! - and then I asked them to choose their favorite photo and pose. As a result of the interview and photos, I combined several to create this drawing, which I do on tracing paper. Apparently PeeWee is quite the fashion girl, loved wearing clothes and frequently wore a red bandana. Hence I added the bandana that was not in the primary reference photo, as well as the waves in the water because PeeWee spent a lot of time with them in the boat. The fall colors were another request.
Any reactions to this drawing? Questions? Anything seem out of proportion? Your questions and comments are truly appreciated and I have a rule....ALL questions are legit!
P.S. As I began writing this blog the song "My Girl" by the Temptations was playing. How appropriate!
...to be continued.
