Up and Coming

While I sit working on dreaded taxes and trying to get my "filing system" in order..[?]..I keep looking at this photo that is going to be my next "From The Loft" series painting. Why? Because I like the abstract effects in the photo and I want to play with the design elements.

I am trying to make excuses why I should be painting. Sometimes life does get in the way. And the big date April 15th looms large.

While I work upstairs in my studio not doing taxes, Nell amuses herself on lookout... from the back of the couch.... for stray turkeys. It's a hard job, but someone has to do it! Addie [the Corgi] is sleeping..she needs her beauty rest! Nell on the other hand [resident JRT] is wide awake and itching for a fight! Look out turkeys!

Me? ...I am working!

Turkeys

This was the day the turkeys came out! They are everywhere! I just walked the dogs and the woods sounded like a turkey farm! Spring must not be far behind!! [Fingers crossed!]

My “big” painting is done. Finalmente! [As THEY say in Italy! ] So now there are 3 paintings in the “From The Loft” series. The first two done are on my website. This one is 30 x 40” and is drying now, standing up against the cupboard in my studio space. I wish I had more space so I could hang it here!!! I will be getting a better shot of it to put up on my website for your viewing…but not today.

I talked about the use of black in a previous blog-post. Yes…I do use black. I know a lot of painters say black should not be on your palette. Well it is on mine. I use white to make colors lighter, and black to make some colors darker. I am in good company…. because even the Old Masters used black. And with casein, black makes a lovely glazing to darken shadows.

And I am not a purist by any means! I find that the more “mature” I get... the less I can confine myself to traditional methods. I use anything to get the look and affect I aim at in any work I do. Brushes, pens, knives, charcoal, pastel, toothbrushes, sticks…AND EVEN TURKEY FEATHERS!!! So those turkey in the woods better be careful!!

Work In Progress

Work in progress.....I write that and I think. “My goodness…I am a work in progress!!!!” :-)

Anyway…here are two “From The Loft “ shots as she stands today. I will do more this afternoon…. while I wait for a watercolor to dry.
Since the last time I posted I have gone into the painting with Titanium White casein mixed with Ultramarine Blue Deep casein and a bit of acrylic thrown in to the mix. I find that makes the casein dry a bit faster and glazes it so that it doesn’t give up so much of the bottom color as I brush through. My shadows are started to get where I want them and the darks are reaching the depth that I want. I have started highlighting the reflected light…and did you notice there is a lot of gray in white snow???

Here is a close up of Miss Vicky...there is Shiva Violet added to her body and glazed on the shadows. The hay will be the next project.

And then here is Nell! …Waiting for popcorn! She barks at the microwave. I think she thinks that makes it POP faster!!! Silly little JRT!

Now back to the drawing board!

From The Loft Series On Going

This morning I had a chance to get this painting really going. This is a view of our Cob mare Trevillion Victoria as seen from our loft, as I sat on the hay piled up to the high loft window. The sun was drenching the new fallen snow with purple and blue shadows thrown by the forest trees that fence our mares' winter paddock. It all begged to be painted!

I started this painting on a burgundy toned ground that I applied to the already gessoed canvas ..and sketched the mare with white pastel to get my composition correct. Then I started the painting with casein....

With Ultramarine Blue Deep and Shiva Violet, I figured out where I wanted my blue and purple shadows. The casein then needed to dry and that takes a while..so I worked on my newsletter and made some calls to clients...then back I went over the casein with acrylic...Titanium white....and the acrylic always picks up some of then casein ..blending and creating a glaze that I couldn't get with straight casein. The acrylic drys quickly and creates a skin over the casein...so for the next phase I won't be picking up so much of the dark blue and purple of the casein.

At this point the paint is mixing with the toned background and the casein... and so starts this 30 x 40" canvas for the "From The Loft" series.

The other two paintings in this series can been seen on my website in the Equine and Domestic Animals Collection . While this Loft painting dries, about 24 hours, I will be working on a commission that is all casein.....and it will be handled differently.