Portrait of Hooter – Part Four

This took a little longer than I thought it would to post. A week was spent looking for the materials that were swept up in a studio cleaning. By Friday, everything was in place and fresh paints were mixed and ready to be back on track for that Monday start.

I had a little disaster in the previous stage and that was too much Prussian Blue. Add that colour in a little bit at a time! I made the mistake of treating it like a weaker colour of blue. The mixture looked fine at first but as the painting developed I became worried. The final decision was just to continue painting and try to adjust it to a more olive tone in this layer. Even though, the photograph above may lean towards the blue, be assured it is fine.

So the values were already established in the previous layer. In the second dead layer I made corrections to the portrait. It is important to get the proportions and shapes correct in this layer before starting the layer of colour.

It is time for me to decide on the colours and prepare the palette for the next step. Kinda looking forward to it!

Portrait of Hooter
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

- Kim Bennett

Portrait of Hooter – Part Three

Nearly half way through the painting, I would like to just point out that this type of painting is a slow process. The first dead layer of the grey values is in positions and just about ready for another layer similar to this one to be put into position.

Before it is time to add the second dead layer a revaluation the work will need to be done. Any corrections to the painting will have to be made in the final dead layer. Also, the darks and highlights will be developed in the following layer. As soon as the next stage dries the placing of colour will begin.

Portrait of Hooter
Part one
Part two

-Kim Bennett

Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver, acrylic on canvas board, 8" X 10" inches

I’m just popping this painting up to show you. This is a taxi driver was painted last summer using a direct approach. It was done in a portrait class taught by Arthur Evans (no links!). He supplied me with the photo of the taxi driver and the street scene photo later on. It must be said that he taxi driver's features were a pleasure to work with.

The portrait that I am currently working on is, for the moment, looking very realistic and tight. For a realistic perspective, the painting is fine as it's keeping within the likeness of the subject. The time that has gone into the care of blending is heading towards greater realism and a cleaner painting.

Without dwelling too much into it, I have been wondering a little too why this is and what relevance will it have to the final stage. Mind you, it is a warming experience to have and being relaxed and just let things happen in a learning process is reassuring.

The first dead layer of my most recent portraiture should be finished in the next couple of days. I wasn’t kidding about the amount of care going into it. Hopefully I'll have it posted by the end of the week.

One of hurdles that has developed during this painting is my better half comments of the experiencing a curious odour of solvents lingering through the house. With no desire to go shopping and to continue to live and paint here, without being sent to the shed, a non-toxic and odourless solvent has been rediscovered in storage. (A little reminisce from back in the day.)

This solvent has been used in the house before without any questions. In other words, it should do the trick and a much happier studio for it!

-Kim Bennett

Pear 2 - Catching A Muse

Pear #2, 4" x 4" inches, acrylic on MDF

In the Just Paint It - Pears post, it was mentioned that I was going to take what was learnt and make another painting. This process was an idea that had been on hold for a long time.

I had been itching to try this process for quite some time but it had slipped my mind who knows how many times. It was a post by Neadeen Masters called first acrylics on the Traditions Artist Internet Group that reminded me that I was wanting to play with my materials in a particular way.

Well, should we collect ideas or just get on with it and do it? My thoughts are when you have these A-ha moments or when looking at an artist painting and you just get it. That energy should be put to work before it passes you by. Grab your net and let's go and catch that muse!

-Kim Bennett

Just for fun - Rainbow Quiz

Your rainbow is shaded orange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are a strong person. You appreciate a challenge. Others are amazed at how you don't give up.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Just Paint It - Pears

JPI- Pears, 5" X 7" inches, acrylic on canvas board

This is a submission for the Art Apprentice Online Yahoo List – Just Paint it challenge.

Sorry that this is not a very good photo. It's not the one of my best pears but I take these once a month JPI challenges to try something different.

It was time for me to experiment with a painting using texture medium.

For this painting, the paste was added until the mix became transparent. When it was found necessary, a faux medium was brushed mix into my colours. It was kind of like watercolour with texture which sort of gives it an encaustic look.

Planning to try this process again with what I have learnt.

-Kim Bennett