10-29-05: - Missie and taking photographs of paintings

I finished Missy today.  Yea!  The hardest part was the whiskers.  I had to do over the ones on the right side of her face.  It took several times to get the consistency of the paint just right.  Too much water and the whiskers came out too wide and diluted looking.  Too little water and as I tried to paint them, the brush skipped.  I tried shadowing them.  That didn't work.  I had to redo the neck under the whiskers several times as well, so it wouldn't look patched.  I finished the lettering for the word "Dog" on the dish.  I highlighted a few of the grasses and worked on the lighting on the ramp she's standing on.  I'm still having trouble signing my name.  The letters and the numbers look blocky or distorted, and yet I want the VI to sort of look like the Roman numeral for 6.  I'll have to keep working on it.  After I finished, Phil took a picture of Missy and 24 of the other paintings again.  For the first time he used the new lights we purchased for painting and a board with black velvet on it for a background.  He took the pictures in the office downstairs.  The walls and ceilings are all white, and we're hoping that will make for a more natural, glare-free and correct color on each painting.

10-27-05: - Missie

I added Missy's whiskers today.  I had a hard time getting the texture of the paint just right, and my hand was not as steady as it needed to be.  When I paint next time I think it will help if I add a little shadow or a faint dark line on the bottom side of each whisker to given them depth.  I also put in the first layer of the letters for the word "Dog" on the food dish. I didn't get it quite right, so it needs some adjustment.  I think I will be able to finish the painting next time.

10-26-05: - Missie

Today I worked on layering Missy's fur to create form and depth.  In the photo I'm using to paint her (see the photo in the archive, about halfway down the page), her fur has a blue tone.  In reality it is not blue but a true grey (see accurate photographic rendering).  It has to be the film and the way it was developed.  (Since then we've acquired a digital camera that takes more accurate pictures.)  When she was out on the deck today eating, I watched her.  It felt good to be painting again.  It is so restorative.

10-25-05: Acrylic Gesso

I watched Jerry Yarnell's show which gives his answers to frequently asked questions.  This is the second in his 4 - 5 part series on OPB.  He discussed applying acrylic Gesso to canvas, letting it dry, sanding it, applying another layer, letting it dry sanding it - as many times as needed to create an ultra-smooth surface so you can paint details.  He said the Gesso will not crack from this process.  It is flexible.  He also said you can use untempered masonite, but sand it before applying the Gesso.

10-23-05: Artificial lighting for nighttime painting and - Missie

Can't believe it's been nearly a month since I painted.  I had to take a break so I could finish my fifth book and get the queries out.  I finished the queries yesterday and will mail them tomorrow.  I need to do a little more work on both the long and the short synopsis, but basically I now have the time to get back to painting.

I purchased 2 Balanced Spectrum Floor Lamps from First Street in Virginia.  Website: www.firststreetonline.com - phone: 1-800-704-1210.  It was advertised in the Ruralite.  They had a good sale.  With the rebates I paid $99, no shipping.  I prefer to paint afternoon and or evening, and lighting was a problem, until now.  Tonight as I worked on painting Missy, it was so much better.  I think I've solved the lighting problem - these bulbs function as daylight - they're florescent with four little tubes in each.  They are pole lamps with bendable necks so I can aim the light where I want it.  I still have a little to learn about how to position it just right, but it's going good.

So tonight as I did Missy, I worked on her fur on her body behind her neck.  And I added layers to the light color on her arms.  This time I used a small script liner brush.

It was good to get back to painting.  I've missed it.  It's a relaxant.

9-28-2005: - Missie

I worked on the Missy painting tonight, continuing to layer the leaves and grass, and adding shaping to the bowl.



No Date - Sorry, but this is where the idea of keeping a web log of my paintings began.