Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Mermaid Painting...Always be Yourself

This is one of my most favorite sayings.... I have been waiting to paint a picture along with it. I guess I was wondering if I could even paint a mermaid!  I drew this one out on an 11x14 canvas.  Was happy with how it turned out so I painted it up. I started with the background, using aqua paint for a basecoat. I first sprayed the back ground with a little water, then painted over top, so it would make a watery feel. darker and lighter in places...after that dried, I think mixed up a watery tourqoise again spraying over paint adding the watery tourq, doing it in sections, so that I could add table salt...it will pool in some places and be thin in others..the salt will add a super effect. You let the paint dry, and then you just rub off the salt! There is a bit of light green in there too.( I ended up adding a bit of a faint seaweed on the left side toward the end to fill in that spot to even it out.) I then wanted to add to the water, like when the sun shines through and it makes this grid like effect in the water from the movement/light. you can kinda see that in the background as well.  I painted the mermaids tail with different colors alot of them neon. thought it looked a bit bright, and I used a white wash of paint and water over the top, then added a light green wash around the top and bottom of the tail..I went back in and added pops of color on some scales and also added some glitter glue on a few scales and in the fin. A tip that I use when painting skin...if you paint with a skin/peachy color, go back with a semi wet brush and take away from the center of the face...neck arms and tummy. That leaves a darker edge where needs to be..if the light is hitting her from the right side, I made sure the right side of the arms,  neck etc were light, and left side more paint left for the shadow.  I always fret over hair...this time it went pretty well, just drew it so that it looks like the water was pushing it one way...with one strand hanging down on the other, just painted it with a base coat of brown, and I just took the brush and did each section at a time, after first layer dry, then I added in the dark..the brown with a bit of black in it...after that is dry, the high light, brown with a bit of white. The bubbles were a challenge and I'm still not sure if I got them nailed...but it is what it is...I tried to make the tops heavier with white paint then the bottoms and leaving some open at the bottom. A good  thing to do when you arent sure about how to paint something...is to search it out. I looked up underwater paintings, or photos...and searched bubbles...and I just studied the pictures and got a sense out of how I looked and tried to recreate it. I have to try and think and its a good thing to pass on too , when doing art...relax, do YOUR  thing, it cant be wrong if its your vision! And always remember too....you can always paint over it! There are lots of free tutorials out there on youtube, to help you along, I think i learned alot from Tamara Laporte on how to paint/draw a face, how to draw a body, another good artist to look up is Jane Davenport, she is super at drawing / painting bodies. I am not sure if I am going to sell this one, not yet anyways...Sometimes its hard to let some of them go!

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Two More Paintings done!

 Finished up two paintings in the last 2 days. "grace" is a 8x10 painting. Started with the saying "People who shine from within don't need the spotlight." Drew up this girl. Thought I would give a try to flowing/blowing hair.   Posted on Facebook, and she is sold. 
This painitng was a special order for a friend. She wanted this saying put in and and an enfaces on "react". I think it turned out great. I like the wings  in this one.  And I did a special touch with the headband, as Cindy wears them from time to time...! ;)

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

HOPE

Finished another canvas. It is 8x10 in size. It was fun to do one this size. She is called "Hope". Like I have said in other posts, I start my paintings with a quote..and build on it from there. Today this quote really hit home for me. I needed to hear it.  Some times life gets a bit tough and all you have is  hope.  I do paint alot of my paintings with out faces...but this shows I do , do faces! I will be selling her for $20 plus shipping. Painted with inks, acrylics, there, is paper and washi tape mixed in for the background too...layers. stamping. Thanks for stopping by again!

Monday, March 17, 2014

2 more of my Canvas'

 This has one of my favorite quotes on it. ...had fun with her, again inks, acrylics, watercolor crayons, washi tapes and paper..across her face it says I am like no other.......I like the that its different, that the word other make up her eyes in a way...
I may have posted this in the past...wanted to post it up with this other painting I have done.  My "ode" to coffee. Was thinking I would get my courage up and give it to a coffee shop here in town, but Im not that great on self promoting, or confident in my self to do things like that, they may not like it..or WANT it! lol So its hanging here on my craft room door with my other art. I think I am ready to sell some art. Some times I feel a bit attached to the things I have painted...and Its hard to let it go!

"Words" Angel Painting

Think I'm finished with my painting. The canvas was a thrift store find, in the center was a print of apples. I painted over with gesso, and painted my own painting on it. I love the boarder on the canvas with the wood moldings. great idea!  Anyways I always start with a quote or saying to build my painting on.  this one is ..."Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that dont mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime. ". So my angel is holding a black heart...I left her faceless...just liked her that way. I do my paintings both ways, with faces or not...just depends on the way it works out. I used spray inks,inks,  acrylic paints, pencils,  modeling paste, stencils.  Attaching a picture of the process and the finished piece.



Monday, March 10, 2014

Sneak Peek at my new painting....Work in Progess...

Im still around...been really working alot on my Documented Life Project. Journaling/art fun. I am also keeping a daily prayer journal and i really love that.  So I thought iI would put in a little time painting this weekend!  So here is a sneak peek.
Work in Progress...new painting im working on. I found the canvas at the thrift store, with this beautiful molding around the edge of the canvas, you cant see it in the picture..but its there! Housewares were half price so got the canvas for 2 bucks! Its about 2x1.5 in size. Liking how its going so far...background quote is " be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that dont mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime. " Better get back to work!