House Portrait Completed – Landscaping

More Detailing… I used to think after I removed the masking there wasn’t much else left to do. Wrong. Tiny brush strokes symbolize shadow shapes that define architectural details. I’m not trying to produce realism here. Just a suggestion. The viewer does the rest. To me, a more interesting interpretation. Next, a little more landscaping. [...]

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House Portrait Continued – Shutters & Windows

Create Harmonious Neutrals   On Palette & Paper   Blending color opposites creates lovely neutrals. Here I am blending red and green to create a range of choices for the shutter colors. Shutters in sunlight will appear differently than shutters in shadow underneath porch roof. Applying first wash. I like the windows to appear lit [...]

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House Portrait Continued – Trim Detail & Roof

Subtle Definition Makes Big Impact Probably one of my most often used techniques…lost and found edges. I love the illusion this creates. I feel like I’m sculpting in watercolor. Feeling the need to add some dark values to give me a better reference for judging mid to light values. Time to put on that roof. [...]

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House Portrait Progress Continued – Shadows

 Shadows Shapes Here I am mindful of value and temperature to symbolize depth and light. The cool washes are cast shadows and warm washes under eaves and base of porch wall are reflected  light. Adding a darker value second wash under front porch. This will really bring the porch roof forward and accentuate the distinctive [...]

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House Portrait Progress Continued…Sky & Trees

Hold on…Here We Go… This is quite exciting. Especially when working on a tilt. A tad different from tiny detail. I’ve put away my magnifying glass and put on my parachute. Adding background shrubs and trees… …and a few clouds. Feeling good about today’s progress More to follow…

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Saving Whites Today…

Hoping To Add Color Tomorrow. You’ll Be The First To Know. Above is a commissioned house portrait in process. For the last few days, I’ve hovered over it with a magnifying glass, finding and fine-tuning little details. A dot symbolizing a front door key lock and a dash for a mail slot. I know these [...]

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Freedom VS Structure

My freedom-loving inner artist that lives to splash color is needing to wait her turn today :/ Structure, her counter-intuitive partner, is hard at work, laying a firm foundation.  This stage is not my favorite.  Funny, this morning’s reading from Christine Valters Paintner’s, the Artist’s Rule,  Abbey of the Arts, was: Creativity arises out of the tension between [...]

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