I got up this morning full of HP&V and ready to hit the pavement! I did some RV related administrative duties and posted on my blog the results of the finalization of our RV Journey LEG 1.
I then figured I would continue with and finish the painting of the 3 pears "Menage a Trois." However I felt a bit rambunksious!!! And since I was full of HP&V I decided to do a palette knife painting. The last aspen/pine tree painting I did was in Balck & White which to me is a very soothing-quiet-mind resting painting.
However a fellow RV-er I met on an RV blog, seemed to disagree. He is a wonderful photographer and in a class he was teaching a young student remarked that B&W photos are sort of the "in thang." So the fellow RV-er decided to show the boy an example to dispell this statement. He took a photo of a boat at a dock ON FIRE and made it into a B&W photo. Showed it to the student and ask him what he thought - the boy basically was not impressed. Then the fellow RV-er showed the boy the photo in color with all the glory and fury of the ranging fire. OF COURSE IT WAS MORE IMPRESSIVE AND EYE GRABBING!!! OF COURSE THE BOY SAID WOW!! I think the demonstration hovered on the verge of entrapement!!!! :>)
B&W photos/paintings are intented to envoke a sense of quiet-peace-solitude - whereas the color photo of the blazing flames engulfing the boat where meant to bring "eye shock" and startle the viewer - and IT DID!
Therefore I decided since I felt full of HP&V I would do a very similar scene to the B&W but in color.
16 x 12 on Heavy Linen Paper using palette knife - some minor brush work, my hair comb and my fan brush for the FG foliage and the BG indications of trees.
First I begin with a quick pencil sketch -
Nothing very elaborate - just some indications of tree trunks - pines and aspens. I keep telling you folks I can't draw a straight line!!!! :>)
I will try and show via photos the process for developing the bark on the pine trees. Basically I put blobs and globs of paint on with my palette knife - normally 3 or 4 different colors and then I literally comb the wet paint using my hair comb to generate texture of bark.
Pretty clever EH!!!
Blobs & Globs
Blobs & Globs combed out
The Aspens need to be generated and this is done with blobs & globs of paint put on with a palette knife and the bark is developed with a small round brush using white-grey-black paint with quick staccato jabs.
A lot of folks wonder why I put in the BG last. The "why" is because I feel the BG & FG need to be tied into the middle ground - in this case the pines and aspens. Soooo I will via photos show this process.
1/2 done with BG
Can you see how this has moved the tree trunks FORWARD?
Now to finish the BG - there are 3 different color greens used here as well as a dark blue and also a shot or two of purple. (my secret ingredient in shadows) :>)
BG basically completed
We now need a FG and some hints-indications of distant tree trunks in the BG as well as jabs and dabs at the tree trunks and some general "housekeeping" of lights-darks-edges.
Throw some ground in and then we'll need shadows on the ground as well as some ground clutter - with the fan brush
BUDDA BING BUDDA BOOM
DONE!!
As always or almost always here are some closeups for my "attention to detail" blog buddies - better know as -------- WHOOPS - I promised not to use that term WHEW I caught myself! :>)
OK ------ how he do dat
I hope you folks noticed that we did not have any rude interuptions of loud talking or unsavory remarks. I have taken necessary steps to increase the security (at great expense to me) at the entrance to our room used for the presentation of Objects d' Art
I apologize for any incorrect spelling as the google blog spell check has stopped working - probably due to all my errors!!!
Hope your New Year 2012 got off to as good a start as mine did - enjoy the day.
JR :>)
