"Keeping Watch"

Finally back to painting.  We've decided to design our family room in a bit of a rustic style reminiscent of a cabin so I thought I should create some artwork for the walls that would help bring the theme together.  I have been thinking about bears and wolves mostly.

This guy was fun to paint.  Usually I leave the background for last and then struggle with what to do with it. This time I decided to jump right in and lay in the background first.

The background was done in two wet-in-wet variegated washes, with an emphasis on the brighter gold green in the front near the wolf's face.  When both washes were completely dry I laid in the first washes of the trees, letting them fuzz and blur just a bit.  The small tree on the left will need to be muted a bit to push it into the distance behind the wolf's body.

Close up of the eyes.  I really wanted to keep the warm glow and intense gaze as this is my focal point. The colors I used for this painting are Winsor Newton Artist Watercolors, Green Gold, Olive Green, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna and Paynes Gray.  I also used a little Titanium white for highlights.

"Keeping Watch"

Watercolor 14" x 20"

Arches Cold-Press Watercolor Paper

Border Collie Commission - Fundraiser #3

I just started this commission piece this evening.  It's fun to be using charcoal again.  One of the things I like is that you can get really nice darks and a lot of variation in tone with just one color.  I use a "ugly" brush from Cheap Joe's to help spread the charcoal, it really gives it a nice delicate tonal quality and you have a little more control than using your finger.  Then I just continue building up the laters until I'm satisfied.  These two photos show the very early stages that I did tonight.  I start with the eyes and nose because I feel that starts to bring the animal to life right of the bat.

New Facebook Page is up and running

My Facebook page is now up and running!  ART BY WENDY SPRAGUE

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Wendy-Sprague/190690334452047

Blue Jay

This little guy is enjoying a little winter snack.  He was pretty easy to create in colored pencil, but the blues, especially the light cyan doesn't seem to pick up on the scanner well at all.  The original has a nice light hue of feathers on his tummy that don't really show here. I used 4 different blues on the bird plus white to help blend the various layers to create a more "painterly" effect.

Showing My Work

If you missed the chance to attend Guglielmo Winery's Art and Wine Faire a couple weeks ago you can still come and see a few of the artists starting Monday at the Morgan Hill (CA) Centennial Recreation Center (Senior Center area).   The show runs from November 18 through January 2, 2014.  I will have several pieces displayed.

Lilac-Breasted Roller

Now, that the art and wine faire is over it is back to business, which means catching up on my on-line class with Val Webb, drawing birds.  This colorful little guy is a Lilac-Breasted Roller.  I decided to do a different view of the bird and add a tree for him to rest in.  Working in colored pencil is a much longer process than working in watercolor.  The bird has at least 5 layers of color and the background has 4, including a layer of clear pencil to help blend and smooth the color.  Because the main subject is so colorful I decided to add a simple plain background so that it wouldn't compete with the bird.

Lilac-Breasted Roller

8-1/2" x 10-1/2"

Colored Pencil on Bristol Vellum

Red Glasses 2

As soon as I finished Red Glasses I immediately decided to try just the eyes.  I thought it might make a fun composition and cute cards.

"Red Glasses 2

Watercolor

7 x 12

140# Arches Cold-Press Watercolor Paper