A little work on busy days.

I've been busy for the last 3 days so I hope to finish the "Bear in Camp" this weekend. I've made the bear look a little bigger by widening his face and making his eyes smaller. Just to make things a little more uncomfortable.
I've also started on the bark texture in the stump. I don't like the shape of the stump so I'll have to make it wider on the left side. There is more work to do on that and then all the leaves. The background foliage colour is acceptable now so just filling in details here and there of individual leaves and grass. And I can't forget the raspberries!

Blocking in the stump.

I blocked in the stump last night. I want the same colours reflected throughout the painting so the base colours look a little strange. The light and darks are correctly placed and that is important. I'll grey the colours to make them look like bark. The next stage is the downed log behind the stump, then the foliage and the final details on bear and boots.

I started adding some red where raspberries will poke through the foliage. This gives a plausible reason for the bears presence.

Just finishing the boots.

The boots are almost finished and then on with the landscape and foliage.

I'm also working on the cat and grouse painting, "Don't Make A Move". I wasn't satisfied with the layout of the animals so I made them all larger. It makes them look closer and you will see a little more detail that way. It takes the focus away from the landscape and the animals become the center of attention.

Left Boot Finished.

Yeah, the left boot is done and now I can go on to the right boot. After that it should be clear sailing. (Let's hope.)

Working out the details.

I'm working from the center of the painting outward on "Bear in Camp". The left boot is my focus right now. I started at the top of the boot and I'm working down. I still have the toe and left side to highlight and the details on the tread.

I decided to leave the final details on the bear until the last so that I could balance the amount of light shining on him (her??).

The leaves will be detailed at the end. I love doing landscape and that will give me a little push to finish the painting.

Painting design process.

While I keep painting on the "Bear In Camp", I thought that I would post how I design a painting. I have two photos of deer that I want to use in a painting. Here are the photos.

The main grouping of deer are a mother and baby. I want to add a third male deer to the painting but wasn't sure how I would accomplish this in a pleasing way.

I realize that I will have to turn the buck around, make him smaller and place him in the bush where the eye of the doe directs your gaze.

Somewhere along the way, I decide that I would like the painting to be at night with the light of a full moon reflecting off the deer. A typical winter scene. So, I did some Photoshopping of the pictures and here is what I came up with as a basic design. You can just barely see the buck where the doe is looking. It is too dark in the photo but will be more noticeable in the final painting.

I may change it along the way as I see what works and what doesn't work. .

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And here is the beginnings of a painting. Of course it looks ugly right now, just at the blocking in stage. I'm finding the darkest darks and the lightest lights. I'll continue on from here.

Bear with me.

Working on the "Bear In Camp" as well as some others. The others are just at the blocking in stage so until they look a little better I won't post them.
So, back to the bear this afternoon.

Pam

The OWL is FINISHED!

Finally, the owl is finished. So here it is, "A Light Dusting", 12 x 12', acrylic on canvas covered board.

Now I'll enjoy the rest of the paintings I started. This painting just seemed to have me blocked for some time.

Pam

2 New starts.

I know, I know. You're saying, new ones? Are you crazy? Maybe, but I have so many to do I thought that tonight I would just draw a couple of new ones out. Actually I started blocking in one of them and it is at the really ugly stage.

So, here is a start on Dixie in the Field, 16 x20 acrylic on canvas.

And here is a small section of another painting to be, 16 x 20 also, canvas, and is a mother deer and her young one. I've darkened the photo of the white canvas so that you can see the outline drawn.

And I'm sure you will be happy to know that I intend to finish the owl painting before continuing with the rest. That one is starting to really bug me. So, I'm off to paint.

Pam

Blocking in the gun dog.

I blocked in the gun dog last night and I'll work on the background while deciding on how to design the foreground. The detail of the dog will be left until the end.

Working on all the paintings at once.

Although "Bear In Camp" shows the most progress, I've been working on sections of all the paintings. I've been finishing the head of the owl, started the detail on the grouse, and I'm making decisions about what to add to the gun dog painting.

The detailing is time consuming and not worth posting until major changes can be seen.

Owl detailing.

I've been working on the details in the owl feathers. This may take awhile! LOL

I'm treating it like I would a miniature. I want the owl to be center stage in this picture so I feel the detail is warranted. This head shot isn't finished, I just wanted to show the care I am giving it. Each painting demands it's own set of rules. I just wish I could be quicker. Oh well, it will all come together in the end.

Step 2 of Bear in Camp

OK, the feathers on the owl are driving me crazy so I switched to the "Bear In Camp" painting. I know it looks dark but I am trying to decide where the light will fall and what part of the painting needs highlighting, etc.

Well, back to the owl....