Sunday, December 27, 2009

Spoonbills painting work in progress


A small preview of the current work on the easel. I've reworked the background and started to paint in the top bird. I appologize for the small size but I'll post a larger image on my next update.

Cat drawing-colored pencil on drafting film

Well this is my first attempt at using Mylar as a surface and I'm pleased with the results. However, not many layers of colored pencil can be added to this "paper" but the richness of the colors is achieved much more quickly.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Law enforcement artwork commission


Here's a rough mock-up preview of my next commission drawing for the US Pentagon, Police K-9 Explosives Detection Unit to be done in colored pencil. The three dogs featured on this drawing include a Malinois, a German Shepherd/Malinois cross and a black Labrador retriever.

Watch for updates as I start to work in this custom artwork design that will be used as a logo for t-shirts and prints.

Cat Portrait work in progress

I'm definetely having fun with my colored pencils on drafting film. It is almost unbelievable how smoothly the colors glide on the paper. Now, if I can only refine my technique a little...

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Wishing You All A Very Merry Christmas!!

I'd like to take a moment to wish all my followers a safe and happy Holiday Season. Party and be Merry and make sure to rest too so that when all this is over, you are not all too tired to paint or draw!!
Cheers,
Colette

Drafting film divine!

Many months ago, my brother who works for an engineering firm had given me a sample of drafting film and after seeing such beautiful results from fellow artists, I decided to finally try it. Oh, my goodness I can't believe how smooth and silky the pencils glide on this paper! I'm still experimenting and just now realized that I might have worked on the wrong side of the film but the results are still worth the try! I absolutely love it and will definitely be purchasing more of this paper. Oh, how I love my colored pencils now!!

Friday, December 18, 2009

A new bird painting on the easel!

pastel on sandpaper, size 8.5" x 11"

After much contemplation and sifting through the hundreds of photos taken from our trip to Florida, it was decided that this was the next composition I was to attempt to paint (with some changes to the ref photo).

These birds were photographed at Disney's Animal Kingdom and I believe they are of two different species of spoonbills; the white spoonbill and the pink/roseate spoonbill (immature).

I am hoping this will be one of my Christmas holiday projects to help me unwind during the busy holiday season (argh!). I will also be working on my next colored pencil commission for the US Pentagon Police K-9 Explosions Detection Unit . I'll be unveiling the mock-up of that piece shortly!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

White tailed doe painting-"Treading Ever-So-Lightly"

I know I could probably improve on the foliage of this painting but I just have no more umph left for it so it will have to do! I need to move on to another painting but just had to finish this one first. Not that I rushed it or anything...

After scanning in multiple pieces and patch working the images together, I had to color correct the image slightly. I really toned down the bright yellow leaves near the deer's face which seemed to strong in the last update.

The previous update was taken with a digital camera and was overly adjusted for contrast. I find pastels so very difficult to match to a photograph or scan, due to the dust reflecting different amounts of light under varying light conditions. Perhaps this has more to do with the fact that I used a dark suede board or maybe even the properties of the suede itself, I don't know.

Oh well, the image above seems pretty close to the actual painting...until you place the painting in a bright room, where it really brightens up considerably! Eeech.

There is an explanation on my website regarding the title for this piece. If you are interested, follow here: http://www.colettetheriault.com/descriptions/paint1description/White_tail_deer.php
and scroll down the page.

Tomorrow I will be framing my deer painting at last!

My dear, deer Painting back on the easel!


Oh, I am soooo excited to be back at work on this white tail deer painting! Finally got the Christmas tree and decorations out, lots of prepared meals and deserts in the freezer, most of the gifts under the tree, all the Christmas portrait commissions have been completed and shipped....now time to relax!

I have a few more touch ups I want to do before calling this one done.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Shipping unframed pastel paintings 101

Not much is available on the internet regarding how to ship these more delicate pieces of artwork and so I thought I'd post some information about how I pack my pastel paintings for shipping. I would like to thank Roberta Baer for sharing her idea of the special box used for transporting and shipping pastel paintings. She is an amazing pastelist who's blog I follow at http://www.robybaer.blogspot.com/.

First, I build what I call a "floater box" (thanks Roby!). When they say a picture is worth a thousand words, this is exactly what they mean! Click on the image for a more detailed view of the box construction.



Here, I used a combination of cardboard and foam core "spacers" and hot glue to build the box. I would not normally use cardboard but for this larger piece, it was necessary due to lack of larger foam core pieces in my studio.

This type of box allows for a space or gap on the front of the pastel painting so that nothing touches it's delicate surface. In essence, the painting "floats" in the box, having only the backing as a support. Note that the pastel painting is mounted onto a slightly larger foam core board with artists' tape. The painting/mounting board then slides in the gap created by the slits of foamcore that have been hotglued together.

I add an extra strip of foam core at each end of the box that fits inside the front/back cardboard pieces. This helps support the ends so that they don't collapse (note white strip beside box below).

I write instructions on the box on how to proceed to open and slide the painting out of the box. The box is opened right side up and at one end where a pull tab is attached the the backing of the pastel painting.



The "floater box" is then packed in a secondary shipping box for added security. Here, I've re-inforced the edges of the box with foam core to make it more sturdy. In this case, I was lucky that the "floater box" fit perfectly snug in the shipping box. Otherwise, place crumbled-up newsprint to fill the gaps around the "floater box" so that it does not move around inside the larger shipping box.



I make sure to mark the box with FRAGILE on all sides.

I hope this helps fellow pastelist with the dilema of shipping or transporting unframed pastel artwork, or at best, provide a cheaper alternative method.



Below is an example of a box I built using 100% foam board:




Keep on painting!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Beach Dog Painting commission finished!

Ooo hoo, I was able to complete the water today on this pastel painting! The client is quite pleased with it and so am I. Now, to the daunting task of carefully packing this precious cargo for shipping...

Thursday, December 10, 2009

More waves and splashing water


Slowly but surely the waves are starting to appear, hugging the soft beach sand. I must say, the most challenging aspect of this piece is definitely all the water surrounding this dog, especially the area around the dog's feet. I am finding it virtually impossible to reproduce the water exactly like on the reference photograph, nevertheless, I hope to achieve a good likeness of the waves coming on shore and the splashes of water and sand under the dog's feet.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Shih Tzu dog portait in pastel

"Show Girl" (Brooke)
Size 8.5"x11", pastel on archival suede board

I added the finished touches to this Christmas gift portrait today and it is now ready to be framed and wrapped. I had it tucked away and almost forgot about it until I cleaned out one of my work tables and found it on my to-do-later pile.

Friday, December 4, 2009

More pastel layers on this dog painting...


It seems I haven't posted an update of this dog portrait for a while. The progression is slow due to the many layers and blending of pastel on the white sand paper being somewhat time consuming. I usually like to use colored paper when working with pastels and end up choosing a paper with the base color that is predominant in a painting to cut back on pastel application.
The sandpaper used for this pastel painting is Wallis museum archival grade which is very fine and allows for up to 25 layers of pastel.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Dog pastel commission update


Here I've re-worked the water to the right of the dog and also added the fur details to the body/legs. The darker markings around her left eye makes it appear as if both eyes are not the same size...

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Starting to look like a dog...

Still many, many more layers to add but at least now it's starting to look like the dog I'm to paint. At this point, I felt I could not go on without adding the features of the dog's face. The first reason being is that I needed to know that I can get her face right, and the other reason is because I risk smudging the water to the right of the dog if I don't fill in that area (dog's head) of the paper.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Beach dog pastel commission


Pastel on sandpaper, 14"x18"

Adding the base layers to the sketch makes this painting look pretty rough. It is hard to imagine the final portait at this stage. I've posted the ref for this image a few posts below.

Drawing of cat almost done! Updated...

Here's the updated scan of the final portrait:



After spending the night drawing more fur to complete the cat's chest, I added a subtle background. Once the client approves of the portrait, I will scan and post a clearer image.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cat Drawing in pencil-work in progress

After many more hours and layers of fur, here is my cat drawing coming to life. Albeit, I still have to go back and retouch certain areas, I can see the end is forthcoming.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Domestic cat charcoal/graphite drawing update


11"x14", graphite and charcoal

This cat portrait is that of Smokey, a grey domestic short haired (DSH). I am doing my darndest best to fill in the missing features from my horrible mock ref. photo. I sure hope she ends up looking like her when I'm all done.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Domestic Cat drawing commission

Not-so-good mock image:
The pre-Christmas rush is keeping me busy with yet another commission. The mock I created above was from a real badly over-exposed photograph. The eyes were so white from glare that they appear hollow on the photo. Oh well, a bit of artistic license here will perk up this proud looking fella. Progression of this artwork to come shortly.

Horse eye painting

pastel on sandpaper, 8.5" x 11"

I'm proud to announce that I've completed a painting!! This is a close up of "Daisy", one of our lesson horses my daughter and I use for English Riding courses. Daisy Duke (The Dancing Queen is her show name) is described as a gentle giant who's patience and calmness makes her an ideal teaching horse for riders.

When I took the photo, I loved the reflection in her eye which showed the white fence jump that my daughter had been practicing that day. I knew I had a perfect reference for this painting.

I haven't decided on a title yet but two that I was thinking about are "A Gentle Soul" or "Her Soft Gaze".

Monday, November 16, 2009

Horse pastel painting update


The most challenging aspect of this pastel painting is blending the hairs into the fine sanded surface to create a fine, smooth line. Perhaps, ArtSpectrum Colorfix paper should not have been my choice for this piece since it is taking me longer to achieve the results I want with the fur.

I have just ordered some Wallis very fine sandpaper (museum grade) and it is suppose to be able to handle up to 25 layers of pastel. I can't wait to try it and see the results for myself if it holds true to the manufacturer's claim. I hope that the 800 grit is fine enough to allow the pastel to fill the tooth without too much blending.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Back from painting weekend!!

After 2 days of painting, drawing and sketching with members of the Sudbury Art Club at Fielding Park, I feel exhilarated and refreshed. Two of us also spent many hours walking the woodland trails, photographing any bird, animal or scene that caught our eye.

The lighting this time of year is fantastic for capturing beautiful shadows and that golden glow. On our last day, we managed to get some so-so shots of the elusive hooded mergansers. Without the advantage of hiding in a blind, the birds would disappear within a blink of an eye at the least bit of movement as we tried to approach them. But, before the end of the day, our patience and perseverance rewarded us by spotting a graceful lone swan who happened to be very photogenic! I will need to upgrade my hard drive soon to make room for all those photos.

The work in progress below is what I started this past weekend. I know some of you will frown; starting yet another painting when I have so many to complete! I do have a good reason...due to lack of working space at the painting retreat, I could only bring something manageable in terms of size...since I only have larger paintings at the moment to work on, I had to quickly sketch something much smaller.

8x10, pastel on sandpaper; 2 days work

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pastel portrait commission


Here's the latest dog portrait I will be working on. Overall, this photograph is too grey and monotonous so I will be changing the color of the water and the sand as well as the blue cast on the side of the dog. Otherwise, it is a nice, lively pose with good contrast and light...I love the dog's action pose with her paw in the foreground, as well as the foam on the water and the waves creeping up on the soft, sleek sand. I will be working this portrait using pastel on sandpaper, size 14" x 18".

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Slowly inching may way through foliage


After a good night's rest, I've decided that I should work the rest of this painting in stages by completing little sections or areas at a time. This seems to be the best approach for me now because of the repetitive nature of the leaves really aggravates my nerves.

I still need to go back and change the values on the foliage in front of the deer by darkening more spaces between leaves but will most likely just keep that for last.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Deer painting blues...


Just when I thought I could tackle this painting again, I've been hit with a wave of frustration. I guess I should have known better than to paint when I felt tired...I am just feeling so lost in all those leaves and I just can't concentrate!!!!!
Part of the problem is I know there is so little left to do on this piece and want to finish it so bad since I purchased a wonderful frame for it. Oh, and not to mention I want to move on to another piece right??!

Some thoughts so far... I like the dark area unde the log and will add some darker foliage to give illusion of depth. The angled stump on the far bottom left I feel I should round the top off perhaps instead of extending to the edge...not sure yet.
Then, the light foliage in front of the deer is too much of the same value. Need to figure out how to approach that area. Might add some various shades of browns to break the green.
Best if I sit back and think on this one.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Drawing of Ottawa Parliament and archway

Decided to wind down from a hectic day tonight and "relax" while working on this painting and listening to music. Not a whole lot more done than my previous post but the burnishing and layering of the darks on this paper takes way longer than one would think.

Now that the left side of the archway is done, it seems to want to jump out of the drawing doesn't it?

Monday, November 2, 2009

Ottawa Parliament Building pencil drawing-work in progress


Once a week, I save this drawing to work on while my daughter attends her nightly German Language class. So far, I have spent 9 hours working on this piece, which includes a full hour just to draw the line sketch. Tonight, I managed only to work on a tiny bit of the tower from the clock downwards and a bit of the bottom of the arch on the left hand side. The drawing measures 11"x14".

Miniature Dachshund Drawing-Montage completed!


12"x22", graphite pencil



portrait detail


This montage portrait offers a glimpse into the life of Molly the dachshund. The top two poses represent Molly as what she did best...spending most of her time comfortably snuggled on a cushion or blanket as she snoozed for most of the day. The bottom poses depict Molly in a more lively mood; one at play and the other (full body pose) showing off the look she gave her master as she patiently waited for supper. The larger, more detailed middle pose shows off Molly sporting a sweet expression, all the while still cuddled in a blanket. There is much more emphasis on her big, beautiful eyes and textured nose and the fine details of her soft, short and shinny fur.


Despite the hard work and many, many hours to complete this dog drawing, it is very rewarding for me to be able to bring a little piece of Molly back to her owners. May the love and kindness Molly brought to their lives stay in their hearts forever.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Molly's portrait update


The pencil montage of Molly is coming along nicely. The second darker dog shown on the first image above is Liebe, also a dachshund.
Photos are rather dark due to poor lighting conditions when the photos were taken.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Dog Montage Drawing- work in progress


After taking a "break" due to an Art Show last weekend, I took a moment to complete the centre pose early this morning while everyone was still sleeping. Like many, I work best when undisturbed as any distraction can break my focus and cause me to abandon the work for another day or more.

This image is rather pale compared to the original. The final scan will better represent the actual portrait.

Now it is off to another smaller pose...

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Dog Portrait update


Molly's center pose is almost complete. The short fur on her face was painstakingly added one hair at a time but well worth it as I like the overall effect it gives to this drawing. Once again you can click on the image to see a jumbo view.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Architectural-type graphite drawing...something different


I've been wanting to draw a structured, high contrast piece for sometime now and I've had the opportunity to work on this for about 5 hours. This type of subject does not require my concentration as much as when I am working on an animal piece and so I choose to work on this when I want to simply relax and feel no pressure. I simply follow the lines and apply different shades of black. What could be more simple?

Dachshund portrait update


I am working on the main central pose for this montage portrait. Drawing the gazilions of hairs truly makes the time fly buy! Click on the image to see a jumbo view of the details.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Dachshund portrait (montage) part 1



I've been busy lately working on several pieces at once...including this graphite pencil commission of a montage of "Molly", a dachshund dog. This portrait (12"x22") will feature one larger central pose surrounded by 4 other smaller poses. Shown above is one of the smaller poses of the dog sleeping that I just finished today.

The other projects I'm working on will be posted shortly on my blog. One is a painting of a shitzuh show dog in pastel, and the other is an architectural type graphite drawing of one of Canada's iconic landmarks.