Good Christmas

We moved into our new house a few days before Christmas and with the moving, didn't have as much time as usual to worry about stuff. We bought a new sectional sofa and that was our gift to each other. Then we bought each other a few needed items--shoes, slippers, jeans, socks, etc. I took a day off on Thurs. and Fri. was a holiday day so worked hard to get things unpacked and the house in order--was impossible to do it all. We went to church on Christmas Eve and then decided not to bother wrapping gifts, etc since we knew everything that we had bought for each other--couldn't find the tape anyway! Christmas morning I found the tape and wrapped gifts for T&T and baked my cookies (dough was in the fridge). Then continued sorting things while the roast beef was cooking. T&T were both on call so we ate in shifts but it was still good to spend the evening with them.

Good to be in the house even though we're living with lots of boxes and clutter. Have a few people looking at the old house to rent--met with a couple today that we both felt comfortable about. Wade is showing it to some others tomorrow. Pray that something works out, please. We still have some things to move and have to spend some time cleaning up.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a great new year!

I've located my sketch pad and am redrawing these (and Bob) in it. I will need to draw them on my paint boards as well. Going to get a lot of practice. No more scrap paper, unless, of course, it happens. For now, this is as far as I'm going with these sketches.

OK, some minor changes here and there. Getting closer all the time. I see some of Aunt Renee here. Which one do you think is better?

How's that for a first draft? Less than one hour, start to finish. I used this photo, but tilted it 10 degrees right so that the drawing (and portrait wouldn't lean so heavily to the left. The baby is not mine.

Beth, why do you have to be so difficult? I've spent hours working on this, tweaking it here, adjusting there, and still don't have it right. The last 2% is the killer. Excellent practice, though.

Phyl, would this be easier if she wasn't looking directly at the camera?





I spent a few minutes making some small changes, e.g., ear is longer, eyes modified, nose slightly wider at the bottom, mouth slightly shorter and tilted a little, hat 1/4" taller, etc. I like this one. There is a softness in Bob's face that isn't in the previous one.

We've Arrived

Tonight is the first night in our new house. Right now it's a big mess! And cold--gotta get it filled up with heat and dried out. Big adjustment after more than 30 years in our other house. I'm tired from work today so gonna get the bed made and take a shower so there's no holdup when the time comes to crawl in. Love you all.

After three attempts, this is what I've come up with as a preliminary sketch. I drew this on the back of a printed page, as I did the others. You can see the lines of type through the sheet. Sorry, I ran out of boards to paint on and am in the process of stocking up. Needless to say, there will be at least one more sketch.

The more I do this the more I find enjoyment in it. Too bad it didn't catch until I was 51.

Using Photo Shop as a Tool

I did a bit of editing on the photo. Here's four versions for you to study. One is greyscale, one sepia tone, one sepia with noise reduction to simplify the values, and one posterized to break them into distinct patterns. This is what you need to learn to see with your own eyes but it takes some time and lots of practice so the computer and any photo editing program becomes a good tool to help you see the pattern of light and dark values.

One this one, I'd like to see you try for color variation too but still working with the same three colors that you did on the last. Try for a warm and cool contrast as well as light and dark. More blue in the hat and less blue in the skin.

Also, devise a system for beginning color charts. It could be any sturdy white board or paper--cheap is fine. Convenient size would be binder or file--whatever works for you. Label the color (including brand name) that you are using and paint small squares of every combination of that color that you can mix. In this case, it would be Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, and Titanium White. Can be a bit tedious but someday it'll be valuable to you and if you do them along with the painting that you are working on, it won't take too long.

OK, Phyl, I have these photos. Which one is the best candidate? Can you Photoshop like you did for Cindy?

Except for adjusting color here and there, I don't know what else to do. Problem with color is that I never get it the same two times in a row, so it's always going to be off a little. I guess that will improve with experience.

Unless you have some other pointers, I am going to stop.

You're Close

You went a little lighter in those spots than I was thinking but it does look better. I did a little photoshop edit (not too good at that) to show you about the level of darkness. Also you should "soften" the line between her face and hair with a few tiny wisps of hair. Very slight differences but helps. You did very well on this one! Does Cindy like it???

Revised Edition

OK, Maestra, I think I made the changes you advised. Looks much better in my opinion. But then, it should.

Phyl, this is what I have so far. There's no doubt that the shape is much better than the first one. I still have a lot of work to do on the hair and may go back and redo most of the colors there.

This is harder than it appears, but I intend to get it. Probably will take me the rest of my life.

Final Sketch, Maybe

OK. I've adjusted a few lines here and there. Think I've got it about as close as I'm going to. How would you mix the paint?

Here is a pencil sketch which I just drew. I can see a substantial difference between this and the painting which I did previously. It is astounding to me that just a slight variation in a line will have a profound effect on the drawing.

OK, on to the next step--monochrome color. I am really enjoying this.

What I would have you do if you were my student

I changed Cindy's photo to a sepia tone and enhanced the values (lightness vs darkness) a bit. I would suggest that you mix Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, and white (Permalba White would be my choice but Titanium will do). Use only those colors and paint the portrait. When everything is in the proper place and you are satisfied with all of your shapes and values, let it dry. After a few days, you can use other colors and just scrub them very thinly over the dry paint. If you don't like something that you have done, you can use a little oil to clean it off and try again.

Remembering Mom

Tomorrow is Mom's birthday and so I saw in the paper that they are going to pack shoeboxs for Samaritan's Purse at Westfield. I know that is a cause that they really liked and believed in and so am going to go help do that. Just seems fitting on her birthday..

I miss them both more now than ever. I guess because I live here where they lived. She taught us many things ....like how to cook even though she didn't like to, like how to clean, how to deal with people. There are many things that I do and think "I am just like Mom". I love little kids like she did, I feel bad for the "down and outers". I still like "her" pumpkin pie and applesauce cake the best!! And I even look like her!!!!

Love ya all!

Cindy--As I See Her

This is from a portrait that Cindy took of herself when we lived in Jax. I spent a few hours the other day setting up my desk to accomodate my computer and give me a place to paint. Too cold to paint outside. Pretty good light here, so I'm going to be churning these out.

Happy Birthday, Roge

Happy, Happy Birthday, Roge.....Hope you have a Great Birthday....Your 1st one in your new state, town, house, time zone, (shall I go on???) Anyways hope it is great!!

Glad to hear so many things have worked out for you!! It's nice to follow the dream and make it really happen, isn't it? Both Gary and I are SO glad that we moved back here---We miss the people downstate but that's about all....

Anyways blow out all (how many??? I can't believe its THAT many!!) and eat LOTS of cake!!

Spam Filters

Phyl,

Concerning the spam on the post below. I have set up on my own blog a check from which all comments can be reviewed before posting. They can either be approved or rejected. You can set this up from your dashboard. This way anyone can post, but only approved comments would be published. Only drawback is the time lag between initial comment and your approval. You would have to monitor it on a fairly regular basis.

Thanks for your work and interest.

Dad

Meant to get on here and talk about Dad on his birthday but I didn't get it done.... Just wanted to remember him and think about how he influenced my life.... They lived a very simple life and we didn't have a lot of money but I don't think we ever wanted for anything especially food. I never went to bed hungry and never felt like we didn't have enough to eat. There are many things that he taught us especially how to work hard and "accomplish something", but also how to treat everybody no matter their status in life, their skin color, or even if other people didn't like them. I love you, Dad and miss you alot...

Happy Birthday, Phyl

Just wishing you a Happy, Happy Birthday tomorrow!! May you have a GREAT day!! Love you!

View from the Driveway

Most of the front is finished. Chimney is nearly done and then the scaffolding can come down (which will make it look better).

Oops!

Trying to fix a couple of things and inadvertenly deleted a couple of authors. Sent invitations to Roger and Helen to rejoin the blog. Please join using the email invitation.

Katie and Glen

Katie was Cindy's first friend in Jacksonville and has been her best friend all the way through. We have eaten dinners with them on a regular basis. They are good people.

I captured Glen almost exactly in his portrait. It took me less than 30 minutes of sketching before I was ready to start painting him. Katie was somewhat more difficult and is still off, but I wasn't able to figure out how to correct it. Ah, well, some you win, some you don't.

Phil and Deb

From a portrait sent by Deb at Christmas time a few years ago. Close enough to recognize them, far enough away to know there still is room for improvement.

Looking upriver on Julington Creek in Jacksonville, FL. My magnum opus, so far.

We've been busy.........

............at the house. Nearly finished the fireplace and the flooring in the greatroom. The windowsills are started (that's my project and I'm slow). And I included a better shot of the kitchen for you to see however, there is so much clutter and dust that you can't see how good the countertops look.

Saucy Seagull

Reached a milestone with this one--#10. I am quite proud of this painting. I think it's the best one I've done so far. I took some license with the wording on the sign to add a little tongue-in-cheek humor. Not that the seagull cares at all.

#9--Hawk at Sunset

I took this photo in my front yard just before dark. The hawk had been living in this area for weeks. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time. The vertical lines in the house are in the board and should have been sanded out before I started.

Please comment.

Helen, please try to comment to this post and see if you are allowed. If not, let me know by email that you tried. Thanks.

Stella--Take Two

Ah, Phyllis, Phyllis. Right again, as usual. Anyhow, after I got over my outrage and indignation at being severely critiqued and chastised, I decided that she did look like she had worms, so I picked up my battered ego and my paint brush and started again. I think that the remake is actually better than the original.

This time I really am going to leave it alone.

Little bit of variety--#8

This is Stella Artois Patterson. She owns the house which Rex and Wendy live in.
There is a beer named Stella Artois. I don't like it, Rex does. He says that the cat gets more attention than he does. Anyway, I told Wendy that I would paint a picture for her and she gave me this one.

I've tried repeatedly to upload the original for comparison, but can't seem to get it. I'll keep working on it.

Number Seven

This is a picture I had about 90% finished six months ago and only just finished it up today. Enjoy! I've found out that I can take more photos to paint than actually get painted.

Woohoo!

We have an offer on our house. They offered, we countered, and they accepted. Please pray that nothing causes it to go sour.

The timing is good. House has enough done that we could clean up and live there. They want to close by Aug. 31st so that gives us about six weeks to put it together and move.

See Posts below.

Would this be better treated as a printed poster and not a painting? Am I missing something here?

Phyl,

I just took this picture twenty minutes ago in my yard. Notice the hawk in the center. This bird has been living in my front yard (and the neighbor's) for at least two weeks. It is either a domesticated bird which has escaped or else has a nest here. How would you handle this photo? How would I paint it?

I think it is a gorgeous silhouette. Cindy thinks that it would be a good backdrop for an inspirational quote splashed across the bottom.

I'm really trying to understand this. Please realize that I don't have time to do a lot of research or studying, nor do I have the money for classes. I have to learn this on my own. Anything you can help me with would be appreciated.

These are some pictures that I am going to be painting in the near future. Phyl, please give me some advice. I have already sketched the seagull and the wagon onto a board, but I think it would be better to paint the entire background first and then do the detail in the front, rather than trying to paint around everything. Am I correct?