Sunrise Seagulls - A Work in Progress

While going through some canvases that had been started I came across this painting called Sunrise on the Lake (see posting on 25 Jul 2010).















I have decided to change the name to Sunrise Seagulls and turn it into a painting of the Caribbean, namely the eastern shore of Aruba.

I have indicated where I will change the shape of the rocks to look like the cliffs and have drawn in where I will have the waves coming in toward the shore.

I will post this painting once I have painted in the water and then will figure out where I will place the seagulls.

Tassy and Tracker

At this point I look for any slight smudges that may have occurred during the course of layering in all the details and remove them with a white eraser.

After signing the painting I like to spray a final light layer of fixative over the surface to prevent any of the graphite moving from where it has been placed.



I hope you have enjoyed seeing the way I work on dog head studies from the original sketch through to the completed drawing.

I would like to thank Ms. Mary Ellen Lomax of Bowmanville, Ontario for commissioning me to do this original 11" x 14" framed graphite pencil drawing.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Markings

Now that I have completed Tracker's head it is time to put the markings on Tassy.

This is the time consuming part and a lot of care must be taken as it is very easy to get lost in the placement of the markings.

I started by lightly indicating the masses of freckles at the front of the neck and the direction of the hair whorls.

There was also an almost circular spot where the solid markings of the neck met the freckled mass which I put in as another marker.

Gradually more of the freckles were put into the neck following the direction of the hair.

Care was taken to follow the size and shape of some of the larger spots on the neck and top of the shoulder.

Once the markings were finished I lightly added in a little shadow to the white areas to indicate the muscle mass in the shoulder.

Stained Glass

Today I painted with the Lakefield Creative Arts Guild and discussed the upcoming plans to hold an art show and tea in June. There are many things yet to be worked out including the date which I will post as soon as I know.

I decided that I wanted to do more work on this abstract I had started a while ago (see posts on 13 April 10, 15 April 10 and 18 January 11) and get it completed.

I added a thin line of blue to the left side of the white area and decided that the white bar needed to be toned down slightly. I used a wash of pale blue and then added a hint of alizarin crimson.

Then I added a few more bars, dots and small shapes to the painting in burnt sienna and in various dark mixtures to complete the painting.

Stained Glass is an original 11" x 15” watercolour and will be available when framed for $395.00.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at the artwork.

Rocks and Water 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I just felt like experimenting with sponges and the palette knife to create tress and rocks.

I washed in the sky, added some trees with a sponge. Then using darker paint I put in the colour for the rocks and the water.

As the paint dried slightly I went in and moved the paint with the palette knife to create some rock shapes.

I will post this painting at a later date after it is completed.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Muzzle

For the most part the cheek area is put in with short vertical strokes.

It is an almost flat surface except at the bottom where it meets the lower jaw and curves slightly.

Once the cheek had been completed I marked in the muscle mass at the bottom of the jaw, the placement of the veins in the muzzle and the edge of the dark markings. Tracker is almost finished at this point.

The muscles in the lower jaw are given shape and the dark area of the muzzle it filled in using a mixture of straight and curved lines.

The small dots where the whiskers appear are darkened slightly and the shadow around them is given a little more definition.

Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Nose

Last time I was working on this piece I was not happy with the placement of the nostrils. Rather than work on the painting and make a number of changes and having to erase and rework the drawing which could make a mess beyond being able to repair it, I reworked the nose on a piece of tracing paper.

At this stage I certainly didn't want to end up having to start the entire painting over from scratch.

Finally I was pleased with the nose and transferred the drawing to the paper.

Once again I started with the nostrils, outlining the darkest lines in first as a guide and then worked the lighter areas gradually darkened them.

Once the nostrils were complete I started on the front flat part of the nose which by adding in the shading gives definition to the outer edges of the nostril.

Before I started on the upper part of the nose I lightly added a layer of graphite down the bridge of the nose to set the shape as well as at the base of the nasal bone just above the depression to use as a marker.

I darkened in the back part of the nostril and the bottom edge of the nose and then I added a little shading over the top of the nostrils.

Working below the nose I shaded in the upper lip and lightly indicated the whiskers, which show as the small dots on the flew (upper lip).

Going back to the stop I worked down the bridge of the nose and put the shadows in for the depression under the bottom of the nasal bone.I then completed the upper part of the nose, added more shadows to the side of the nose and beneath it.

The dotted lines of the whiskers were put in and a little more shading was put on the muzzle with curved lines to create the illusion of roundness. Then the upper lip was darkened and the edge of the lips were given more shape and shadows until they were completed.

The jaw line was given a little more definition and the shadows in front of the ear were strengthened. The top edge of the jaw was filled in as was the area below the eye and along the sharp edge of the cheek.