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| "Grandpa Eddie - late 1940's" oil on canvas 16"x20" copyright 2011 Raette Meredith |
Monday, November 21, 2011
It's Grandpa Eddie!
Just finished Grandpa Eddie's portrait. I think I will still have some tweaking to do but for the most part it's done.
Friday, November 11, 2011
It's a week of color
I finally began adding color this week to the Mask painting that I started in September. I can't believe it took a full month for the paint to be dry enough for me to begin adding color! That was a surprise to me.
Meanwhile, while waiting, I started two portraits and finished a 16'high by 48' wide mural, so over all it was a pretty productive month and a half.
The painting is not finished yet, but it is about 80 percent finished. Next I need to add the final touches - like making the feathers look airy and make the metal areas really look shiny. It is very close though...
I will be showing and demonstrating my portraits for Art Hop tomorrow night at the Peddler's Mall from 6-9pm. I will begin adding color to one of the two portraits, and hopefully will be able to talk to a couple of people about murals and commissioned portraits.
Time to be done for the day!
Meanwhile, while waiting, I started two portraits and finished a 16'high by 48' wide mural, so over all it was a pretty productive month and a half.
The painting is not finished yet, but it is about 80 percent finished. Next I need to add the final touches - like making the feathers look airy and make the metal areas really look shiny. It is very close though...
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| "Parade of Masks" - unfinished - oil on canvas - copyright Raette Meredith 2011 |
I will be showing and demonstrating my portraits for Art Hop tomorrow night at the Peddler's Mall from 6-9pm. I will begin adding color to one of the two portraits, and hopefully will be able to talk to a couple of people about murals and commissioned portraits.
Time to be done for the day!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Waiting around for paint to dry
Okay, for the first time in my life I have more than one painting going at a time. The oil paints take FOREVER to dry, so while I wait, I start another.
I started this one yesterday and worked it a little more today - it's of my Grandma Mary Jane when she was young. This is another under painting that is patiently awaiting the addition of color. So far, the Mask painting has been waiting to dry for 2 weeks, and is still a little tacky. I put a softly blowing heater in front of it in hopes that it will speed up the drying process. I will put the one of Grandma Justyne in front of it too.
Okay, so here it is.. There is a detail photo following the full-size photo.
Feedback is greatly appreciated.
I started this one yesterday and worked it a little more today - it's of my Grandma Mary Jane when she was young. This is another under painting that is patiently awaiting the addition of color. So far, the Mask painting has been waiting to dry for 2 weeks, and is still a little tacky. I put a softly blowing heater in front of it in hopes that it will speed up the drying process. I will put the one of Grandma Justyne in front of it too.
Okay, so here it is.. There is a detail photo following the full-size photo.
Feedback is greatly appreciated.
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| "Grandma Mary Jane" under painting - unfinished oil on canvas - 16"x20" copyright Raette Meredith 2011 |
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| "Grandma Mary Jane" - detail under painting - unfinished oil on canvas - 16"x20" copyright Raette Meredith 2011 |
Monday, October 10, 2011
Portrait - Grandma Justyne
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| "Grandma Justyne" oil on canvas 16"x20"x2" copyright 2011 - Raette Meredith --unfinished-- |
Anyways, thought I'd paint it. She looks so strong,young, and hopeful in this photograph. She had her whole life in front of her.
I am using the underpainting technique. I will add a few more highlights this week as I spot areas that need them, then once it is completely dry I will add some color.
I'd really love some input.
Happy Painting!
Raette
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Using a new technique
Experimenting with new techniques keeps painting exciting in my mind. I have been using acrylic paints for my paintings ever since 2003. The thing that I love about acrylics is the immediacy of the work. I feel inspired, paint, and usually finish a painting within about 8 hours time. After a full day of drying and attaching hanging wire to the paintings, they are usually ready to hang and display. This allows me to have new work at every show.
Some of my art friends and clients recently asked me why I haven't been showing work as much in town. The reason is that I am learning a new technique and have different reasons to paint.
After, 9 years of painting with acrylics, and perhaps age has something to do with it, I am taking things a little more slowly. I am still of course inspired by nature and light every day, but for my new paintings I am more focused on painting illustrations. Not illustrations for books (though that would be really fun too), but instead illustrations of a feeling or emotion.. blah blah.. you have read that in previous blog posts by me so I won't go there this time.
All that to say, there is a heck of a lot more planning involved in my new paintings than there ever was before. I now begin with a concept sketch - usually something that comes to me at the edge of a dream. My sketchbook is riddled with ideas for paintings. These sketches are really really rough.. usually I am the only one that knows what the lines mean.
Once I have the concept figured out, I download or take photographs that represent the various components to the painting.
Next, I choose the color theme for the painting - which of course morphs as I paint and new ideas come.
Now here's the new technique. I am switching to oil paints. They just feel awesome moving around the canvas - it's addicting. I thought I'd try the Vermeer technique, (I think I have that right), and ancient technique that the masters used. Basically what this means is "Under painting". So, I paint the entire painting in grey scale, sepia, whatever.. in this first painting I am using grey scale.
Once the under painting is completely dry I will apply the color. The purpose of under painting first is to maximize composition and contrast, lighting, etc... This way, when I go to apply the oil paints, I am not as concerned with the composition, and I will use less paint.
One thing I really really really love about oils is that I can leave the paint out over night, even for several days and it is still ready to use when I come back to it. All I have to do is clean my brush!!!! SOOO COOL!
So, here's where I am at right now. So far I have about 30 working hours into the painting, if not more. I never thought I'd ever say that.
So, if you are wondering why oil paintings cost so much more, that is why.. there USUALLY a lot more time put into the painting, especially if you are using this technique. I am really excited to see how it turns out in the end. Does it make a difference, etc....
What do you think?
I am still working out the composition, etc.. will post progress photos along the journey. The painting is a commission for a local performer, music and theatre instructor. I would disclose her name, but I have to ask permission first.
The photographs I used for the composition were used with the photographer's permission also and I will disclose her name once I have permission from her to do so. I am using three of her photographs and some imagination for the composition.
Happy painting!!!
Raette
(I apologize for any typos that you find - I only claim to be a professional painter, not a professional writer! :)
Some of my art friends and clients recently asked me why I haven't been showing work as much in town. The reason is that I am learning a new technique and have different reasons to paint.
After, 9 years of painting with acrylics, and perhaps age has something to do with it, I am taking things a little more slowly. I am still of course inspired by nature and light every day, but for my new paintings I am more focused on painting illustrations. Not illustrations for books (though that would be really fun too), but instead illustrations of a feeling or emotion.. blah blah.. you have read that in previous blog posts by me so I won't go there this time.
All that to say, there is a heck of a lot more planning involved in my new paintings than there ever was before. I now begin with a concept sketch - usually something that comes to me at the edge of a dream. My sketchbook is riddled with ideas for paintings. These sketches are really really rough.. usually I am the only one that knows what the lines mean.
Once I have the concept figured out, I download or take photographs that represent the various components to the painting.
Next, I choose the color theme for the painting - which of course morphs as I paint and new ideas come.
Now here's the new technique. I am switching to oil paints. They just feel awesome moving around the canvas - it's addicting. I thought I'd try the Vermeer technique, (I think I have that right), and ancient technique that the masters used. Basically what this means is "Under painting". So, I paint the entire painting in grey scale, sepia, whatever.. in this first painting I am using grey scale.
Once the under painting is completely dry I will apply the color. The purpose of under painting first is to maximize composition and contrast, lighting, etc... This way, when I go to apply the oil paints, I am not as concerned with the composition, and I will use less paint.
One thing I really really really love about oils is that I can leave the paint out over night, even for several days and it is still ready to use when I come back to it. All I have to do is clean my brush!!!! SOOO COOL!
So, here's where I am at right now. So far I have about 30 working hours into the painting, if not more. I never thought I'd ever say that.
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| "Mask Parade" unfinished oil on 40"x30" canvas by Raette Meredith - copyright 2011 |
What do you think?
I am still working out the composition, etc.. will post progress photos along the journey. The painting is a commission for a local performer, music and theatre instructor. I would disclose her name, but I have to ask permission first.
The photographs I used for the composition were used with the photographer's permission also and I will disclose her name once I have permission from her to do so. I am using three of her photographs and some imagination for the composition.
Happy painting!!!
Raette
(I apologize for any typos that you find - I only claim to be a professional painter, not a professional writer! :)
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