Those of you that follow this blog have probably noticed I usually paint several scenes of new subjects. Recently, I finished the two butterflys mentioned in the previous posts and now starting two more. I thought it would be of interest to show some of the process and will post some of the stages during the painting. I was fortunate to obtain some wonderful pictures from my friend Janet to use for reference. Much appreciated.
Start by transferring the necessary parts of the image to the canvas. This can be done by drawing it freehand, using the grid method, enlarging and using carbon paper transfer, or by tracing using opaque projector. I have used all of these methods. I like to draw my images, but the biggest time saver is the opaque projector when tackling a scene of many lines and shapes important to the composition. I use a soft no. 2 lead pencil sharpened to a fine point to lightly trace the outline onto the canvas.Heavy pencil marks are more difficult to cover during the painting. Suggest only tracing the major boundaries to keep it simple. (The minor details can easily be found and put in once you start painting) After the image is penciled in, lightly spray the canvas with a fixative to keep it from smudging during handling and painting. The fixative dries fast so you can start painting within a few minutes of application.
As seen in the pictures, I started with the black parts of the image because it is the biggest area and will maintain the borders for the insertion of the other colors. Also, by working from one side to the other keeps your hand off painted areas. I worked from the upper left to right and downward. Some artists will paint in all areas with color as they go. Sometimes I do depending on the composition.
Now that the black is blocked in, I can work on another painting while it dries.
Your comments and questions are welcome. I would like to hear from you.
Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com
I am building the background and flowers for the butterfly in this scene. It may not look like it, but there is still more to do to the butterfly. The shapes, shades and highlights of the background scenery are important to make the butterfly the most important part of the painting. To make this happen, the flowers need to be pretty but not overwhelming and same for the stems and leaves. Making brights and shadows believable takes a bit of stepping back from the easel and studying the painting at a distance. Making sure the light source and cast shadows in the painting are consistent. More painting to do.
