Challenge November - December 2009

I love your painting kopo. The colors are wonderful. Very expressive!

I hope you don't mind I edited your post and added it to your post in order to avoid confusion.

Now for the steps that I used to add this image:

1) Right click on your image on your blog
2) Select properties
3) Next to Address (URL) select the full URL http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_96VzdZ-Wzx0/Sx-5Hie4kWI/AAAAAAAAALo/psZz4Q4rDR8/s320/asian-person-2_edited-1.jpg You know you've selected the whole URL when at the end of the selected text you see your image name in this case asian-person-2 edited-1.jpg
4) Select Copy
5) Select the Image icon above the reply box. It looks like this . Right Click in the text box and selct past. Select Ok.

If you should have further issues with adding an image to your post. Don't hesitate to ask for further assistance and you can always provide us with the link and we can add it.

Hi Kopo! I'm glad you got your image to show - Your portrait is wonderful!
I like the painterly style, and his expression is great!

Thank you Janet. I did originally start off with my gridding on photo and on canvas. What you have very kindly uploaded was the blocking in. I'll now try and go into reverse and put the first ones in.
Thank you Callie your comment is appreciated.
Jack

That photo is just the blocking in... Wow can't wait to see more. You already captured alot of expression even at this stage.

I can't wait to see it finished! Really looking forward to seeing how this develops. (It does look very good as is, though.)

Now I got the image sent but no text. Ah me but I'll learn. I wont be doing anything more now to the portrait. Thanks for giving me the opportunity topaint what I like best - faces and figures. Looking forward to January.
To all members of this group I wish a happy festive season.
Jack

Jack you did a fantastic job! Love the colors! The form is great and the expression is wonderful! Your painting has great depth. Faces and figures are my favorite subject as well. I hope you have happy and festive season as well.

Just a little tip you have 1 hour after you post to edit your post if you prefer to do so.

Excellent! ...and everything Janet said, too
Happy Holidays to you Jack - and we'll be sure to include a face/figure in the next group challenge. Until then, feel free to share your artwork with us in any of the other painting threads.
Thanks for joining in!

Nicely done Jack. I really like your use of colour. Have a great holiday season! I'm looking forward to your January challenge project.

Gave the W&N Artisan a test run on this painting. I keep hearing that they're stiff or thick. I didn't find that at all. I found them thin. Still too soon to tell because I'm not really use to painting animals so once I get to the portrait I think I'll get a better idea how they work. 16X12 on black gessoed canvas.

Love the colors and textures. That tree trunk looks great - the lion's expression is well done, she's got that drowsy look, like she's ready to doze for awhile.
My only nit-pic is the rocks - they're looking kind of soft, pillowy. < Ignore that if you're not finished yet.
I really like how these colors look on the black gesso ground. Looks like a good choice for things with fur or feathers.

Very nicely done, Janet. I love the tawny colours and the tree trunk.

Callie, Thank you! I see what you mean about the rocks. Maybe too many small brushstrokes. I do find the black gesso works well with animals. The tips of my scriptliner brushes kept falling off so I called it finished.

I used 1/2 thinner and 1/2 linseed oil for my medium but I think that the W&N is thinner out of the tube then the Holbein so it doesn't work so great. I think for the next one I might try painting straight out of the tube maybe just using the thinner for the darkest areas or try the M. Graham Alkyd medium. I have some and I didn't even know that I had it. I'm an art supply junkie.

Sofie, Thank you for your kind words!

I have to try everything too, Janet. I think the walnut alkyd is just right for the Artisan oils. If you try it out, let us know what you think over in the ws mediums thread.

Janet,
How do you have time to do such beautiful work? I'm still just thinking about another challenge painting and here you have one all done. I really like the black gesso background. It makes the lion stand out as the center of attention.
Judy

Callie, I might give it another go with the walnut alkyd medium on something simple eventually.

Judy, Thank you! Hopefully I'll have time to do more. Still working on those swatches. I didn't anticpate that it would take so long to complete them.

Here's the next stage of my challenge picture. I need to lighten parts of the sky, go over the branches and shadow again, and change the shoreline, but it's getting there.

Sofie - it's beautiful! Nice work on the shadow. Even though it's not quite done, it's a winner

Sofie, your painting is looking great! Like Callie I really like your shadow. Very nice colors. Looking forward to your next update.

Hi Sofie
I hope you are not going to do too much more to your painting. What i see is a work which can be framed and hung now. It is extremely pleasing and very painterly.
Jack

Sofie that is just beautiful !

I think I've finished the painting. I've adjusted the colours quite a bit, but as I took the pic indoors at night without a flash, they doen't show up true and the pic isn't as sharp as it could be. I'll try to get an outdoor shot tomorrow - if it's not raining . . . but this IS the west coast.

Wow! Beautiful!

Well done, Sofie! Once again, I got lost in the branches and almost forgot to comment (kind of like staring at a mandala). I like how the tree comes out of the ground, too.
Excellent!