tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41762854501568988632024-03-13T03:44:21.404-04:00Zeh Original Art Blog Watercolor and Oil PaintingsJanet Zeh Art Blog - paintings of birds, flowers, seascapes and country landscapes.Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.comBlogger865125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-12963648717946996112016-09-27T19:41:00.000-04:002016-09-27T19:41:45.702-04:00Maltese Poodle Dog Pet Portrait in Oils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hkCZ75L8E8YASu-gk79gtjKHTndJKIZYI9N-ROpRUUVZ33YbPxHPDBD7eLJypIByFETHuV0VmvVNG4r23fB3zLhkRVoRGAx1zxfrT20X5k7hS20TdN8OJzWlsG8e-C-E2UaFeFHnJe0/s1600/maltese-poodle--dog-portrait8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hkCZ75L8E8YASu-gk79gtjKHTndJKIZYI9N-ROpRUUVZ33YbPxHPDBD7eLJypIByFETHuV0VmvVNG4r23fB3zLhkRVoRGAx1zxfrT20X5k7hS20TdN8OJzWlsG8e-C-E2UaFeFHnJe0/s200/maltese-poodle--dog-portrait8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Riley is a lovable Maltese Poodle - at least to his owner whom he follows around everywhere. He is also 15 years old!<br />
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My client has a <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2014/05/pet-portrait-of-mixed-breed-rescue-dog.html">7x5 oil portrait that I had painted of her dog, Lila</a>, and wants a similar portrait of Riley to hang on the wall next to Lila's.<br />
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The photo she sent to the left is the one I will use as reference for a head and chest portrait.<br />
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It was taken from above which makes the chest look too small compared to the head. I will fix this in the drawing so it looks like we are seeing Riley at his level.<br />
Read more to see how I painted his portrait!<br />
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The client has requested a blue background, so after sketching Riley on the canvas, I paint a soft blue around him:<br />
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Once the background is painted, I start on his fur. Blending his white fur into a wet background helps it look softer around the edges.<br />
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Riley is mostly white, but he has some pink and tan tones on his face. I paint the shadows with a violet gray:<br />
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The fur on his face is roughly blocked in. I will work on it more later, but for now, I'll complete all his fur:<br />
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Dark shadow tones are laid in first, then white will be painted on top:<br />
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Once all his fur is blocked in, I lighten the area around his mouth. The client asked me to eliminate the tangles of fur on his face, but she still wants him to look like himself. Riley has problems with his teeth and won't let anyone brush the fur around his mouth because it hurts. Poor thing! <br />
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Last, I begin to paint his features:<br />
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You can click the images to see them larger:<br />
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Eyes are next:<br />
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Now it's time to stand back a little to see how things look. Even though I'd originally decided to leave out his collar (Lila does not have one in her portrait), I think Riley could use a bit of color. His collar is blue, which will match the background...<br />
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The client has left it up to me to decide, so I'll give it a go:<br />
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I like it! I'll add his tags as a last detail...<br />
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and below is the finished portrait of Riley:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJb7gQYaIyEphP7fxrCXfqAN_LRS_9ApbYnjlsPGZyTARhwlarLTzQuocqPPhvfI4uS60TATzzc9e0c5GQ_THWuR-lOGtGWljcPPjsrk_Cdtozh-_MAMoGmDrLJ8dODKJ5dLeRo9HF2uw/s1600/20H16-Riley-7x5-oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The finished portrait of Riley, a Maltese Poodle" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJb7gQYaIyEphP7fxrCXfqAN_LRS_9ApbYnjlsPGZyTARhwlarLTzQuocqPPhvfI4uS60TATzzc9e0c5GQ_THWuR-lOGtGWljcPPjsrk_Cdtozh-_MAMoGmDrLJ8dODKJ5dLeRo9HF2uw/s400/20H16-Riley-7x5-oil.jpg" title="Riley - Maltese Poodle Pet Portrait " width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley - 7x5 Oil Portrait of a Maltese Poodle</td></tr>
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My client was happy and excited with the finished portrait. When it arrived, she hung it up with Lila's and sent me a picture. They look great together, don't you think?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXzCCj0SyB9oveDICufbppmIsLW7HapiGpDHGB-8jHBUiQokz1XtOxwsrE6EKCcsSiuNb7w8BTtoo6ikPumareYAqY2ziRkPmAxAHnkDfPxzLOF4_sG1BSjpq4JOWtXi3qi_I8f5IRbM/s1600/Lila-and-Riley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXzCCj0SyB9oveDICufbppmIsLW7HapiGpDHGB-8jHBUiQokz1XtOxwsrE6EKCcsSiuNb7w8BTtoo6ikPumareYAqY2ziRkPmAxAHnkDfPxzLOF4_sG1BSjpq4JOWtXi3qi_I8f5IRbM/s1600/Lila-and-Riley.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lila and Riley pet portraits</td></tr>
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<a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2014/05/pet-portrait-of-mixed-breed-rescue-dog.html">To see how Lila's portrait was painted, click here.</a><br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
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<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-78651717837275551652016-09-07T11:11:00.000-04:002016-09-07T11:11:09.815-04:00Forever in Paradise Custom Oil Portrait of Two Young People at a Tropical Ocean Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summer is drawing to a close here, but in tropical places, the beach is almost always warm and inviting.<br />
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This custom portrait is of a couple enjoying a dip in the waters of a tropical island. Read more to view my 10 steps to paint this piece:<br />
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STEP 1: In the original photo, the man is very close to the camera and the woman looks too far back in comparison. He is bigger than she is, but not that much!<br />
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So I correct this distortion in the drawing before I paint. You can see the correction a few steps down.<br />
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STEP 2: I paint the couple using wet washes of alizarin crimson mixed with French ultramarine blue. You can click any image to see it larger:<br />
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This first wash is focused on values (lights and darks) to round the forms and gives me a base to work from when adding color. It's much easier to paint portraits this way!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zsH8Gv_zEQR8HGpLXlzCh0VfKLhwk1hmabQx3EArv4yQY3ypq2h8WlXMNhbHyvcmM3iV6z733aJ6muSVUBFDNvjgwreoKFoPhD3udp8JgxRyhMvTv8aoKwpv6_Ozh1SBGR-jWw3Xp_0/s1600/portrait-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zsH8Gv_zEQR8HGpLXlzCh0VfKLhwk1hmabQx3EArv4yQY3ypq2h8WlXMNhbHyvcmM3iV6z733aJ6muSVUBFDNvjgwreoKFoPhD3udp8JgxRyhMvTv8aoKwpv6_Ozh1SBGR-jWw3Xp_0/s400/portrait-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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STEP 3: When this is dry, I paint skin color following the forms of the face outlined in the initial wash:<br />
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STEP 4: I paint his nose, mouth and eyebrows and continue the skin tones to his shoulders and chest:<br />
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STEP 5: Next I paint his curly brown hair. Then I'll complete his eyes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9exbm9n_q8a0ne_jKjNEODGIA8oGIihJc8KCsiDHA9VRPe6VqUA9sWxqvruBOuamjswl_tetCpv5GeUaOIiLAZwD_JJy5KSroitxMTRf2I_LO3X4gPlmAWvlGMzQhZEU-VEEy7sJF99U/s1600/portrait-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9exbm9n_q8a0ne_jKjNEODGIA8oGIihJc8KCsiDHA9VRPe6VqUA9sWxqvruBOuamjswl_tetCpv5GeUaOIiLAZwD_JJy5KSroitxMTRf2I_LO3X4gPlmAWvlGMzQhZEU-VEEy7sJF99U/s400/portrait-7.jpg" width="383" /></a></div>
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STEP 6: I paint the woman in the same manner after adding some initial color to the water and sky. The background will help me match the reflected light on their skin and hair:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFABzCOTpNypTzSLBYo88rcb0GCOHuOvi6SS7aKJn_WahPBjlxehWsxxZ4h-ZK8_q81FqxvqKK8OfMDzS1YrW8AQSpEh9IWCg27_H-e70t21ApaPrheLHRarix89GZnOAuB-R-WSk_lXg/s1600/portrait-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFABzCOTpNypTzSLBYo88rcb0GCOHuOvi6SS7aKJn_WahPBjlxehWsxxZ4h-ZK8_q81FqxvqKK8OfMDzS1YrW8AQSpEh9IWCg27_H-e70t21ApaPrheLHRarix89GZnOAuB-R-WSk_lXg/s400/portrait-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Look closely and you will see reflected turquoise color on his chin and the right edge of her face, neck and shoulder:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-sjbM7Zb1DvbGv2zDgqui08DRmoxGZEUaF8ya_kP-Dbvd1eQoY7fO-2_xrdSLCU33mguI49CQq8wzV202Zg7XYt_LSYuWenL_aXHhAp5t9vt-LaxZ2-ixhOM9upSijHmo5bgrnjAyuk/s1600/portrait-10a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-sjbM7Zb1DvbGv2zDgqui08DRmoxGZEUaF8ya_kP-Dbvd1eQoY7fO-2_xrdSLCU33mguI49CQq8wzV202Zg7XYt_LSYuWenL_aXHhAp5t9vt-LaxZ2-ixhOM9upSijHmo5bgrnjAyuk/s400/portrait-10a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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STEP 7: Her blond hair is next. I begin with dark brown over which I'll paint blond highlights:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSfI2y5GGMZWtgwAJU7HTlEp39FU4cn9TlhkTDYSYfn3Q0mtkQF4-J-ZIOpygMi4GEwXLhll1uGpSEQ4pprPZTtRpjFlcEz8cmwQnNqTO41TpvHZa3btZXYezBOz9OIpP0et84Nw2-1c/s1600/portrait-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSfI2y5GGMZWtgwAJU7HTlEp39FU4cn9TlhkTDYSYfn3Q0mtkQF4-J-ZIOpygMi4GEwXLhll1uGpSEQ4pprPZTtRpjFlcEz8cmwQnNqTO41TpvHZa3btZXYezBOz9OIpP0et84Nw2-1c/s400/portrait-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Her long hair on the right side is kept darker since it is in shadow and is wet:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan_CuXtH0pvZUmGTughOo6-UAaUmcrZ19jqwbcYhBxSWV_UTO6K2XXPiSLRGkqfnAfupuW7aYhauKMoHztYxMzx9_oWJkP9D7t3WNHp9LnWOB0VT30o7bTwW3e5Quj5sPl-cV9DDw6tA/s1600/portrait-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan_CuXtH0pvZUmGTughOo6-UAaUmcrZ19jqwbcYhBxSWV_UTO6K2XXPiSLRGkqfnAfupuW7aYhauKMoHztYxMzx9_oWJkP9D7t3WNHp9LnWOB0VT30o7bTwW3e5Quj5sPl-cV9DDw6tA/s400/portrait-12.jpg" width="362" /></a></div>
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STEP 9: I add details such as her sparkling necklace:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9-LCH_WpyJg7fQVxPO86zSdmIh8fjITOhIIL0-HJJfcHidY8PxfysnKoxIlFd89QtQ90gCRosf8FME_8RMmWtxhdRTX-OcOu-fNBiGUVDiSL_5skVwwxqZhWKCrZbALVWN9uwLh6yB8/s1600/portrait-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9-LCH_WpyJg7fQVxPO86zSdmIh8fjITOhIIL0-HJJfcHidY8PxfysnKoxIlFd89QtQ90gCRosf8FME_8RMmWtxhdRTX-OcOu-fNBiGUVDiSL_5skVwwxqZhWKCrZbALVWN9uwLh6yB8/s400/portrait-14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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STEP 10: Last, I paint the foreground water. Her arm and swimsuit are visible through the clear water, but the water is not still, so they are painted choppy. I add bubbles and splashes to further suggest the water's motion.<br />
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I also touch up any areas that need more detail until I'm satisfied. Though the painting seems almost complete, the final touch ups always take longest!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglW4MFXCVIk-HpU75gM7s6mE0NYVzCJ-yXNRLlnp55kwO_Yiu4wNNCLg3YkczVFaijwfsu8RZdsSsZ5YY11ze5t-2r39aeq8lP4TLg_BvjPsm-RSS3cKc5b3vnvpmSdehEyhK_8xVG6CM/s1600/portrait-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglW4MFXCVIk-HpU75gM7s6mE0NYVzCJ-yXNRLlnp55kwO_Yiu4wNNCLg3YkczVFaijwfsu8RZdsSsZ5YY11ze5t-2r39aeq8lP4TLg_BvjPsm-RSS3cKc5b3vnvpmSdehEyhK_8xVG6CM/s400/portrait-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the completed 14x18 oil portrait. I allow my clients the option to name their custom paintings. This client named the piece "Forever in Paradise" which is perfect!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZTwwFrNP-S8heKKCDkOrPemtsT4XlDFLzwSj0r5U2qKpXqWYMHKHBadOh2zyiKe6WIe38zwzcZaPXcj1fUEFl2ITI0jVcy1Jft4VPu2k8BER67LNzLh21g0_8-UyI2rzqK9LOAmzcdY/s1600/19F15forever-in-paradise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Completed oil portrait of two young people at a tropical beach" border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZTwwFrNP-S8heKKCDkOrPemtsT4XlDFLzwSj0r5U2qKpXqWYMHKHBadOh2zyiKe6WIe38zwzcZaPXcj1fUEFl2ITI0jVcy1Jft4VPu2k8BER67LNzLh21g0_8-UyI2rzqK9LOAmzcdY/s400/19F15forever-in-paradise.jpg" title="Custom Oil Portrait of a Couple at a Tropical Beach" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Forever in Paradise' custom 14x18" oil portrait painting</td></tr>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
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<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-27561156455230446602016-08-15T09:13:00.000-04:002017-05-18T10:44:27.595-04:00Watercolor and Ink Landscape Painting from Lake District in Cumbria, UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YibYJE71JxvTcvsTR5GgyLvieWVdBHObJzcpGdZ2v0iVWczZtI0fXA1N4Ffl8-Vyl3l5-9IbnPmTHkew0ta7wYws23o7LL-N4aV-Kb-9bmyUntc2oBCBgsYD-E7EtjWJ1NFZGwNanE8/s1600/19H16-Cumbria-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YibYJE71JxvTcvsTR5GgyLvieWVdBHObJzcpGdZ2v0iVWczZtI0fXA1N4Ffl8-Vyl3l5-9IbnPmTHkew0ta7wYws23o7LL-N4aV-Kb-9bmyUntc2oBCBgsYD-E7EtjWJ1NFZGwNanE8/s200/19H16-Cumbria-detail.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Cumbria, England is a remarkably scenic area abounding with blue mountains, lush green meadows enclosed by stone walls and sheep grazing on the hillsides.<br />
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I painted this <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2009/01/english-countryside-cumbria-lakes.html" target="_blank">Cumbria landscape</a> several years ago as a 5x7 watercolor. This time, I will paint it at 8x10 using ink with watercolor. It's wonderfully fun! Keep reading to see how.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The first step after drawing the scene in pencil and taping the paper to a board, is to make horizontal washes of color with a large brush. The colors are roughly what the final colors will be in those areas. <br />
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I use very wet paint allowing the bands of color to blend together at will (I love this part!). The sheep will stay white, so I paint around them:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6ZGHC5UKwfELVzAmNvHoLIg3TnTbIu8GFMq1C52Pqg57VwXxv8KMmLDgVNIpvYes6qqOY5LdX2gbNUtS1wP_axo_Z6NNN1GxmsN9B-pH7GZfH_nQBdj9YdpUSOOe6blbRjBWlVdB2xQ/s1600/cumbria1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6ZGHC5UKwfELVzAmNvHoLIg3TnTbIu8GFMq1C52Pqg57VwXxv8KMmLDgVNIpvYes6qqOY5LdX2gbNUtS1wP_axo_Z6NNN1GxmsN9B-pH7GZfH_nQBdj9YdpUSOOe6blbRjBWlVdB2xQ/s400/cumbria1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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See the sky? I like how the sky came out and will leave it just as is without touch ups.<br />
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<li>That's blue painting tape you see around the edges above. Taping the paper to a board helps the paper flatten once the paint dries and, as a bonus, will leave a nice white border around the painting once I remove it at the end. If the painting is larger than 8x10, I also staple the paper to the board before taping.</li>
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Next step is to let the paper dry until it lies flat. <br />
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Once dry, I use a Prismacolor Premier Marker to outline over the pencil drawing. The marker is both permanent and acid-free so it will stay black and not turn brown in a few years (the way a Sharpie marker will).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DM6xDx0wLOw09VcmOBIcfra_Yy2RG4qXfPa3F3cRhWUMj6uviFB8ZRnJcgILzPPZETxKhJl9xIKUCPyYrEr8XryNmcLPOv0uxrOQCrWX_Ib2ZQfVqm3GwZcgbGCxhjYhoX1RwgwMjJU/s1600/cumbria2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DM6xDx0wLOw09VcmOBIcfra_Yy2RG4qXfPa3F3cRhWUMj6uviFB8ZRnJcgILzPPZETxKhJl9xIKUCPyYrEr8XryNmcLPOv0uxrOQCrWX_Ib2ZQfVqm3GwZcgbGCxhjYhoX1RwgwMjJU/s400/cumbria2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After all the outlines are drawn, I use watercolor to shade the various land forms...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaawC3JwOCC6vlPyFmca9z5NGR6ZkHgTvzbAKke8I3lbkH3tuFOeZW_HfOnIyhJfqgBX4yDFj2VgGtMrAfAJJ36j1uOrHO4yVbQwQc9EDaZWo20E94LgwT1ycYe8giIq9SR13jST_kSe4/s1600/cumbria3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaawC3JwOCC6vlPyFmca9z5NGR6ZkHgTvzbAKke8I3lbkH3tuFOeZW_HfOnIyhJfqgBX4yDFj2VgGtMrAfAJJ36j1uOrHO4yVbQwQc9EDaZWo20E94LgwT1ycYe8giIq9SR13jST_kSe4/s400/cumbria3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And the sheep...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_atnmW8NWDGUF_WDD7hyphenhyphenq6eKExyGtSi7xZkJYkNaqZbX0obwz4fQ4yr_qEV0xVgF23UMGKdU_VMAK50oIkVBMivjQ_PtDv7sfRK9BjQCzE2iEbjZgU-E8-BcifmKJScTQQqyqIduASOU/s1600/cumbria4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_atnmW8NWDGUF_WDD7hyphenhyphenq6eKExyGtSi7xZkJYkNaqZbX0obwz4fQ4yr_qEV0xVgF23UMGKdU_VMAK50oIkVBMivjQ_PtDv7sfRK9BjQCzE2iEbjZgU-E8-BcifmKJScTQQqyqIduASOU/s400/cumbria4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I paint color and shading until I'm happy with the result. I really like how watercolor and ink works for a quaint country landscape, don't you?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94YXE-adMdcbCX4FHENa_6upW53ryK1bUJhK45Go6TEn6B2yGvNM8yJFwXkZ9ZbpmAdeOeMUHHi-n94zINth-r416paoGgBpqcwccMNmV5bQK_Ba1HLjKmET_J8x7XACAymk7tbki8Q8/s1600/19H16-Cumbria-8x10-wc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Watercolor and ink painting of sheep grazing in Cumbria, England" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94YXE-adMdcbCX4FHENa_6upW53ryK1bUJhK45Go6TEn6B2yGvNM8yJFwXkZ9ZbpmAdeOeMUHHi-n94zINth-r416paoGgBpqcwccMNmV5bQK_Ba1HLjKmET_J8x7XACAymk7tbki8Q8/s400/19H16-Cumbria-8x10-wc.jpg" title="8x10 Watercolor and ink painting of sheep grazing in Cumbria, England" width="400" /></a></div>
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And I found a perfect wood frame for it:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7odNvTWNyLDrGyH-SC-vk6VyckCDlBdvWU-uza8OrkrSJnpuQXMTAZ8VR8U0sJzBU_gPUjEichXv1qV5N3RLK375l0WMvz1AgbyDOLDjnEi-mkd2H6QPSLJcw0vZKfO4kBJP-BTXEK-4/s1600/19H16-Cumbria-8x10-framed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Framed watercolor and ink painting of sheep in Cumbria, England 14x17 inches" border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7odNvTWNyLDrGyH-SC-vk6VyckCDlBdvWU-uza8OrkrSJnpuQXMTAZ8VR8U0sJzBU_gPUjEichXv1qV5N3RLK375l0WMvz1AgbyDOLDjnEi-mkd2H6QPSLJcw0vZKfO4kBJP-BTXEK-4/s400/19H16-Cumbria-8x10-framed.jpg" title="Framed watercolor and ink painting of sheep in Cumbria, England 14x17 inches" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cumbria" framed watercolor and ink painting </td></tr>
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<br />Thank you for stopping by to enjoy this fun painting today!<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-70854312888931708982016-07-24T17:15:00.001-04:002016-07-24T17:17:47.903-04:00First Walk on the Beach - Custom Watercolor Painting<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp9bzekggfanJ1wLzL09L7ZSN2lQ1sW63zls9_WlCJQIM44q6nOSjFRGMjSQa33ioIoD894eaqvOi3FHJZUfhs8gdcwanhJdT0aFF2qEOKMSzJ_NLAHtiaoO6sDW7Ae49BYmdI1nlAyM/s1600/first-walk-on-beach-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp9bzekggfanJ1wLzL09L7ZSN2lQ1sW63zls9_WlCJQIM44q6nOSjFRGMjSQa33ioIoD894eaqvOi3FHJZUfhs8gdcwanhJdT0aFF2qEOKMSzJ_NLAHtiaoO6sDW7Ae49BYmdI1nlAyM/s200/first-walk-on-beach-thumb.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of 'First Walk on the Beach'</td></tr>
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Sizzling summer days are the perfect time to visit the seashore, and what could be more fun than taking a small child to chase the waves?<br />
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In this commissioned watercolor, Grandpa holds tightly to his little granddaughter's hand on her very first visit to the ocean. I had fun painting it. It reminds me of many happy beach days when my own children were small.<br />
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To see the finished painting, scroll to the bottom of this post. Meanwhile, I'll show you how I painted it.<br />
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To begin, I draw the scene on my watercolor paper with pencil, then wash in the colors of the sky and sand with blues and rose:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CdJL6QIySN30foZSi88oJqJtLu01s-2mJDaH7ESDiDz5ITnsJirgxr2eN1v_6xmfPxbj8Fg-nrd2Am_0tkLu_pKa_s-yTot43LxERysYHd-IjnY883lF1hesBxotLiS4SHMvpUymVfI/s1600/first-walk-on-beach1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="517" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CdJL6QIySN30foZSi88oJqJtLu01s-2mJDaH7ESDiDz5ITnsJirgxr2eN1v_6xmfPxbj8Fg-nrd2Am_0tkLu_pKa_s-yTot43LxERysYHd-IjnY883lF1hesBxotLiS4SHMvpUymVfI/s640/first-walk-on-beach1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next I paint the same colors in the ocean leaving the foaming wave caps white. While the paint is still wet, I add a touch of yellow to the undersides of the waves:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTXt8jAqCan5GmbUA6SoYa_Y8pl8jght00tMHQROkf1YtW3XlRCU2i9cr_PxKICQaP1ziRipyS6xUF-DuqTZ-JlhXkW3wtxZ9RBpptla4_B5n0BTyUWmrO13Y3SkNa2k4OHVkK8iKIjY/s1600/first-walk-on-beach2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTXt8jAqCan5GmbUA6SoYa_Y8pl8jght00tMHQROkf1YtW3XlRCU2i9cr_PxKICQaP1ziRipyS6xUF-DuqTZ-JlhXkW3wtxZ9RBpptla4_B5n0BTyUWmrO13Y3SkNa2k4OHVkK8iKIjY/s640/first-walk-on-beach2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When that wash is dry, I work on adding detail to the waves:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3i2LIbvr4tU27OKiBNSR76S1TIk0duqe8IpvV1FjSXhJeYGGTN2IsdlaFyGUJqCui9vNrVx09tFJ2ZzJjR8Dy39nsh-pV9tXSKXznxAvivVcDaSp_bQcxsS_d1XnoHObhP7R-befNQg/s1600/first-walk-on-beach3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3i2LIbvr4tU27OKiBNSR76S1TIk0duqe8IpvV1FjSXhJeYGGTN2IsdlaFyGUJqCui9vNrVx09tFJ2ZzJjR8Dy39nsh-pV9tXSKXznxAvivVcDaSp_bQcxsS_d1XnoHObhP7R-befNQg/s640/first-walk-on-beach3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Until it looks like this:<br />
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Next, I add the reflections of the two figures in the wet sand. I love painting reflections!<br />
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The best part (painting the people) is saved for last. I begin with light washes of color to denote their skin tones, hair, clothing and the girl's bright yellow hat:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOPfPPUjjtw0kJfC-ay2FhoUgXJ0WVBb3cIzgzAwfdjFJv5AJQA0IC-7rytl0HVCRNfIK4vYRdacJwmBTN72zW5IFQff5Hy1lEeVOBjWpxKQlYxEawDW6e3fMFxzYSnp6UahmNOLXei0/s1600/first-walk-on-beach6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="511" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOPfPPUjjtw0kJfC-ay2FhoUgXJ0WVBb3cIzgzAwfdjFJv5AJQA0IC-7rytl0HVCRNfIK4vYRdacJwmBTN72zW5IFQff5Hy1lEeVOBjWpxKQlYxEawDW6e3fMFxzYSnp6UahmNOLXei0/s640/first-walk-on-beach6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the first washes have dried, I add shading to round the forms (you can click any image to see it larger):<br />
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It takes some time to finish the painting by adjusting values, colors and detail until I'm finally happy with the result. As you can see, there is quite a bit of work involved here. But I keep the details focused on and around the figures leaving the reflections, sky and distant water as they were:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW4PKIeZTBKSXA9_iyTR3XD-OznUEO8u0-PY-RG4d3tsr0UbQGqp8Zda7P9A2OYgGO0iOv91m8NbSVMOlNmYU_7wyqkQrAaMlAov9wHcBY4DqCOimYyp2JYlshKhl2jFssK-dSbYQjdE/s1600/17G16-first-walk-on-beach-8x10-wc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A small child visits the beach for the first time with her Grandpa" border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW4PKIeZTBKSXA9_iyTR3XD-OznUEO8u0-PY-RG4d3tsr0UbQGqp8Zda7P9A2OYgGO0iOv91m8NbSVMOlNmYU_7wyqkQrAaMlAov9wHcBY4DqCOimYyp2JYlshKhl2jFssK-dSbYQjdE/s640/17G16-first-walk-on-beach-8x10-wc.jpg" title="First Walk on the Beach Custom Watercolor Painting" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia's First Walk on the Beach - 8x10 watercolor painting</td></tr>
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The client is thrilled. This will be a very special birthday present for her husband who is the Grandpa in the painting.<br />
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<blockquote>
OMG! That is so PERFECT! You do amazing work. I just LOVE IT!!!! ... This is my husband’s favorite picture and you did a wonderful job of making it look so real and so special at the same time. Thank you!</blockquote>
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I hope you enjoyed following along. Thanks for visiting my blog and taking a trip to the ocean with me!<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-47503466802437088282016-06-13T10:08:00.000-04:002016-06-13T10:08:29.167-04:00Pet Portrait of a Schnauzer Dog in Oil on Canvas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5X3rG3xe88RQ4qlsBLOuTdPgP2Oenga-fDo9OMDhkXZBHROHovjhnBfndFm6ymxOtih1hauV156QRgRE13l_7703W2Ab8FB081u2rRTJLbksWnSbG8D4Eci9AKjbWAhOROBRiT0owOY/s1600/nick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5X3rG3xe88RQ4qlsBLOuTdPgP2Oenga-fDo9OMDhkXZBHROHovjhnBfndFm6ymxOtih1hauV156QRgRE13l_7703W2Ab8FB081u2rRTJLbksWnSbG8D4Eci9AKjbWAhOROBRiT0owOY/s200/nick.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Nick</td></tr>
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German Schnauzer's are wonderful family dogs: intelligent, playful, energetic and protective of family. They can be stubborn, but they are very trainable and thrive on being outdoors with lots to do. So they make good farm dogs too.<br />
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Nick is all of those things. He lives with my brother and sister-in-law and travels many hours with them without complaint whenever they visit. We're as happy to see him as he is to see us.<br />
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Nick is so special, I decided he needed a painting of himself! To see a short demo of the 6x8 oil on canvas portrait (which was a gift for my brother and sister-in-law), read on...<br />
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Since Nick loves being outdoors, I paint a green grass background after sketching him on the canvas:<br />
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Then I begin to paint him starting with his ears and working my way down. I use mixes of white, burnt sienna and ultramarine blue to make his gray fur:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMJ9P2YjsfKd0BTJ4F76fOZDUlfWvN77rpwLMcimxD69k95guqIP9FBIuojgVU_bO3HxiGuHmNd9st9jwk-lDJtXCLkHV6e1iWBfcrx45tICyjeZrEsxrzwspV7gNBMTV_SXFukJI62E/s1600/dog-portrait-nick2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMJ9P2YjsfKd0BTJ4F76fOZDUlfWvN77rpwLMcimxD69k95guqIP9FBIuojgVU_bO3HxiGuHmNd9st9jwk-lDJtXCLkHV6e1iWBfcrx45tICyjeZrEsxrzwspV7gNBMTV_SXFukJI62E/s640/dog-portrait-nick2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I skip the eyes, nose and mouth for now. Now that his collar is painted, a bit of the same blue in the upper background would be nice, so I paint over the green with Winsor blue and ultramarine to match his collar, but in a more muted tone:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA09ylb8GrK8y5xN8Z2hXN2EKLUTebJCh9fSX_uHSuyVQNtmleO25Ixe2Pn6ZHyM0nECRFAqGLbnNzUfVXcDbKciv4THWy6V3paO92ppzYzDmZ5R3PlfsIuLkqdAk6aw6JFsNVZPyyuU/s1600/dog-portrait-nick3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA09ylb8GrK8y5xN8Z2hXN2EKLUTebJCh9fSX_uHSuyVQNtmleO25Ixe2Pn6ZHyM0nECRFAqGLbnNzUfVXcDbKciv4THWy6V3paO92ppzYzDmZ5R3PlfsIuLkqdAk6aw6JFsNVZPyyuU/s640/dog-portrait-nick3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Before totally finishing his fur, I have the urge to paint his cute face:<br />
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A soft yellow ball is a favorite of his for playing catch, so I make sure to include it:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66O81zAGPr-XcI7yeHnCBYo8UvLKAq33KmjNaeG8tRKtcm9zkxIq1AayxbmQ7SDxEmhPZovcOjLG1w7xBpBSAy5i0Y_UOLjrx64RpDwfSwheMYjkEinXxQ9igaO3or6ApANVVjzYh2Lo/s1600/dog-portrait-nick5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66O81zAGPr-XcI7yeHnCBYo8UvLKAq33KmjNaeG8tRKtcm9zkxIq1AayxbmQ7SDxEmhPZovcOjLG1w7xBpBSAy5i0Y_UOLjrx64RpDwfSwheMYjkEinXxQ9igaO3or6ApANVVjzYh2Lo/s400/dog-portrait-nick5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the finished portrait. Doesn't he look as happy as a dog can be?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd5fNK-w4PkNSrBfsUqOfdaAvFIGMfYRBoqTa4UabyklrcGs7RK-5GPy2KYnR9HRJqzlNrjtg3ISZrPAQEgkTxCD2BseCkz6U6YdFSAfgfPMate6cM09g_2udiRBG_yvPcSVc36ErUv0/s1600/44L15-dog-portrait-Nick-oil-8x6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Finished portrait of Nick" border="0" height="531" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd5fNK-w4PkNSrBfsUqOfdaAvFIGMfYRBoqTa4UabyklrcGs7RK-5GPy2KYnR9HRJqzlNrjtg3ISZrPAQEgkTxCD2BseCkz6U6YdFSAfgfPMate6cM09g_2udiRBG_yvPcSVc36ErUv0/s640/44L15-dog-portrait-Nick-oil-8x6.jpg" title="Pet Portrait of a German Schnauzer in Oil on Canvas" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick - Schnauzer Dog Portrait 8x6 oil Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-35994880749557375532016-06-05T18:21:00.000-04:002016-06-05T18:23:31.748-04:00Whippet Dog Pet Portrait in Oil on Canvas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9li4aGH4sf7axu07fu2_V5LYhUJtdCRzkF1iBR8HBONtxv2BJ3ToIVM4dCzDIQit0H9hxQYecYwCchISaQUHtVJeSPAqWNrChvvCYH13MkrI2QjDZ8ZvyygwQBskZ1RLMneXJPJ2NHI/s1600/Ekeko-thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9li4aGH4sf7axu07fu2_V5LYhUJtdCRzkF1iBR8HBONtxv2BJ3ToIVM4dCzDIQit0H9hxQYecYwCchISaQUHtVJeSPAqWNrChvvCYH13MkrI2QjDZ8ZvyygwQBskZ1RLMneXJPJ2NHI/s200/Ekeko-thumbnail.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
It's a great feeling when someone who received one of my paintings as a gift likes it so much they ask me to do another painting.<br />
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This pet portrait was just that. The client had received a portrait of her dog as a bridesmaid gift. She asked me to paint her mother's dog, a beautiful <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2014/05/dog-pet-portrait-of-whippet-in-oils.html">Whippet</a> named Ekeko.<br />
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She decides on a small 7x5 in oil. Read on to see the progress of this <a href="http://zehpetportraits.com/">pet portrait</a>...<br />
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Judging from the image below, it looks like I've found a new style of canvas called camo!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu_XYkC_8xGHRiWlnhN-zUQNdsIV5PXHy9-AXy4XbftATaRlsXdkdShOjjSzGfzKkUju-FfrRXCK132Q4uugZC-MbIP8_1YCBmZ-74q7jHekyoAhUi6wbKKQJD_02TC64YSBc7lBhbdY/s1600/Ekeko1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtu_XYkC_8xGHRiWlnhN-zUQNdsIV5PXHy9-AXy4XbftATaRlsXdkdShOjjSzGfzKkUju-FfrRXCK132Q4uugZC-MbIP8_1YCBmZ-74q7jHekyoAhUi6wbKKQJD_02TC64YSBc7lBhbdY/s200/Ekeko1a.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
But no, I am using a canvas re-purposed from a painting I never completed. It takes a bit of sanding to remove the brush stroke textures and most of the paint. Some of the color remains, but it will not show and sanding makes the canvas surface smooth which is great for portraits.<br />
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Because the prior painting was oil, I can't gesso over it to get a nice white background (acrylic over oil doesn't work well). A pencil drawing is hard to see against the mottled color, so I use black ink to sketch the outline:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhVrywwn8c7vwCB2u5Bu_vm9h8TecASTE4BbCl6XGosUw-iQT8pO62Mk1kuUarPCo3CDL5hvd0OKi4RfUyxN6B29JskdemUr_LIJx0PAtFvKgB4311oRDsqYC3qqwxYqNbLT4cP4qodE/s1600/Ekeko1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhVrywwn8c7vwCB2u5Bu_vm9h8TecASTE4BbCl6XGosUw-iQT8pO62Mk1kuUarPCo3CDL5hvd0OKi4RfUyxN6B29JskdemUr_LIJx0PAtFvKgB4311oRDsqYC3qqwxYqNbLT4cP4qodE/s400/Ekeko1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The easel setup you see above ↑ is the canvas affixed into an open foam-core box. When the painting is completed, I'll fold up and tape the box to keep the painting safe in shipping. (Click images to see them larger)<br />
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Now that Ekeko is drawn, I start painting the background a rich sienna brown. You can see the photo I'm using to the right:<br />
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I paint the sides of the canvas as well. Paper inserted behind it keeps the foam core box clean:<br />
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After the background, I paint the eyes because they are the same color:<br />
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Next I paint the face by making a gray/black from the same brown mixed with blue, white and red:<br />
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As I go, I adjust the background where needed. It helps make the portrait pop if the background is light against the dark parts of the fur and darker where the fur is white:<br />
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The details of the collar are next. The client lets me decide whether to include it or not. In this case, I feel the collar adds to the portrait:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEZJU-6VRqD8XEagdE-6xZ0LtYQH78RSCqJYK4BGyHoJiuGHQJIrE-kG4KrguHzWMrpEGS_wJhPufUnlQ5z_2ASGWZiAfW1q9T5E77ESVqr4sN_0qI_6MqzwjPvki0fMgRDQPzhAOteE/s1600/Ekeko7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEZJU-6VRqD8XEagdE-6xZ0LtYQH78RSCqJYK4BGyHoJiuGHQJIrE-kG4KrguHzWMrpEGS_wJhPufUnlQ5z_2ASGWZiAfW1q9T5E77ESVqr4sN_0qI_6MqzwjPvki0fMgRDQPzhAOteE/s400/Ekeko7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Especially if I paint Ekeko's name on the license tag!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRi-YHJcls212nwnMQ2C6AYm5kw9K-eLyIRi4v4PElZhuoZGWkpWDlLHWaSmXD3s8MZBFgyhUnzjFiCZn96q0AbewUVecvDDwcfPNTmwCcluBYqpOD6HKUF1wR-5lhmZ52pyX2y0aFldM/s1600/Ekeko-dog-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The finished portrait of Ekeko, a beautiful Whippet" border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRi-YHJcls212nwnMQ2C6AYm5kw9K-eLyIRi4v4PElZhuoZGWkpWDlLHWaSmXD3s8MZBFgyhUnzjFiCZn96q0AbewUVecvDDwcfPNTmwCcluBYqpOD6HKUF1wR-5lhmZ52pyX2y0aFldM/s640/Ekeko-dog-portrait.jpg" title="Pet Portrait of a Whippet Dog in Oil" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ekeko" Pet Portrait of a Whippet - 7x5 oil on canvas</td></tr>
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Hope you enjoyed the demo. Ekeko is a beautiful dog, don't you agree?<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-90709220504820311722016-05-23T15:41:00.000-04:002016-05-23T15:41:00.489-04:00Family Memories - Custom Watercolor Painting of Children at a Backyard Wedding <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_Fc0f0Nm0Gd3vRCFZkIXuXFfYvun_skUN77NqM79vGoyK-Evdv9KGcdFA6Fz7EubiW-tnz7PjucWUplOfNuVgH8N9ZaJI6RJY4hUMVWNQ9KWR9yOv-aLNCHhdeVg4jegCs65V0_y8NA/s1600/family-memories-study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_Fc0f0Nm0Gd3vRCFZkIXuXFfYvun_skUN77NqM79vGoyK-Evdv9KGcdFA6Fz7EubiW-tnz7PjucWUplOfNuVgH8N9ZaJI6RJY4hUMVWNQ9KWR9yOv-aLNCHhdeVg4jegCs65V0_y8NA/s200/family-memories-study.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Study - Click to see this larger</td></tr>
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Summer's imminent arrival brings with it plans for outdoor family gatherings. This <a href="http://custom.zehoriginalart.com/" target="_blank">custom painting</a> is of children playing a game at a backyard wedding reception. It reminds me of my childhood playing with cousins at family reunions.<br />
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The client wants an 8x10 watercolor of the photo she sent. As is usual with watercolor (because it's really tough to correct mistakes) I first paint a smaller study of the scene which you can see above. It beats having to paint the larger version twice!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Once the study is approved by the client, I begin the 8x10 painting. First, I paint a suggestion of background trees. The dark trees will be a nice contrast to the light colored clothing of the kids:<br />
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Notice in the image below that I've added blue to the far lawn. The cool color will help make the ground appear to lay flat since cool colors recede:<br />
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The lawn is a warmer color as it come "closer": yellows and reds are added to the green since warm colors appear to advance.<br />
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Next is the house. It is a traditional New England home, a Cape Cod with cedar shingles. I paint a wash of gray first and when it is dry, I'll add details:<br />
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The children are next. I begin with their hair which is lit by the afternoon sun. The hour of day is suggested by their long shadows and the warm color of the grass where the sunlight touches it:<br />
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Next is their skin tones and clothing. I add details as I go. This is easy to do because I did a study first to work out color, value and shading (Ah, the benefits of a watercolor study!):<br />
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Now that most of the painting is finished, I've decided that the background trees are competing with the foreground. They are too blotchy. So, to fix this, I wash over them with lots of pale blue water. This will soften the effect and make the trees recede:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdNOMUL20L69-gUHEyAkocAYfHbkOQwiLHEIFAHhkZde5AC4rTSV3rbu5z1A9xkWoDr4ZDTy_fox4dewNU9G9memJjKyGxicGN1dZmV7MVcXKicOPmo-rpVRtavbdMW9SI8vfoG_eBZg/s1600/family-memories-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdNOMUL20L69-gUHEyAkocAYfHbkOQwiLHEIFAHhkZde5AC4rTSV3rbu5z1A9xkWoDr4ZDTy_fox4dewNU9G9memJjKyGxicGN1dZmV7MVcXKicOPmo-rpVRtavbdMW9SI8vfoG_eBZg/s400/family-memories-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Below is the finished watercolor. The client is delighted with how it turned out! Happily, I am too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSXWMVfwguDJEj3Fw26D-Fgv07HE4A-hZT2uBGwReXW512oKNuOxGifQvCo6e08cuTUDuXUNtgP_hQC6ZvGAWFbbKGlFTAZK3UxT43_D7nrjg3pDppj4owEVwY8nCYcuKwWLfALfPFvc/s1600/family-memories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Custom watercolor painting of children playing games at a backyard wedding" border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSXWMVfwguDJEj3Fw26D-Fgv07HE4A-hZT2uBGwReXW512oKNuOxGifQvCo6e08cuTUDuXUNtgP_hQC6ZvGAWFbbKGlFTAZK3UxT43_D7nrjg3pDppj4owEVwY8nCYcuKwWLfALfPFvc/s400/family-memories.jpg" title="Custom watercolor painting of children at a backyard wedding" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Memories Custom Watercolor 8x10</td></tr>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-30353512346851681862016-05-16T14:14:00.000-04:002016-05-26T13:25:39.336-04:00Pink Orchids Watercolor and Ink Painting Demo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7SHLfrH6HIgKIf_n8EsAjXWBBkgxc1-fvn5tjn1Pw0jd9RJADjH77PYbtBMH4n6jSiF_NndsL_ccDw5_0L7MkxCUWzeYUPHFw3jk_7VY1audTPoYbYx47iBZObWD2JpGiNWnDmPHAeM/s1600/orchid-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7SHLfrH6HIgKIf_n8EsAjXWBBkgxc1-fvn5tjn1Pw0jd9RJADjH77PYbtBMH4n6jSiF_NndsL_ccDw5_0L7MkxCUWzeYUPHFw3jk_7VY1audTPoYbYx47iBZObWD2JpGiNWnDmPHAeM/s200/orchid-photo.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
These orchids are amazing. They bloomed for four months (well, I suppose orchids do that), but once the blossoms faded and wilted off, another set of blooms appeared.<br />
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I had been wanting to paint them for a while. When one of my students shared a technique she'd learned at a recent workshop, I decided to try it with the orchids. <span class="smallfont">Which is a good idea since the students want me to demo that technique at the next class.</span><br />
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So, here we go! Read more to see this watercolor and ink technique (it's quite fun) and how the <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=orchids">orchid painting </a>came out.<br />
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First, I draw the composition on 140 lb. hot press watercolor paper (you can use cold press as well). Then, taking a very wet natural squirrel hair brush, I soak the entire paper with clear water: <br />
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After waiting a minute or two for the water to sink in, I begin to paint while the paper is still quite wet:<br />
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The colors run together in a lovely way!<br />
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Until we have this:<br />
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Note that I am not concerned with staying strictly within the lines since the paint will bleed together on the wet paper. As long as the colors land in the general place that I want them, all is good. Now to let it all dry until the paper lies flat.<br />
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Once the paper is thoroughly dry, I take an extra fine point permanent Sharpie marker and outline the petals, the flower details, the stem and the leaves:<br />
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Finally I add some details with paint:<br />
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That's it - so much fun! I rather like the results and can think of several ways to use this technique again:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.zehoriginalart.com/2016/05/orchid-painting-original-watercolor-ink.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5dYR291sMPbFqoNnlOjm3PR3ZxWW24oh3o0aLpWjMUCe9xwbmcQxDW2YLp7-_ivW2Z-MoSBYJON_aqTpx_dll_Wx5R5qJGMHcshgtb5DwcJRUC136mh3YlfIlUHTEX5T7TieGw9EBQY/s640/13E16-pink-orchids-8x10-wc-ink-hp-paper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink Orchids watercolor and ink painting 10x8</td></tr>
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Will you be trying this? Let me know if you do.<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-52411060053462900202016-05-09T14:00:00.001-04:002017-04-26T17:54:28.810-04:00Purple Clematis Flowers Original Watercolor Floral Painting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfd012kMAIzhUX11kIn2BDISq8s8ecf-eNX81gQ6cfW1paYyDIqwB5c4bAIKbC6b0auKD9VIrsuaqg0cctnLT5WZq6NaY5cvFJHRXNeBT4Kmr_dqEavItvO1uyJ7_PG3BnBY6CK5HWZLDP/s1600/clematis-bids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfd012kMAIzhUX11kIn2BDISq8s8ecf-eNX81gQ6cfW1paYyDIqwB5c4bAIKbC6b0auKD9VIrsuaqg0cctnLT5WZq6NaY5cvFJHRXNeBT4Kmr_dqEavItvO1uyJ7_PG3BnBY6CK5HWZLDP/s400/clematis-bids.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
So excited today to see the buds forming on my <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2010/02/blog-post.html">clematis</a> vine! <br />
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This particular clematis, a pale purple variety, has <i>not</i> been easy to grow. The vine is delicate and has taken a long time to establish.<br />
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But each year, there are more flowers to show for my patience. And they are so pretty when in bloom!<br />
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Last summer when it was in full bloom, I found the composition of leaves, vines and flowers compelling. I went inside to grab paints, brushes and paper and came back out to paint a vignette:<br />
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This is the final result:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBBA7D26kJIXrTiV5CdXOZz4FqBaY3GnqoqJ5cqcMCgg3w9alenCbzeTdidNcgIo_7sfBX0OHIcx5XTuhp6IxOqmIDVEewRIBQ9skvOMJVoZDJXgZgmkMUQ3cWDot_HENBS012f0msFg/s1600/13F15purple-clematis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBBA7D26kJIXrTiV5CdXOZz4FqBaY3GnqoqJ5cqcMCgg3w9alenCbzeTdidNcgIo_7sfBX0OHIcx5XTuhp6IxOqmIDVEewRIBQ9skvOMJVoZDJXgZgmkMUQ3cWDot_HENBS012f0msFg/s640/13F15purple-clematis.jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Clematis 15x11 Watercolor Painting</td></tr>
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They are such pretty flowers, perhaps I'll paint a companion piece when the buds bloom this year.<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-90432491292509527042016-05-02T10:59:00.000-04:002016-05-02T10:59:31.832-04:00Gray Tabby Cat Pet Portrait Oil Demonstration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ud1m2QADOYgIT5LwS47zEetlmIgsjwHL5Yy2tVSeCpVgWVd61xy0ixmQ259QLN-Y41y9MFjGDFPBa7KVxA1I7nUuAbdNXn_2F_2JuI8eWVT96YHrCfF5UqQsGxTBJ3VxPf_tSbNr9u4/s1600/thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ud1m2QADOYgIT5LwS47zEetlmIgsjwHL5Yy2tVSeCpVgWVd61xy0ixmQ259QLN-Y41y9MFjGDFPBa7KVxA1I7nUuAbdNXn_2F_2JuI8eWVT96YHrCfF5UqQsGxTBJ3VxPf_tSbNr9u4/s200/thumbnail.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A little gray tabby cat makes a sweet oil painting at size 7x5".<br />
"Magic" was with his owner for 16 years of cuddling. He loved the occasional can of tuna as a treat, but did not care for any other treats - imagine that!<br />
My client had this portrait painted as a gift for her husband. To see how I painted him and the completed portrait, keep reading...<br />
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As you can see below, I've sketched him on the canvas first, adding placement of important details. The client requested a blue background, so I block in light blue where his fur is dark, graduating to darker blue where his fur is white.<br />
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Then I begin with the fur on the top of his head. A little of the background blue is used to round the head on top by fading and softening it:<br />
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I continue working my way down his face paying close attention to the size and shape of his markings:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTSeap-tzhgGuQS2q4jzZ-S3MdLXqg8Qi2hk6Wizy_jRc8k8f24dLhal4ow-NT8rBcjCEHYrKDQen5vNJhK7OBvNRqM7oUXMxWqsRr1p6JBaY8T82A22ZDn4TZOSLXrKKl6L_uOSqkdU/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTSeap-tzhgGuQS2q4jzZ-S3MdLXqg8Qi2hk6Wizy_jRc8k8f24dLhal4ow-NT8rBcjCEHYrKDQen5vNJhK7OBvNRqM7oUXMxWqsRr1p6JBaY8T82A22ZDn4TZOSLXrKKl6L_uOSqkdU/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here I've progressed to his nose. I will leave the eyes to last:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_b3unnKaDIzesS8pQWOe3ZmK3Fkl88MpR31qWx1eH7UjVJGiW6LPrYABJ4ReM-mx1WuRfopsFNnG7b8Pz0iMZiLoHl7q9PF2jCR81jFpwUCje06JxvkNPUVNZ3x-IbD9r9Y12r-ADu4/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_b3unnKaDIzesS8pQWOe3ZmK3Fkl88MpR31qWx1eH7UjVJGiW6LPrYABJ4ReM-mx1WuRfopsFNnG7b8Pz0iMZiLoHl7q9PF2jCR81jFpwUCje06JxvkNPUVNZ3x-IbD9r9Y12r-ADu4/s400/004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Below is the painted nose and mouth.<br />
When painting the soft white fur of his chest, the only true white strokes are on the left where the light hits. The fur on the right is shaded a blue-gray with touches of burnt sienna for contrast:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIqxr1jyqTqTOwwhxbgvvzKelEzKBuZeLuVtMN-fgmt7GS1nKAFErH4zFD2UErWXQPq22sxeYGPlVdADEpQuRuyvU3oagEBQQaZ354bhoNQzmK22Hi7szXLM2e_G8pJdd9LICz-zZqV4/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIqxr1jyqTqTOwwhxbgvvzKelEzKBuZeLuVtMN-fgmt7GS1nKAFErH4zFD2UErWXQPq22sxeYGPlVdADEpQuRuyvU3oagEBQQaZ354bhoNQzmK22Hi7szXLM2e_G8pJdd9LICz-zZqV4/s400/006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A cat must have whiskers! I use a small brush with a fine tip to paint them. Since the fur and background paint is still a bit wet, it blends with the whiskers in spots keeping them looking more natural:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HfCO_e8aZdmVJvukyVSU-EtdH8y8pRT6hioutkTxjoMzQHuLjjfc_G1K6VP78E2TbS6UESTNwW0Uxo9EmtyGxSrbcOny9hPWWL234FXkLVMA1vosyFNqJaGHl5AOzYj6uMUsA4CVHgo/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HfCO_e8aZdmVJvukyVSU-EtdH8y8pRT6hioutkTxjoMzQHuLjjfc_G1K6VP78E2TbS6UESTNwW0Uxo9EmtyGxSrbcOny9hPWWL234FXkLVMA1vosyFNqJaGHl5AOzYj6uMUsA4CVHgo/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally, I paint his yellow green eyes.<br />
The light is coming from the left, so the iris will be lighter on the right where the light shines through the translucent eye. I'll add a pinpoint of white on the upper left pupil where the light hits the eye as you'll see in the final image:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6kK1N0nAp7ZAx7e-jeI-uPbmUD81YBTHC8Tb5XX_ZNFU7If61h_Z0cbh1MyTJbQGSz6pupSpiE4yCe8m0LPFA3siF7-EW0kSlYAY5_GgxCw7-5OInbLFkRHmynETnFch1EFt0JogonE/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6kK1N0nAp7ZAx7e-jeI-uPbmUD81YBTHC8Tb5XX_ZNFU7If61h_Z0cbh1MyTJbQGSz6pupSpiE4yCe8m0LPFA3siF7-EW0kSlYAY5_GgxCw7-5OInbLFkRHmynETnFch1EFt0JogonE/s400/009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is Magic completed:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvykDOtHYzwSDU32mQEdLUjFVIAvGj4mX35y5VFSCCQEUpd23GGvU21kMp-iDUADvCB23HUPR83DUMPxYEzfqlMlBJB3J7IqwlMChbKrEJ7ho7hPAB64zV_38pWPPktflahhVmABxi3jk/s1600/38L15-Magic-oil-7x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Finished portrait of Magic." border="0" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvykDOtHYzwSDU32mQEdLUjFVIAvGj4mX35y5VFSCCQEUpd23GGvU21kMp-iDUADvCB23HUPR83DUMPxYEzfqlMlBJB3J7IqwlMChbKrEJ7ho7hPAB64zV_38pWPPktflahhVmABxi3jk/s400/38L15-Magic-oil-7x5.jpg" title="Oil Pet Portrait of a Gray Tabby Cat" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Magic' oil pet portrait of a gray tabby cat 7x5 inches</td></tr>
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My client is very happy with the portrait. Here is what she wrote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Janet, it's absolutely perfect! My husband is going to flip for it! Thank you so much!!!</blockquote>
I love when my work makes someone happy!<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-12121935131612495572016-04-24T23:05:00.000-04:002016-04-24T23:05:11.445-04:00Beached Boat Custom Oil Painting <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nvC_o4aYlS6-T9swgYt_9CsPhUn3C-i2Bu_GDkdC3SCCcXRIqybIXcKkGG1bAzBXuzSE5wxRjYzIZ_uUyprmJssMGYkgj4VIX2e6fehGJpPefs3_kmQVs6cK6V0KxQFLSKzL0synsZQ/s1600/11detail-boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nvC_o4aYlS6-T9swgYt_9CsPhUn3C-i2Bu_GDkdC3SCCcXRIqybIXcKkGG1bAzBXuzSE5wxRjYzIZ_uUyprmJssMGYkgj4VIX2e6fehGJpPefs3_kmQVs6cK6V0KxQFLSKzL0synsZQ/s200/11detail-boat.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of 20x16 oil painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An overturned canoe on a white sand beach is a classic scene for an oil painting and this custom commission has turned out to be one of my favorites!<br />
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The lagoon is the same as the one in <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2016/04/beach-seascape-lagoon-and-dock-custom.html">the lagoon and dock painting I demonstrated last week</a>, but the time of day is different.<br />
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While the other showed the scene at midday, the lighting in this scene is reminiscent of the quiet of early morning. I captured that effect using color, light and shadow. Read on to see the results:<br />
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Let's begin at the very top of the painting with the water of the lagoon. I keep the blue tones very soft with a faint reflection of the sun on the middle right:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu5E9x5KFSphSOLi_WbUizS_soBk9UFEMPzAInaA0-xIuiW5UUWOsFRq6Ks_i5iVLd2PMnMZaAp771P2G3pUXBsSWv0xfuYRqGeh-ctm7nNNWUE2GPCrghNmJyddZ2ZpBTP4cdh8rEVk/s1600/9a-detail-sun-on-water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu5E9x5KFSphSOLi_WbUizS_soBk9UFEMPzAInaA0-xIuiW5UUWOsFRq6Ks_i5iVLd2PMnMZaAp771P2G3pUXBsSWv0xfuYRqGeh-ctm7nNNWUE2GPCrghNmJyddZ2ZpBTP4cdh8rEVk/s400/9a-detail-sun-on-water.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Working my way down toward the beach, I add a couple of ducks that are present in the original photo. I use a peach color in the water near the shoreline to indicate a sandy bottom showing through:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdQ7BHK_JlLhPxP39okY9SI_5BI5fFpg3Z_iIC9-to8APh4Jshndf_lp1l21yCIIyfMqA1DHiNpBu_0JBYpqUGyvfq_UYYpDdn8Akhyphenhyphen74eape6MN24b3v9VLz1N_9iiklJdI4qt29Axc/s1600/9-detail-ducks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdQ7BHK_JlLhPxP39okY9SI_5BI5fFpg3Z_iIC9-to8APh4Jshndf_lp1l21yCIIyfMqA1DHiNpBu_0JBYpqUGyvfq_UYYpDdn8Akhyphenhyphen74eape6MN24b3v9VLz1N_9iiklJdI4qt29Axc/s400/9-detail-ducks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the left of the beach are some green shrubs which I brush in with quick strokes (below). You can click to see this larger.<br />
The sand is a mixture of white, raw sienna and blue. Since it is early morning. all the shadows are soft and muted:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5ET60wPksk4XPicWdPFLN66q_oHYdurMlL6XwIylCX0Ub6f2irYjdktQNeeW5f8eYKBvWABrN3Xkk4KI1Am0x_uruRPCy3eNt_zB1aDSju1dkjRlrdyxt-BidZu_MAeoGYBlL0ESEz0/s1600/10-detail-shrub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5ET60wPksk4XPicWdPFLN66q_oHYdurMlL6XwIylCX0Ub6f2irYjdktQNeeW5f8eYKBvWABrN3Xkk4KI1Am0x_uruRPCy3eNt_zB1aDSju1dkjRlrdyxt-BidZu_MAeoGYBlL0ESEz0/s400/10-detail-shrub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the foreground are beach grasses which are also painted with just a few strokes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUUoPtZuVVF8GkXSCi57NhRtSEkN-BUzT2fJKDBkWVBo1ZC2FIdrCJiRSV3w1sIdX8SJ2e_51F1T_pB-nlHJVCwR2H1s0eWG0qtZ7Wcr683hZmI1hVwQtygYq120JLWhXo8f8Kt-0ONQ/s1600/10-detail-grasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUUoPtZuVVF8GkXSCi57NhRtSEkN-BUzT2fJKDBkWVBo1ZC2FIdrCJiRSV3w1sIdX8SJ2e_51F1T_pB-nlHJVCwR2H1s0eWG0qtZ7Wcr683hZmI1hVwQtygYq120JLWhXo8f8Kt-0ONQ/s400/10-detail-grasses.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I paint the boat in more detail, but with muted colors keeping the shadows soft without a lot of contrast:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzqe8KTS3N1WKhSelp-MR1Iahvt2EUM-Sn1Gcoappp8WQTYjAyRn7LNv2oOIo7qseNG5XX9B_BhVYWnUzlQvxwijhy1YcqecEutW7FwJZnCvhJaEcjwlJ1iKmqmvC7DsaFlcXXK3NlrE/s1600/11detail-boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzqe8KTS3N1WKhSelp-MR1Iahvt2EUM-Sn1Gcoappp8WQTYjAyRn7LNv2oOIo7qseNG5XX9B_BhVYWnUzlQvxwijhy1YcqecEutW7FwJZnCvhJaEcjwlJ1iKmqmvC7DsaFlcXXK3NlrE/s400/11detail-boat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Below is the finished painting. In the early morning stillness, you can almost can hear the
ducks paddling and the gentle ripples coming in to shore.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn9oJCkPqNj6uVkA9lqbHJ8y9Eq-MWyAIvTTFy4LRgcyWOCr_trVenQGOgVP8ACK4Iby2p_tY_QUpxjSMrQ7kJgas6hai_pkY9wUitM4x2EyWanrRCd9mp6T4K52NWl6q9O8ou8uHbUA/s1600/12-lagoon-beach-luna-sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="An old overturned canoe rests in the sand in this custom oil painting" border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn9oJCkPqNj6uVkA9lqbHJ8y9Eq-MWyAIvTTFy4LRgcyWOCr_trVenQGOgVP8ACK4Iby2p_tY_QUpxjSMrQ7kJgas6hai_pkY9wUitM4x2EyWanrRCd9mp6T4K52NWl6q9O8ou8uHbUA/s400/12-lagoon-beach-luna-sea.jpg" title="Beached Boat on a Sandy Shore" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beached Boat on a Sandy Shore 20x16 custom oil painting</td></tr>
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Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy this scene as much as I do!<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-15556547553900812992016-04-18T09:18:00.002-04:002016-04-18T09:18:50.413-04:00Beach, Seascape Lagoon, and Dock Custom Oil Painting <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwQYsEF8bhaENcamZJQUrsXBnRMPfYsTDcf3Ho6BhpciluN1IjwFimDIwuolf4aWgH01yEQDzzeU4Ebf8YkbO5NiCyQC7PPD1E7S2PHTdFDSvUCppwijeWUE5e6A-Zmm732q2rcdSAj8/s1600/3-detail-dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwQYsEF8bhaENcamZJQUrsXBnRMPfYsTDcf3Ho6BhpciluN1IjwFimDIwuolf4aWgH01yEQDzzeU4Ebf8YkbO5NiCyQC7PPD1E7S2PHTdFDSvUCppwijeWUE5e6A-Zmm732q2rcdSAj8/s200/3-detail-dock.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Last summer, I was commissioned to paint a 16x20 oil on canvas of a beautiful <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=beach">beach</a> and lagoon. The view extends from the beach to far out in the distance. Though I am <i>certain</i> that I took pictures while I was painting, today, they cannot be found!<br />
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But I can use this piece to show how the use of perspective creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Just read along to see (you can click images for a closer view):<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The sky is first. There are two illusions created here:<br />
<ol>
<li>I begin with a darker blue at the top fading to pale blue below. The sky appears lighter near the horizon because we are looking through more layers of atmosphere (which scatters the blue) than when looking straight up. This is an instance of <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/aerial-perspective" target="_blank">Aerial or Atmospheric Perspective</a>.</li>
<li>The clouds become smaller and form more of a line near the horizon. This denotes <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/linear+perspective" target="_blank">Linear Perspective</a>. When things fade into the distance, they appear smaller and closer together.</li>
</ol>
Next time you look at this type of cloudy sky with an unobstructed view, look and perhaps you will see these two illusions:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ5hxkMiOx7t_Dq4l975B6c5KmI72p8QHVw-E9VDxaGz_tPwkvETj8lk5p8ZPnwhB5Xt983B-0IMUQwaQsbthtiffzZa5bPaYyYgn4b9R4YJj3s7H1WBW620Z15ZqsvY0kadQ_Qtei38/s1600/1-detail-sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ5hxkMiOx7t_Dq4l975B6c5KmI72p8QHVw-E9VDxaGz_tPwkvETj8lk5p8ZPnwhB5Xt983B-0IMUQwaQsbthtiffzZa5bPaYyYgn4b9R4YJj3s7H1WBW620Z15ZqsvY0kadQ_Qtei38/s400/1-detail-sky.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next is the far shoreline (below). I paint with soft, muted, cool colors here. The soft tones will make it seem far away once the foreground is painted. This is another use of Aerial Perspective.<br />
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When I include a boat creating a wake behind it and some islands I also keep them soft, without detail and quite small:<br />
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Next is the middle ground. There is a dock at the end of a small peninsula with a boat and flag waving in the breeze. I paint these with more detail since they are closer, but still keep the colors slightly cool (or blued). The boat is obviously larger than the one in the distance:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYhdA-dA58APBYBxSpd4yaKTN-JVer6AeX_rzCOT4TVxE2BwnHSkodkHMAQoEaZazWnMfYUEmaH7NXEJCQPnzORpQEwSbFRLcMyU-F75CYqYvTdS8ZHSdl5fl2X52Q3psmgNuLc23Qh4/s1600/3-detail-dock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYhdA-dA58APBYBxSpd4yaKTN-JVer6AeX_rzCOT4TVxE2BwnHSkodkHMAQoEaZazWnMfYUEmaH7NXEJCQPnzORpQEwSbFRLcMyU-F75CYqYvTdS8ZHSdl5fl2X52Q3psmgNuLc23Qh4/s400/3-detail-dock.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Warmer (more yellow, orange and red) colors and more detail begin to appear as the peninsula comes closer to shore. I paint the water a warmer blue also:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzHst21r8yvdM9kruHzxy8IfFO-sWsmrV3Gr6zHzLdHwE0qwzGbno1S6TbqQ60FJyFXkKqGISW5fZHyLpn-yO6YHEsMBHusc7xQLY9_nMKO8NNRP67pZMO8vPKd4ME7aDNb-bptaLUn0/s1600/4-detail-shore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzHst21r8yvdM9kruHzxy8IfFO-sWsmrV3Gr6zHzLdHwE0qwzGbno1S6TbqQ60FJyFXkKqGISW5fZHyLpn-yO6YHEsMBHusc7xQLY9_nMKO8NNRP67pZMO8vPKd4ME7aDNb-bptaLUn0/s400/4-detail-shore.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally, we are at the beach. The trees, beach, half-hidden overturned boat and water are painted with the most detail, the highest contrast, the largest scale and the warmest colors. This makes them visually appear closer than other parts of the scene:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizYljmfcF47hZJMslrPsRIrujR8Gn3QNsYIBWLkWchZeRseHdLg6MDQfLnya1C1k8t6NmzeMo7_ld8Fy1ekPdJjznMtiBDbFZYdJV5REz62ToYZPpzQCivmbOBBOgJHmbZhRs0QG80jw/s1600/5-detail-beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizYljmfcF47hZJMslrPsRIrujR8Gn3QNsYIBWLkWchZeRseHdLg6MDQfLnya1C1k8t6NmzeMo7_ld8Fy1ekPdJjznMtiBDbFZYdJV5REz62ToYZPpzQCivmbOBBOgJHmbZhRs0QG80jw/s400/5-detail-beach.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the finished piece, below, you can see the difference between the far distance, the middle ground and the foreground as created using the illusions of linear and aerial perspective:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXZGsyCEwivRK1oGxIG1WYMI2IqweO1QXSHd_VO32sTGWy_rJOVVUxTsTmC9KTjHbI9qSDDIPYOl9UVEfMu0DHeV18Nh2WlH5Ox6MIcAE-oD0tIxZ4fOaea1jQXgmHYZMozIC7kuZ_ZM/s1600/6-Lagoon-Dock-at-LunaSea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The use of linear and aerial perspective makes a flat surface appear to have depth." border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXZGsyCEwivRK1oGxIG1WYMI2IqweO1QXSHd_VO32sTGWy_rJOVVUxTsTmC9KTjHbI9qSDDIPYOl9UVEfMu0DHeV18Nh2WlH5Ox6MIcAE-oD0tIxZ4fOaea1jQXgmHYZMozIC7kuZ_ZM/s400/6-Lagoon-Dock-at-LunaSea.jpg" title="Ocean Lagoon, Beach and Dock Scene oil painting" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocean Lagoon, Dock and Beach Scene 16x20 oil on canvas painting </td></tr>
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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found the notes on perspective helpful!<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-19620389851853136312016-04-11T12:46:00.000-04:002016-04-11T12:46:00.184-04:00Dog Pet Portrait of a White Schnauzer Poodle Mix in Oil on Canvas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISOKjocUKGGoQ8hnWgtzrqvESTh9gr7D_P7svFcj6UGUV68fKeaqDV-VmAyfSBFO4E3e3viBZjwvzo4JNErPOIcGXS1OqJ5F6-uyb8OqhBZdSaqjR3l3dFQ-V7apWv08YnTzKwVZUoaU/s1600/bertie5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISOKjocUKGGoQ8hnWgtzrqvESTh9gr7D_P7svFcj6UGUV68fKeaqDV-VmAyfSBFO4E3e3viBZjwvzo4JNErPOIcGXS1OqJ5F6-uyb8OqhBZdSaqjR3l3dFQ-V7apWv08YnTzKwVZUoaU/s200/bertie5.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
I had an opportunity to paint a cute little dog for a client a couple of months ago. Her mom has a Schnauzer/poodle mix who is the sweetest little boy you can imagine. My client gave her mom a portrait of him as a birthday gift.<br />
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It's fun to paint little 7x5 pet portraits! Keep reading to see the steps and the finished piece:<br />
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Whenever I paint an oil commission, I first affix the canvas into a foam core box like the one I make for <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2013/05/shipping-wet-oil-painting-on-canvas-how.html" target="_blank">shipping wet oil paintings.</a><br />
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Once the canvas is attached, I tuck strips of paper around it so I don't have to worry about paint getting on the box. When I paint the canvas side edges, it <i>can</i> get messy: <br />
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The background colors are roughly blocked in, so now I use a neutral tone to shade the dog. Painting the shading first helps to see where the shadow side is especially when the subject is white (because white paint on a white canvas doesn't show up - only the shadows do!):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp4ZdPd-eGatHp-xVMZYr-etixtHw3DXH1ndWD4u6VA9N472t8Xe-rvp8iV7_5xdUMETukYVqqa2rYYyvNvkLktlkI-4BfbuSxYFORqj7wvaqDI_9mxCXHqo8OEMVLQuOfBAtXP_7Ke8/s1600/bertie2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp4ZdPd-eGatHp-xVMZYr-etixtHw3DXH1ndWD4u6VA9N472t8Xe-rvp8iV7_5xdUMETukYVqqa2rYYyvNvkLktlkI-4BfbuSxYFORqj7wvaqDI_9mxCXHqo8OEMVLQuOfBAtXP_7Ke8/s640/bertie2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Over the shading, I paint fur details. I use warm colors such as pale yellow on the sunlit side and cool colors like blue on the shadow side:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUey_g6JdsdSWvTqFqSD6rfIWtVrdzz5KEacV7NFu6eOOs0YU2VtARkO8Sj-GLEAMHVxGyXZY1_QDVg3BMMS1P3v2K_kKDWpCz4_DkE1zH1pYhv3usnwqfbeinq9FColRGHlP-JA2JUMc/s1600/bertie3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUey_g6JdsdSWvTqFqSD6rfIWtVrdzz5KEacV7NFu6eOOs0YU2VtARkO8Sj-GLEAMHVxGyXZY1_QDVg3BMMS1P3v2K_kKDWpCz4_DkE1zH1pYhv3usnwqfbeinq9FColRGHlP-JA2JUMc/s640/bertie3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The black of his nose and mouth are next. Lighter gray highlights create rounded shapes:<br />
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Eyes are next. There is a tiny white highlight on the sunlit side. I also add more details and soften the fur:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISOKjocUKGGoQ8hnWgtzrqvESTh9gr7D_P7svFcj6UGUV68fKeaqDV-VmAyfSBFO4E3e3viBZjwvzo4JNErPOIcGXS1OqJ5F6-uyb8OqhBZdSaqjR3l3dFQ-V7apWv08YnTzKwVZUoaU/s1600/bertie5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISOKjocUKGGoQ8hnWgtzrqvESTh9gr7D_P7svFcj6UGUV68fKeaqDV-VmAyfSBFO4E3e3viBZjwvzo4JNErPOIcGXS1OqJ5F6-uyb8OqhBZdSaqjR3l3dFQ-V7apWv08YnTzKwVZUoaU/s400/bertie5.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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His pink tongue is last:<br />
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After everything is finished, I remove the strips of paper and voila - a clean background! I like how it looks when the image wraps around the side, don't you?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAi9DkvVGVhG3WYpw4GKXRyUIWBdblOCFM_pZ5nWdJrlRWu5-nE54WDtTRGPvsndWLR1Wp5Dfdj_eVS2YdEWftQWrAspwL7fkOnqTOr5sjGsrLSQ7w-9ZEML_SUSZlE7e_kr_jQc9_EA/s1600/bertie7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The painting completed with the strips of paper removed" border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAi9DkvVGVhG3WYpw4GKXRyUIWBdblOCFM_pZ5nWdJrlRWu5-nE54WDtTRGPvsndWLR1Wp5Dfdj_eVS2YdEWftQWrAspwL7fkOnqTOr5sjGsrLSQ7w-9ZEML_SUSZlE7e_kr_jQc9_EA/s640/bertie7.JPG" title="White Schnauzer Poodle Pet Portrait in Oil on Canvas" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bertie Pet Portrait - White Schnauzer Poodle Mix - 7x5 Oil on Canvas</td></tr>
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Bertie's foam core box is ready to be taped together and inserted into a mailing box for a safe journey to my client:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZxtgyJXC5b7QrFmNCPCg1tO508N7wf0IrFhbhG71O4yb7hSXil8U29awa-A8yLMVWzxFceJzzUraYTgFRGIXKlADn4jk1DjjseU-b5sA10rIl3v2mLwoeQ4u6U26J3HdD7tcp33Srnc/s1600/bertie8.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="The finished portrait getting ready to be shipped." border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZxtgyJXC5b7QrFmNCPCg1tO508N7wf0IrFhbhG71O4yb7hSXil8U29awa-A8yLMVWzxFceJzzUraYTgFRGIXKlADn4jk1DjjseU-b5sA10rIl3v2mLwoeQ4u6U26J3HdD7tcp33Srnc/s640/bertie8.JPG" title="White Scnauzer Poodle Pet Portrait in Oil on Canvas" width="400" /></a></div>
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-85109701720183926622016-04-03T14:14:00.000-04:002016-04-03T15:20:05.989-04:00Flower Girl Reflection - Custom Oil Painting of Two Girls at an Ocean Wedding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FqmBlnToZdctBW96gDVtIeSLtSOd7nU1czeKD9Sc6P9ryoG5O3i__3Ofjn_bWfWRX0GD6txNgl6VuQv42dOFgCSebmOE56qj26AFMNRMDt0uE3Wy40Kqa0mJ6kMOiHMUPdoiJGQoTI4/s1600/flower-girl-reflection9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FqmBlnToZdctBW96gDVtIeSLtSOd7nU1czeKD9Sc6P9ryoG5O3i__3Ofjn_bWfWRX0GD6txNgl6VuQv42dOFgCSebmOE56qj26AFMNRMDt0uE3Wy40Kqa0mJ6kMOiHMUPdoiJGQoTI4/s200/flower-girl-reflection9.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
With Spring here and the flowers beginning to bloom, it's a lovely time to share a wedding painting I did for a client last year. The reference photo she sent of her two girls attending as flower girls, showed them on a grassy bluff overlooking a picturesque ocean scene.<br />
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I love painting ocean scenes especially with children, so it was a joy to paint this piece. Keep reading to watch the progress and see the final version:<br />
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First, I make a sketch to lay out the composition. You can see a bit of the original photo on the right. The photo itself is lovely, so I only need to make a few small changes to improve the composition for this painting:<br />
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Next the sky. Wispy clouds soften the blue:<br />
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The ocean is a gorgeous color becoming turquoise toward the sandy shore. A few rocks jut out from the shoreline. I am careful to keep all the background colors soft and muted since they are far away:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohMoVnMCN4PB87o_BR7Qhn_4VJTiOc5kU5p6iCzrvi1EfJ5y9Kpn-8lTYkla_raTNMln2uhndHfay_PbPbzipiszHoHzxp8-k8i1HrLHwGUlpRz7Iq3CLM6rfZJtTgzqFWl8s_ZLOd9c/s1600/flower-girl-reflection3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohMoVnMCN4PB87o_BR7Qhn_4VJTiOc5kU5p6iCzrvi1EfJ5y9Kpn-8lTYkla_raTNMln2uhndHfay_PbPbzipiszHoHzxp8-k8i1HrLHwGUlpRz7Iq3CLM6rfZJtTgzqFWl8s_ZLOd9c/s400/flower-girl-reflection3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Buildings and people can be seen in the distance. These are denoted with just a few flicks of the brush - no detail. You can click the image to see this a bit larger:<br />
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Next, I paint the grassy bluff with a mix of yellows, blue and white:<br />
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The area where the girls are standing is painted with burnt sienna, raw sienna and a bit of the mixed green. The color makes a pleasing contrast to the green grass:<br />
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Now it's time to paint the girls. I begin with the older sister on the left using a small brush to paint her hair and floral headpiece:<br />
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The folds and shadows on the white dress are painted with a mix of blue, white and rose. I use rose, yellow and white for her skin tones with just a bit of blue to denote shading:<br />
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Here she is all finished:<br />
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Now I begin her younger sister. Her hair is a bit darker than her sister's so I paint it dark brown first:<br />
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Then I follow with detailed blonde highlights. Her headpiece and dress are painted just like her sister's:<br />
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Once the two girls are done, the painting is finished. They seem to be dreaming while looking out at the lovely scene. So the client named the painting "Flower Girl Reflections," the perfect name for this piece!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8P5QOMQmGOkEfwuXgICHCt2QySfPTt_PjdoKC0QX62q5KejgCpxi8fZXxJKDwvCC0ZF1ACp9F1LEdnWPendvR37ba9Ucam3wWS8aSvXPs4QjqsYjobqEazF8Xr3QFhZuoRcTHfQQSxF0/s1600/31K15Flower-Girl-Reflection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two flower girls overlook an ocean scene from a grassy bluff" border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8P5QOMQmGOkEfwuXgICHCt2QySfPTt_PjdoKC0QX62q5KejgCpxi8fZXxJKDwvCC0ZF1ACp9F1LEdnWPendvR37ba9Ucam3wWS8aSvXPs4QjqsYjobqEazF8Xr3QFhZuoRcTHfQQSxF0/s400/31K15Flower-Girl-Reflection.jpg" title="Flower Girls at an Ocean Wedding" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Flower Girl Reflection' 11x14 custom oil painting on canvas</td></tr>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-53010432252148677492016-03-20T23:57:00.001-04:002022-07-30T08:42:21.860-04:00Rooster Painting Watercolor on Yupo Paper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEZuPYT_lHcVc8n61x4nP7Hs3uH5MGyICe8npL3qFMrR38ARYksEXCc2t7LaejHbZGxmnZXj0Hs2y7YI2rHJJCd6nFQVmU3iNblEz9xrRMwCtyAeVr5OjnRXYpqO8FubMn_t4tEmcBA8/s1600/7C16-barnyard-rooster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEZuPYT_lHcVc8n61x4nP7Hs3uH5MGyICe8npL3qFMrR38ARYksEXCc2t7LaejHbZGxmnZXj0Hs2y7YI2rHJJCd6nFQVmU3iNblEz9xrRMwCtyAeVr5OjnRXYpqO8FubMn_t4tEmcBA8/s200/7C16-barnyard-rooster.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It's the first day of Spring for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring is the season when I think of M<a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=hen">other Hens with new broods of little baby chicks</a> and a <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=rooster">rooster</a> watching over them vigilantly. I love the sight of a colorful roo strutting about a barnyard. I don't have a rooster for my hens (yet), but a neighboring farm always has some.<br />
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Since it's a lovely time of year to paint a colorful roo, I decided to do just that and try the painting in watercolor on my new favorite - Yupo paper. Yupo is a synthetic paper that is smooth as glass. The watercolors never sink in as they do on cotton paper, but slide all around on its surface forming puddles here and there until dry. Which means lots of fun waiting to see how things will look.<br />
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Keep reading to see how the painting was created...<br />
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A funny thing about Yupo is that pencil marks cannot be erased. So I sketch the outline using a brush and paint and forgo the pencil altogether. (click any image to see larger versions):<br />
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Except for drying time, it's pretty fast to do a painting. And lovely as long as you use a light touch and are not too fussy about what the paints do. They really have a mind of their own (which is what makes it so much fun!). Here I've filled in the body of my roo with mixes of burnt sienna, Quinacridone Coral and Quinacrodone Gold (another new favorite).<br />
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Shading and details are next and can be challenging. The first strokes over the dried under painting go on just fine. If I stroke the same spot again, all paint is removed. But a third stroke will put paint back on the paper. <br />
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Here I'm shading the feet:<br />
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I've finished the tail using Winsor Blue, Quinacridone Coral and Burnt Sienna:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWb74Nr35z7cDvl8zjsXAJxDlJcVbdesiPvNbci0lZTxkSDus-Wj1amsttBjSBXsQ8psLwM37v_YzhVw-AT6XDSVLF5ehmFsBPnzbqi7g8rYpqSm0Mr9ERBqc9NAJft6KcIhyICm1fmw/s1600/rooster3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWb74Nr35z7cDvl8zjsXAJxDlJcVbdesiPvNbci0lZTxkSDus-Wj1amsttBjSBXsQ8psLwM37v_YzhVw-AT6XDSVLF5ehmFsBPnzbqi7g8rYpqSm0Mr9ERBqc9NAJft6KcIhyICm1fmw/s400/rooster3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Painting the wattles and comb with Quin. Coral:<br />
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Finally some grass for him to stand on. I mix the green using the blues and golds that are already in the painting. He's a pretty fellow, isn't he? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrySZY5sQxXuECC1U2Xfx79qMAj15tOJJB85_TOwulZv9EZh5BWG7_TM2rkVv_O8ckRlM8T5iBxsHIbPSzootVr9JXdf4HxL99HQmbEytLiLPLIgku5fsB6ERBoG1mXESJvAANoVdIV8/s1600/7C16-barnyard-rooster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rooster painting in watercolor on Yupo paper" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrySZY5sQxXuECC1U2Xfx79qMAj15tOJJB85_TOwulZv9EZh5BWG7_TM2rkVv_O8ckRlM8T5iBxsHIbPSzootVr9JXdf4HxL99HQmbEytLiLPLIgku5fsB6ERBoG1mXESJvAANoVdIV8/s400/7C16-barnyard-rooster.jpg" title="Barnyard Rooster Watercolor Painting by Janet Zeh" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooster Original Watercolor Painting 11x11 inches</td></tr>
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Thanks for stopping by to check out my rooster painting. This painting is sold.<br />
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Have you tried painting with watercolor on Yupo? How do you like it?<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-5002603474580817432016-03-13T16:35:00.000-04:002016-03-13T16:35:13.972-04:00Pet Portrait of a Shih Tzu dog in oils<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAm4P2CErFVgdLWZ7qhVGVMdNt9LanLKbS7Qeje_0pSXbXZAiimGCEQlLM81oFwEcUt-JXHX-pE4ejBfVnbYhCbJpuqHp3wfIJ0R249DNiPbsNeni2j_EbJnz2R7ivN2wUcSMFJuYQhA/s1600/dog-portrait-wicket8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: .5em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAm4P2CErFVgdLWZ7qhVGVMdNt9LanLKbS7Qeje_0pSXbXZAiimGCEQlLM81oFwEcUt-JXHX-pE4ejBfVnbYhCbJpuqHp3wfIJ0R249DNiPbsNeni2j_EbJnz2R7ivN2wUcSMFJuYQhA/s200/dog-portrait-wicket8.jpg" width="200" /></a>What could be cuter than a fluffy little <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2014/03/shih-tzu-pet-portrait.html">Shih Tzu</a> especially one with a sweet personality that had everyone falling in love with him?<br />
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This pet portrait was commissioned by a woman for her husband since they lost their little 'Wicket' recently. She felt a portrait would honor his memory and keep him always a part of their lives.<br />
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Keep reading and I'll show you the process of this 14x11 inch oil portrait on canvas:</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Before beginning, I think about shipping. To ensure the painting will arrive safely to its destination,. I make a <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2013/05/shipping-wet-oil-painting-on-canvas-how.html" target="_blank">box of foam core board</a>, adhere the canvas into the opened box and then strap the box to my easel. <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2013/05/shipping-wet-oil-painting-on-canvas-how.html" target="_blank">You can see how I make the box by clicking here.</a><br />
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Then I sketch the portrait on the canvas with a thick pencil and paint in some colors for the background. I make sure to paint the sides as well. The blue paper around the canvas protects the box from paint. When the painting is finished, I'll remove the paper and the box will be clean.<br />
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For this portrait, I felt like painting the thick fur and tail first. Click images if you'd like to see them larger:<br />
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More fur. It's fun to paint it with thick brushstrokes:<br />
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Next are the ears and head. I am saving the details for last:<br />
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Switching to a smaller brush, the nose is painted with a mix of alizarin crimson, french ultramarine blue and burnt sienna: <br />
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Now the mouth, tongue and teeth details:<br />
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As I paint details of the face, I also put details in the fur. The last to be painted is the eyes:<br />
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After more detail work on the fur, the portrait of Wicket is finished. He looks so cuddly!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-J2IQQow9lKIR-A8sKNmnbNlcwUWwgpJLH_lryEOO_7Wog1XVsdwevJCPCbxUn2MNWjkBJ5Dof0e3whvVV1pYqHkR3HC9V8dm_-ypUPriFESGKq1YkLphphdluGGXDOO28IgLbTY_QgE/s1600/dog-portrait-wicket9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shih Tzu dog portrait on canvas 11x14 inches" border="0" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-J2IQQow9lKIR-A8sKNmnbNlcwUWwgpJLH_lryEOO_7Wog1XVsdwevJCPCbxUn2MNWjkBJ5Dof0e3whvVV1pYqHkR3HC9V8dm_-ypUPriFESGKq1YkLphphdluGGXDOO28IgLbTY_QgE/s640/dog-portrait-wicket9.jpg" title="Shih Tzu dog portrait on canvas 11x14" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Wicket' dog portrait oil on canvas 14x11 inches</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-39172145622620459342016-03-06T13:55:00.000-05:002016-07-11T10:21:25.685-04:00Hydrangeas Large Framed Watercolor Painting <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring is just around the corner and the flowers will be in bloom before we know it! Though Hills of Snow hydrangeas don't bloom until July, they are such a favorite flower of mine that I like painting them any time of year.<br />
I found a 23x37 inch gold wood frame in my studio that I had not yet used. I thought it would be lovely for a large hydrangeas watercolor. Since the flowers are not blooming in winter, I used as reference an 8x10 watercolor I'd created some years ago while painting outdoors in my garden.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I flipped the composition and expanded it to add more flowers since the frame is wide but narrow. Then I painted it on 140lb cold press watercolor paper like the smaller version.<br />
Here it is all framed and ready to be displayed in a new home someday:<br />
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The original framed watercolor is sold. Let me know if you'd like a similar watercolor painted just for you.<br />
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I also made a couple of print versions using details of the larger painting. You can purchase them in my fine art prints shop where you can select to have them framed or printed on canvas here: <a href="http://prints.zehoriginalart.com/collections/flower+garden">Annabelle Hydrangeas fine art print.</a><br />
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Here's looking forward to the flowers blooming again!<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
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<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-49950464413746357032016-02-29T11:06:00.000-05:002016-02-29T11:06:37.738-05:00Watercolor Landscape Demonstration of a Farm Pond, FieldsThe and Apple Tree<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHsU6ZccY6HVTJob8PFN6iZfLN_njRjt_cPB4WtL8Eigyiw-o4rlxLwEQkVmMJNtQAB72aVP5QGWZwpVtjBp0co6Iuk1lPVLROH5aHKk6Ky9ixKhN38HKaeFRVPB8fI0OBpfvElHaJoo/s1600/farm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHsU6ZccY6HVTJob8PFN6iZfLN_njRjt_cPB4WtL8Eigyiw-o4rlxLwEQkVmMJNtQAB72aVP5QGWZwpVtjBp0co6Iuk1lPVLROH5aHKk6Ky9ixKhN38HKaeFRVPB8fI0OBpfvElHaJoo/s200/farm5.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sometimes when a commission request comes in, one never knows where it will lead. I was excited to paint a watercolor landscape of a farm pond and field. The client ordered it as a Christmas gift for her husband since her family's farm is his favorite get-away.<br />
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When she showed the painting to her female family members, they wanted to give their men an original of the scene for Christmas too. So I got to paint it three times! And no two came out exactly alike.<br />
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I took pictures of the progress, but some pics are from one painting and some from another. So if you follow how I painted the scene, you may notice variations. But it's basically the same. You can click on any image to see it larger. Here's what I did:<br />
<a name='more'></a>Sky and clouds first. Notice that the sky is deeper blue at the top and becomes paler toward the horizon:<br />
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Then the trees in the distance behind the pond. I keep them bluer and softer because they are far away:<br />
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Next the pond including some reflections, dead tree stumps and surrounding grass. I know that someday the tree stumps will be gone, but this captures the pond as it is today:<br />
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Then the trees to the right. I use French Ultramarine Blue, Cad Yellow and Raw Sienna to make the various shades of green:<br />
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In the foreground are low, ground cover-like purple flowers. To denote them, I paint streaks of rose and cobalt blue into the green grass while it's still wet:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHsU6ZccY6HVTJob8PFN6iZfLN_njRjt_cPB4WtL8Eigyiw-o4rlxLwEQkVmMJNtQAB72aVP5QGWZwpVtjBp0co6Iuk1lPVLROH5aHKk6Ky9ixKhN38HKaeFRVPB8fI0OBpfvElHaJoo/s1600/farm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHsU6ZccY6HVTJob8PFN6iZfLN_njRjt_cPB4WtL8Eigyiw-o4rlxLwEQkVmMJNtQAB72aVP5QGWZwpVtjBp0co6Iuk1lPVLROH5aHKk6Ky9ixKhN38HKaeFRVPB8fI0OBpfvElHaJoo/s400/farm5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last is the apple tree. The client did not mention an apple tree and it wasn't obvious in the photo, but upon very close inspection, I could see the tree had small green apples. I am painting them red and ripe so they will show:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCdiK1aHR2LtN2xyIXlwYoJuJxRvKuLyeb-DEJLVkaOrgjPyxi5iChJJY-Yq2U9kS-lrgz4yCTnORcbhXBVUQMIu4G6SOuIEq63E2wDkfg4yHrtog34iNqVPtM1fEXoycExxJpCtOfks/s1600/farm6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCdiK1aHR2LtN2xyIXlwYoJuJxRvKuLyeb-DEJLVkaOrgjPyxi5iChJJY-Yq2U9kS-lrgz4yCTnORcbhXBVUQMIu4G6SOuIEq63E2wDkfg4yHrtog34iNqVPtM1fEXoycExxJpCtOfks/s400/farm6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The apples are still a bit wet when I paint the greenery, but that's fine with me. The red blends into the green a little which softens the edges of the apples:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qb0FbOt67b1fWVgcSIdXUBenqveKZvZJl8NyOFgE57w3GqaFSCJKQmVCUmNUs2KOWr90LpJGXx4uiHc31o_HwhDtxGLxg7OsBso5CzVFKKZO4_QAhEXJ0DdC5IymN_mbfOZ-a-JP0kg/s1600/farm7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qb0FbOt67b1fWVgcSIdXUBenqveKZvZJl8NyOFgE57w3GqaFSCJKQmVCUmNUs2KOWr90LpJGXx4uiHc31o_HwhDtxGLxg7OsBso5CzVFKKZO4_QAhEXJ0DdC5IymN_mbfOZ-a-JP0kg/s400/farm7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After the pale green, I paint mid tones and then dark tones to shape the tree. With watercolor, it's easier to begin with light colors first and add dark tones last:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFARa8WOlbH_Z-FYSIE0oO5G-u5p2iyZJq8-VVzUBH7jS1rfOROA1s9BUNQcoBYfFdNjVl5rf1UcCpLtCFD_vg6PiR0LzOXCuKm_IVx-iAFsp76DpQ1HSuc7iiTdqZjcD4jDu432TmUVA/s1600/farm8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFARa8WOlbH_Z-FYSIE0oO5G-u5p2iyZJq8-VVzUBH7jS1rfOROA1s9BUNQcoBYfFdNjVl5rf1UcCpLtCFD_vg6PiR0LzOXCuKm_IVx-iAFsp76DpQ1HSuc7iiTdqZjcD4jDu432TmUVA/s400/farm8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When the apple tree is finished, one painting is done! For the other two, I followed basically the same plan. I tried to make them like the first, but with fluid wet-into-wet watercolor there are bound to be variations.<br />
Here is the first original version:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM32tiZH4Nluktr0ZeAA6ekiKG58_lgk32ZnE6GTNuckPEf6U_WanUyu0SI1uEWdSRhfpOPUdvqxb85Et3kqWmfX7tgbTiqVueNHb41zxdPfB6rT_08utHFI1WU22z2grvhO6O0jxJ3nQ/s1600/33K15family-farm-wc-6x12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Watercolor Painting of a Family Farm Pond, Apple Tree and Fields" border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM32tiZH4Nluktr0ZeAA6ekiKG58_lgk32ZnE6GTNuckPEf6U_WanUyu0SI1uEWdSRhfpOPUdvqxb85Et3kqWmfX7tgbTiqVueNHb41zxdPfB6rT_08utHFI1WU22z2grvhO6O0jxJ3nQ/s400/33K15family-farm-wc-6x12.jpg" title="Watercolor Painting of a Family Farm Pond, Apple Tree and Fields" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donde Family Farm 6x12 inch watercolor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This is the second version:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8EwUn81Vayi46WXRdqHUREPMN8HOzGJmGU8U8MbH5fILQyupfSjeYvUUIqN-OJJL36oPYSKGawiaaGW_eX9ZpjE8O94tfBRtSTft7zt9jPT2mopEjkFh9gMLvzUoCF-27DLmpkFeDeo/s1600/41L15Family-Farm-II-wc-6x12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8EwUn81Vayi46WXRdqHUREPMN8HOzGJmGU8U8MbH5fILQyupfSjeYvUUIqN-OJJL36oPYSKGawiaaGW_eX9ZpjE8O94tfBRtSTft7zt9jPT2mopEjkFh9gMLvzUoCF-27DLmpkFeDeo/s400/41L15Family-Farm-II-wc-6x12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donde Family Farm II 6x12 inch watercolor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And the third:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA8xcmXSd9cDmj889Mehq-QPtf2XAKv-lKSr9zqTyRkh8i1JzEKVFLsidj9Zv_YfXoH-KABF2jYZazMtL1NPgpzUKqr1mwPW4teNsBZq9XPuc3CefBjlYUzw9R_RjrK97hpEhdj73W-E/s1600/40L15Family-Farm-III-wc-6x12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQA8xcmXSd9cDmj889Mehq-QPtf2XAKv-lKSr9zqTyRkh8i1JzEKVFLsidj9Zv_YfXoH-KABF2jYZazMtL1NPgpzUKqr1mwPW4teNsBZq9XPuc3CefBjlYUzw9R_RjrK97hpEhdj73W-E/s400/40L15Family-Farm-III-wc-6x12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donde Family Farm III 6x12 inch watercolor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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At first glance, you might think all three paintings look alike (my students did), but if you look closely, the skies, the shape of the pond and landscape, and the colors of the trees are different. The apples grew a little bigger in one of the paintings!<br />
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So I wondered whether the client's family would like the final two. But it seems all three were successful gifts. The client recently emailed me with this feedback:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I had to email you about the beautiful paintings you did for me. My husband loved his as you know but my brother and father absolutely loved theirs too! You are so talented!! Thank you!"</blockquote>
And I love hearing that from her!<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
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<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-11301835686310988652016-02-21T11:00:00.000-05:002016-02-21T11:00:03.722-05:00Yellow Labrador Retriever Custom Dog Portrait in Oil on Canvas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWND2WkWSVOfaUkfY-EjrWTrvpI2AJ9rQ3lbmiXr5aJEyyCf0T7Aml9DjBePr4CCaycCtLYF_v5SpSsNXwSYRpZ0DrJ4WSfgwj9LPNl9C8c6ROCDnezI1DVgRljfvojTA1OYVv3ApKA2w/s1600/gracie7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWND2WkWSVOfaUkfY-EjrWTrvpI2AJ9rQ3lbmiXr5aJEyyCf0T7Aml9DjBePr4CCaycCtLYF_v5SpSsNXwSYRpZ0DrJ4WSfgwj9LPNl9C8c6ROCDnezI1DVgRljfvojTA1OYVv3ApKA2w/s200/gracie7a.jpg" width="181" /></a>Pet portraits are fun to paint especially the little 5x7 portraits for which I get many requests. But even better is painting a large portrait like this 24x18 inch oil of a yellow lab. I love that the setting is outdoors by the sea!<br />
To the left is a detail from the finished painting. You can see the entire piece at the bottom of this post. <br />
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Meanwhile, I'll show you how I painted it. Keep reading...</div>
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I paint the sea and sky first. Sadly I forgot to take photos of the process - sorry about that!<br />
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The foreground grass has no details as of yet. I paint it a deep green. Lighter grass details will be painted on top. Since the light is coming from the left, both water and sky are painted lighter on the left. Here is how everything looks so far:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEILl0nnw7M2I4MEp-KFzrXazaKOlaT8vW2R686UJxO_GElj6Z8a-sbgUqcBJIWDioRdwm0RwM7m7IPfYpsnIyINTUus63Ec3oFYcXMP7ND47PJvGCkXQG_sGyx6utkVP8TUkWiL4HJtw/s1600/gracie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEILl0nnw7M2I4MEp-KFzrXazaKOlaT8vW2R686UJxO_GElj6Z8a-sbgUqcBJIWDioRdwm0RwM7m7IPfYpsnIyINTUus63Ec3oFYcXMP7ND47PJvGCkXQG_sGyx6utkVP8TUkWiL4HJtw/s400/gracie1.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
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I love that soft, rosy sky with the color reflected in the water.<br />
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Now for grass details. For the far grasses, I use more blue because cool colors used in the distance will visually make the land lay flat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrC2m5tsFcTiZDXFABGnHvZyXLL_Z9tsOxI-ZDjHPRhW4L9WcXs9PCY8r51XE9IA8ngi1ADCGs8BrvkKz4j-KuVCSSUbTyLF0uwPA_FRIf5lG-qQCz0glEbKlA9smV2VvRm4cPXsdVuA/s1600/gracie1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrC2m5tsFcTiZDXFABGnHvZyXLL_Z9tsOxI-ZDjHPRhW4L9WcXs9PCY8r51XE9IA8ngi1ADCGs8BrvkKz4j-KuVCSSUbTyLF0uwPA_FRIf5lG-qQCz0glEbKlA9smV2VvRm4cPXsdVuA/s400/gracie1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the foreground, I use warmer tones for the details. The warm colors visually bring the foreground foreward as it should be.<br />
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Just playing here with quick brush strokes going this way and that. The grass looks very detailed, but actually did not take long to do:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKTPTKsqD17F6VHNXE7R8QpaswkQRveZCiTqfYqM4o9mJSe27sAN1oV_5FgmlGXIvabLiBR41zEQz4d5MLa-uThLfrigrZLoS_syg9LFE1JPoka2oK3Cc4QEdoL24e64BhZZzOzL4u8I/s1600/gracie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKTPTKsqD17F6VHNXE7R8QpaswkQRveZCiTqfYqM4o9mJSe27sAN1oV_5FgmlGXIvabLiBR41zEQz4d5MLa-uThLfrigrZLoS_syg9LFE1JPoka2oK3Cc4QEdoL24e64BhZZzOzL4u8I/s400/gracie2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is how it looks:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkQPLRdck_J_fDlnX21dv0V5XsVe-DwRsZbCJxN1hj9CZGRJsRD60FRD8FAzNlJl84MnHkOTH8cGfMemqfaNv1kxqg0kVg_wrQyaFTSwCP_soVT0c6jC1LA6JiNsTAhBxxfa09iAx6j4/s1600/gracie3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkQPLRdck_J_fDlnX21dv0V5XsVe-DwRsZbCJxN1hj9CZGRJsRD60FRD8FAzNlJl84MnHkOTH8cGfMemqfaNv1kxqg0kVg_wrQyaFTSwCP_soVT0c6jC1LA6JiNsTAhBxxfa09iAx6j4/s400/gracie3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm happy with everything so far!<br />
Now it's time to begin the dog (whose name is Gracie). I start with her feet and legs. This is not usual for me. I normally start with the head, but I just felt like beginning there: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8j5jZ4H4awTf0sJNDMIbkUZ1dsMEDmv4StOdIH2gEF0Zrgd7Xhem0XdPNdhyphenhyphenkhlVktQ9usO-cyRaHaoxQeSupo9MBAhwqzAAFRz5SrmXaKshkB6NY_ebDH8CFfCTVTMrUoEfsyhYLJQ/s1600/gracie4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8j5jZ4H4awTf0sJNDMIbkUZ1dsMEDmv4StOdIH2gEF0Zrgd7Xhem0XdPNdhyphenhyphenkhlVktQ9usO-cyRaHaoxQeSupo9MBAhwqzAAFRz5SrmXaKshkB6NY_ebDH8CFfCTVTMrUoEfsyhYLJQ/s400/gracie4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A mix of different colors denote the lightness of her fur: rose, blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna and lots of white.<br />
Maybe you can see those colors in her fur below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtlgWs4liDJRw91XPMfDv1p46AppIJkpZWuXxBcWI_vS-0srxXcGgC-Er3c-4jJ6HBhp8_fC9CsKNaxx9iPfm4ncK1JJEs5efOxsISlL1wtHbXGuwz79MoiG4JhLOSMOxHd_M6qIl2kM/s1600/gracie5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtlgWs4liDJRw91XPMfDv1p46AppIJkpZWuXxBcWI_vS-0srxXcGgC-Er3c-4jJ6HBhp8_fC9CsKNaxx9iPfm4ncK1JJEs5efOxsISlL1wtHbXGuwz79MoiG4JhLOSMOxHd_M6qIl2kM/s400/gracie5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Her facial hair is smooth and short, while the hair on her ears is a bit longer, soft and silky. Once I finish the fur, I begin the final details of the face. I use a mix of blue, alizarin crimson, white and burnt sienna to make the black and gray of her mouth and nose:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDjMK_iRJpIcACWgSBe46fWF4kmJzNyEA7FVuJP3mj_M7YeIDjyq03D98GAQBIXqjbf5UaUR46k32wdMA07g3a5LIwSJXBXXYOmaM_aeaQSXpSq886iQZue2K954PwVg0u85yxp1h5ws/s1600/gracie6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDjMK_iRJpIcACWgSBe46fWF4kmJzNyEA7FVuJP3mj_M7YeIDjyq03D98GAQBIXqjbf5UaUR46k32wdMA07g3a5LIwSJXBXXYOmaM_aeaQSXpSq886iQZue2K954PwVg0u85yxp1h5ws/s400/gracie6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Dogs' noses are fun to paint!<br />
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Last are the eyes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihde0o4lSeBBb6moN4MV79QfR9XIu9qh4MZ0NncaDBmtdljLmRnoKZGoMgAgYo3OgOaoCh-Oil_XwWQUxY5QCwXofRpmIM8ZLFs5WyKcRVKQ6570aI1Qpmx5AuMBSFzdyb2fOiV6USh5s/s1600/gracie7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihde0o4lSeBBb6moN4MV79QfR9XIu9qh4MZ0NncaDBmtdljLmRnoKZGoMgAgYo3OgOaoCh-Oil_XwWQUxY5QCwXofRpmIM8ZLFs5WyKcRVKQ6570aI1Qpmx5AuMBSFzdyb2fOiV6USh5s/s400/gracie7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here eyes look like she's thinking, "OK, I'll be good and stay right here for my picture, but I'd much rather run up to you."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR-jPh3i4tPS5ItlHm4IHVfqSmTYyOE2WDFAlc3kuoJeE9KPPD6VpVGthAjcreAO8J8owQmGGGEDP5Fm2L9QdkdIQpW4U9DXUOaTmwtjSMajUnXhdZqKELqqpANSzD_Eqa9e4rwaRDKo/s1600/gracie7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR-jPh3i4tPS5ItlHm4IHVfqSmTYyOE2WDFAlc3kuoJeE9KPPD6VpVGthAjcreAO8J8owQmGGGEDP5Fm2L9QdkdIQpW4U9DXUOaTmwtjSMajUnXhdZqKELqqpANSzD_Eqa9e4rwaRDKo/s400/gracie7a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here's the finished painting:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jdQ8aHiFX7m0eKmK8ovBzC_BrrcNn0ZgJzr91Z3V2_ePjZQ43g9k4U-nLnjr-ZQUt-2Ht_r9UatI3gOLwBNMEwDcpQS5YXZTEsxo9qPv-A555ILBJnnGVS_5jq1DuE1KgupRGOBmUqE/s1600/gracie8-pet-portrait-yellow-labrador-retriever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A yellow labrador retriever stands by the sea " border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jdQ8aHiFX7m0eKmK8ovBzC_BrrcNn0ZgJzr91Z3V2_ePjZQ43g9k4U-nLnjr-ZQUt-2Ht_r9UatI3gOLwBNMEwDcpQS5YXZTEsxo9qPv-A555ILBJnnGVS_5jq1DuE1KgupRGOBmUqE/s640/gracie8-pet-portrait-yellow-labrador-retriever.jpg" title="Yellow Lab Pet Portrait Oil on Canvas" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Labrador Retriever 24x18 Oil on Canvas Pet Portrait </td></tr>
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Doesn't Gracie look regal? She's beautiful in that setting!<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-84745983498663107652016-02-14T11:00:00.000-05:002016-02-14T18:47:23.433-05:00Cottage by the Sea and Flower Garden Custom Watercolor Painting DemonstrationIt's Valentine's Day! And SO cold here in New England - minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill. A good day to stay indoors and snuggle with your sweetheart (or a blanket and a good book). It's also a fine day to remember blooming flowers and tropical climes.<br />
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So here is a custom watercolor of a very lovely tropical-looking place. The client wanted two of her photos combined to show the scene. She named the painting "Taronga" which is an Aboriginal word meaning 'beautiful view'. I didn't ask, but perhaps the scene is in southern Australia or Tasmania.<br />
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One of her photos shows a flower-covered arbor. Through the arbor are steps leading up to a yellow house with a green door.<br />
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The other photo shows the arbor's gates closed so you can't see the house, but you can see a view of the ocean. She wants both a view of the house through the arbor <i>and</i> the ocean in the painting. To combine them, all I have to do is open the gate!<br />
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To see how I do that, read on.<br />
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First, I put the two photos together in Photoshop to see how it looks. I don't want the paved area in the foreground, so I crop it out.<br />
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The digital mock-up is not perfect, and the ratio is not correct for a 7x5, but it will work for getting the idea.<br />
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Once I sketch the design on watercolor paper, I paint the sky and clouds:<br />
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I bring the blue from the sky down in a light wash onto the far hills and foreground. Then I paint the door - because I want to see how it looks:<br />
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Not too bad. The steps are a bit crooked, but details will help once I paint them:<br />
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While waiting for the steps to dry, I paint the distant hills and ocean (more muted blue in the distance and warmer blue up close):<br />
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Now look at the brick steps below with details added. I make a MISTAKE here, but don't realize it until later. Can you see what that is? <i>Hint:</i> it has to do with lighting. Will tell you later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMCrqidN7gqTHSCsQ9d_Q8R-BtuWgw2chSsHltTaMosL12YjPcDdEs8a5my-fFaxnFHTBY20ULkqUm0npBdmeK0tbF3OhpA3oOpUY3aFxFK1vD0LWXL8pAauwZP1ruemkbke1YPnZZfg/s1600/7-hills-door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMCrqidN7gqTHSCsQ9d_Q8R-BtuWgw2chSsHltTaMosL12YjPcDdEs8a5my-fFaxnFHTBY20ULkqUm0npBdmeK0tbF3OhpA3oOpUY3aFxFK1vD0LWXL8pAauwZP1ruemkbke1YPnZZfg/s400/7-hills-door.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next, the brick path (and a sailboat in the distance):<br />
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Before painting the cast shadow on the path, I realize my <b>MISTAKE</b>. I'd combined two photos, but evidently they were taken at different times of the day - one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. So the distant mountains are lighted from the right, while the shadows on the steps indicate light coming from the left. Argh! Funny how you don't see these things until you paint them. But it can be fixed!<br />
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I carefully wash off the cast shadow and bricks with a wet, soft brush, then repaint the bricks with the shadow on the other side. Much better. (see below)<br />
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Next the palm trees and the flower vines on the trellis. I determine that the vines are bougainvillea, but the painting is too small to make it detailed:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtrgmL2FdT7R2_AGqO3bmWcAA8zysbf9kj0yrOa6x4ztpjassMa2POSOUDmw8qSwawhtBgx3CmMrJ_869w9aH5p3HQEAiSGSxf3h6FpBKuKfOS55vIlMb3Ng4nu11VXNrG-3mMwPdc3E/s1600/9-roof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtrgmL2FdT7R2_AGqO3bmWcAA8zysbf9kj0yrOa6x4ztpjassMa2POSOUDmw8qSwawhtBgx3CmMrJ_869w9aH5p3HQEAiSGSxf3h6FpBKuKfOS55vIlMb3Ng4nu11VXNrG-3mMwPdc3E/s400/9-roof.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is a close-up:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiystUl2m_iDWPzjmmVA28dIuZ1XKatvRcr9VhldBVk0h9d9Wa2QEopqfp5KSgDCx62mGquM8bZ8s_1dO9KaCdBksHqRTJoJT8BoEMNg9Q3YlblW02ins1aa8vpLlT4wIfod7uLlU5wAIE/s1600/10-roof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiystUl2m_iDWPzjmmVA28dIuZ1XKatvRcr9VhldBVk0h9d9Wa2QEopqfp5KSgDCx62mGquM8bZ8s_1dO9KaCdBksHqRTJoJT8BoEMNg9Q3YlblW02ins1aa8vpLlT4wIfod7uLlU5wAIE/s400/10-roof.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last, I paint the foreground flowers along the path:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqmLzaQblujBces0IwxFcmQ_NIYPY7v5RDhIu1TqjSO_vL-7WAUgeXXTcG3RBvG_Z7mmPF5tQUwpHie57AGvzdConPWVNYhjpedkVuWgxxgkM7h4y4jzBu6A-xOHGiOxMOxTCwvON_1U/s1600/11-flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqmLzaQblujBces0IwxFcmQ_NIYPY7v5RDhIu1TqjSO_vL-7WAUgeXXTcG3RBvG_Z7mmPF5tQUwpHie57AGvzdConPWVNYhjpedkVuWgxxgkM7h4y4jzBu6A-xOHGiOxMOxTCwvON_1U/s400/11-flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now the painting is finished. It is indeed a beautiful view (and makes me feel warmer just looking at it): <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdtieSIuHF9qe22T2IFQmHtgQViCRPSeiHI81SvD-YxaYgOadRwtg3F-h76s3n_LHy5P8-N4g0SB3aCTf5eao-YZidtx68olnzqdC9AnRJA16-PDzPAxbq76Gw2GSrMzeMV4n9jbga3A/s1600/37L15-Taronga-wc-7x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="painting of a house along the coast with a bougainvilla-covered arbor" border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdtieSIuHF9qe22T2IFQmHtgQViCRPSeiHI81SvD-YxaYgOadRwtg3F-h76s3n_LHy5P8-N4g0SB3aCTf5eao-YZidtx68olnzqdC9AnRJA16-PDzPAxbq76Gw2GSrMzeMV4n9jbga3A/s640/37L15-Taronga-wc-7x5.jpg" title="Cottage by the Sea and Flower Arbor Custom Painting" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Taronga' custom watercolor painting 7x5</td></tr>
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And the client is very happy! She writes:<br />
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Oh my god this is beautiful!!!! It is perfect I wouldn't change a thing! Thank you so much Janet!</blockquote>
That makes me feel warmer too. Happy Valentine's Day! <br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-91220960342956261262016-02-07T11:00:00.000-05:002016-02-07T14:29:04.317-05:00Bermuda Longtails, Beach and Seascape Painting Commissioned WatercolorA few months ago, a lovely lady contacted me about my <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search/label/bermuda">Bermuda Collection</a>. She and her husband wished to give his mother a special painting for Christmas to remember a vacation the three took in Bermuda. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2008/04/bermuda-longtails.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks0RieO6AhtsuB2XCEZGL9pxTowj6RQCjsGDJTCj-_XU2hfig4lQO9RBwn0KxJjyxsXDyL3mxnB2jv-H378JQUCxa3SranKLlArDR1QwuVxkgak4EIaC02GKFGtkqg21QbWH-fprih3A/s200/eb27D08BC16long_tails.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2008/04/bermuda-longtails.html" target="_blank">Bermuda Longtails 5x7 watercolor</a></td></tr>
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Her mother-in-law loved watching the <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2008/10/bermuda-longtails-coral-cliffs.html" target="_blank">Bermuda Longtails</a> as they flew between the coral cliffs and turquoise water. The painting on the left was the perfect choice, but it was sold. So I agreed to paint a new one for her at a larger size. I was happy to visit Bermuda again at the easel!<br />
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I'll share the process of painting the 12x16 version with you, so if you'd like to see, keep on reading.<br />
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First of all, my client asked for the foreground bird to be a bit farther away because they did not see the birds as close as I had. So I made a small watercolor sketch for her approval:<br />
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She loved it, so onward with the larger painting!<br />
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I begin with the sky. I wet the clouds with clear water first, then paint around them with blue for the sky, then paint the cloud shadows with a mix of blue and rose letting the colors blend together to give the clouds a soft look. It all must be done quickly before the paint dries:<br />
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I paint around the white birds. With watercolor, white is made by leaving the white paper showing rather than using white paint.<br />
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When the sky is finished, I paint the ocean beginning at the horizon line. The horizon is soft, cool and muted to make it look far away. I use pale washes of French Ultramarine Blue and Permanent Rose:<br />
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As the water comes closer to shore, I add the warmer, more intense colors of cobalt turquoise and Winsor blue:<br />
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When the rusty brown color of the rocks is added, the ocean looks more vibrant. Orange is the opposite (complement) of blue on the color wheel. Using complements next to each other makes each color vibrate and look more intense. The brown of the rocks is orange enough to allow this to happen:<br />
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The Longtails are next. These seabirds are so beautiful! It's quite an experience to see them fly right by you. Their pure white feathers reflect the color of the water so they almost look turquoise themselves.<br />
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Once I paint the beach, the painting is finished. You can click the image to see it larger. My client gave this 12x16 inch painting to her mother-in-law, but I included the small study shown above as a surprise for her and her husband to enjoy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1GO_PICvjpxS7sFgQbIpQrOz8z7ZLQCBa6gRmLzzn2uSdA7_8Lt_xAjESGk5uswfdKiwEkxu9tnnO-M03MMYLCK5kjgAmILqQzgVyXgXkdGll9rtvj25GML1UODyUhitalzRuJt04Es/s1600/009-Bermuda-Longtails-wc-12x16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two Bermuda Longtails fly over the Bermuda South Shore" border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1GO_PICvjpxS7sFgQbIpQrOz8z7ZLQCBa6gRmLzzn2uSdA7_8Lt_xAjESGk5uswfdKiwEkxu9tnnO-M03MMYLCK5kjgAmILqQzgVyXgXkdGll9rtvj25GML1UODyUhitalzRuJt04Es/s400/009-Bermuda-Longtails-wc-12x16.jpg" title="Bermuda Longtails Watercolor Painting" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bermuda Longtails 12x16 inch Watercolor Painting Commission</td></tr>
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-35206729620369630652016-02-01T22:08:00.000-05:002016-05-01T20:58:15.373-04:00Peach-faced Lovebirds Watercolor PaintingAfter a busy holiday season, here it is February and I've only now emerged from being buried in custom painting orders! Which is a good thing for sure, but now I can finally share them with you.<br />
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One of the orders was so cute. A young shopper saw my <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=lovebirds">lovebirds print</a> and wanted to know if it comes in different colors. She sent me a picture of her lovebird that has a pale peach face. Well, I don't usually do a painting just to make a print, but I agreed because he's adorable: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtyiWCdfe50zmGOhEic2f7fUNPZROly8XxJQW6w7jRTy543PQcUUrNAZzjAUR4alQzi4RFv2qCjRt7N2Mpx0Nf0Qgs3E1nGZz8JYeexqtGk76rR_0BmEleg7uvaFLx8w-Cq1Jjm5tzQg/s1600/34K15peach-faced-lovebirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Watercolor painting of two lovebirds on a branch" border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtyiWCdfe50zmGOhEic2f7fUNPZROly8XxJQW6w7jRTy543PQcUUrNAZzjAUR4alQzi4RFv2qCjRt7N2Mpx0Nf0Qgs3E1nGZz8JYeexqtGk76rR_0BmEleg7uvaFLx8w-Cq1Jjm5tzQg/s400/34K15peach-faced-lovebirds.jpg" title="Peach-faced Lovebirds" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prints.zehoriginalart.com/featured/peach-faced-lovebirds-janet-zeh.html">Peach-faced Love Birds</a></td></tr>
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Sweet, yes? They make me think of Valentine's Day - all lovey and cuddly. <br />
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Since the customer only wanted a print, I used the original watercolor to make a wedding card for a couple who are near and dear to my heart. Which means the original is not for sale.<br />
However, the print is available and would make a perfect gift for a loving couple. You can get it in my Print Shop here: <a href="http://prints.zehoriginalart.com/featured/peach-faced-lovebirds-janet-zeh.html">Peach-faced Lovebirds Fine Art Print</a>.<br />
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Thank you for stopping by. I'll share more of my custom paintings in the weeks (or months!) to come.<br />
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<hr />
<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-47928530509609430122015-08-16T13:00:00.000-04:002016-05-31T12:38:16.527-04:00Birch Trees in Autumn Original Watercolor Painting Demonstration on Yupo Paper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzl8JPGZ9DUdW0UDNKDInxpmnex7BLMhzH6DabTtF8Pb1f2OJaBCSrMS9NHA4C7POFl5B7vUfEPDc0uLBd4YGecfKmtt8neh3dAy3B7yUIp-Eb6f5yG-XnYtyuhafD0Fx37JymDw6SZA/s1600/birches-autumn-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzl8JPGZ9DUdW0UDNKDInxpmnex7BLMhzH6DabTtF8Pb1f2OJaBCSrMS9NHA4C7POFl5B7vUfEPDc0uLBd4YGecfKmtt8neh3dAy3B7yUIp-Eb6f5yG-XnYtyuhafD0Fx37JymDw6SZA/s200/birches-autumn-thumb.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It's mid August and the crickets are chirping loudly outside my window. Though daytime temps are warm, the nights are cool and I've noticed some maple trees with a few orange leaves. Fall is on the way.<br />
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With that in mind, I decide to try a painting of <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/2013/04/birches-at-white-lake-in-autumn.html">autumnal birch trees</a> in watercolor on Yupo paper. Yupo allows for vivid color since the paint does not soak in. Autumn color is vivid, right? So it seems a good match.<br />
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Let's see how this 14x11 inch painting turns out:<br />
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First, I blob red and yellow (to make orange), and blue and yellow (to make various shades of green) onto the paper letting the colors mix together at random. I leave part of the paper white for the sky.<br />
Note that I lay the paper horizontally flat on the easel and not on an angle. Even so, the paints run every which way...<br />
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But I like the effect.<br />
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Now to let it dry completely. This takes time because the colors are puddled on top of the paper:<br />
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When completely dry, I take a wet flat brush and pull it down from top to bottom removing the paint as I go. This will indicate the white birches:<br />
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I decide to make three trees adding shading with blue while still damp:<br />
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After this dries, I add details to the trees and the background foliage. A light touch is needed to keep from removing the paint underneath:<br />
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It's a good idea to step back from a painting from time to time to see what is needed (and there usually <i>is </i>something needed!). When I do this, I notice the painting looks flat. A few more birches in the background will add depth...<br />
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(How easy to add more trees by simply wiping off paint! Yupo is fabulous that way.)<br />
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I repeat the process of shading, allowing to dry and adding details on the new trees. Once I've made all adjustments to the painting, it is completed and here it is:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKk58NV-6bny-Wrl5-B7L13-MF9cQ4C45PUIh5FKvhyphenhyphenmd7c-RepWNj85xBq8ZyDsdsqdepbv6xsiTXT5fhrOxwAmDm0RTwk0a7Mx_tcnDF7L5UmYMth5EauXPYDdlcyHdmDMW-w7yU2Q/s1600/24H15-birches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKk58NV-6bny-Wrl5-B7L13-MF9cQ4C45PUIh5FKvhyphenhyphenmd7c-RepWNj85xBq8ZyDsdsqdepbv6xsiTXT5fhrOxwAmDm0RTwk0a7Mx_tcnDF7L5UmYMth5EauXPYDdlcyHdmDMW-w7yU2Q/s527/24H15-birches.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Birches in Autumn' 14x11 Watercolor Painting - Sold</td></tr>
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I like the fresh, impressionistic look. You can see the difference in effect by checking some of my <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=watercolor+birch+-bird+-yupo+-oil+-custom">birch paintings on watercolor paper here</a>.<br />
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Next time I use Yupo, I have more ideas to try. Hope you'll check back to see!<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-67085660545966030772015-08-13T10:00:00.000-04:002015-11-03T13:17:36.641-05:00Great Blue Heron Autumn Landscape Lake Painting Watercolor Demo on Yupo Paper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_DziNaDoE09X3Cz_9iY5ToR4DDv2YfhKr-Q6vNDqrXDx-motPByRmRQ0TW3X2oCcd5XI27-bva8lY_Z2nGoO4gyTgTPO320ab9nOGgejG4Z9kJ-Gw-tsjConlA6GND-H_rCD0xhgO7Q/s1600/heron-lake-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_DziNaDoE09X3Cz_9iY5ToR4DDv2YfhKr-Q6vNDqrXDx-motPByRmRQ0TW3X2oCcd5XI27-bva8lY_Z2nGoO4gyTgTPO320ab9nOGgejG4Z9kJ-Gw-tsjConlA6GND-H_rCD0xhgO7Q/s200/heron-lake-thumb.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Blue <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=heron">herons</a> are a favorite of mine. I had taken a photo one autumn of a heron by the water's edge and have been meaning to paint it. No surprise I want to try this scene using watercolor on Yupo paper (my newest fav) to see what will happen.<br />
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To follow the exciting progress and see the final version, read on...<br />
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First of all, I know exactly what I want to do, so I skip the drawing and dive right in with paint. Using raw sienna, cad yellow, burnt sienna, cad red and a couple of blues, I dab the paint onto the paper letting the colors run together. This denotes autumn foliage along the shore:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiXWoVqxjGP8_xSMLXHbZJbQyFjQWsovH5HOj2szLsPEsYTDWS_Psgf7zCDouHOkqlMQ2Q-3liJbt09U2R3fIqY6OWyZ_Dqcd9PV5hMTiktAgCGtokOLZy1fi3oiTuBqa-pIwjIpHQ9w/s1600/heron-lake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiXWoVqxjGP8_xSMLXHbZJbQyFjQWsovH5HOj2szLsPEsYTDWS_Psgf7zCDouHOkqlMQ2Q-3liJbt09U2R3fIqY6OWyZ_Dqcd9PV5hMTiktAgCGtokOLZy1fi3oiTuBqa-pIwjIpHQ9w/s400/heron-lake1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Isn't it a beautiful thing?<br />
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Next, beginning from the top of the paper, I do a wash of pale blue to show reflections on the water. I keep this subdued because it is an overcast day. A smooth wash is not possible using a brush on this paper, but the horizontal strokes are just right for water: <br />
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The heron is next using the same blues in deeper tones. No detail, just shapes! (click any image to see it larger).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JPtN_W9LSxeI3tamNqx_qCcHc2iB7fve_F-rEutn8WLlanw1XRfYhD4GHERn9assIzgZAv4G4a5yyp7VjZkkulgcnyEBmYDurXG3H4ZLDhQZKwu_qwKlE4jCBqJPNMAeBG2FOWgMhi8/s1600/heron-lake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JPtN_W9LSxeI3tamNqx_qCcHc2iB7fve_F-rEutn8WLlanw1XRfYhD4GHERn9assIzgZAv4G4a5yyp7VjZkkulgcnyEBmYDurXG3H4ZLDhQZKwu_qwKlE4jCBqJPNMAeBG2FOWgMhi8/s400/heron-lake3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I let everything dry for a while because I want to add birch trees in front of the shrubbery (it has to be dry for this). I take a wet brush pulling it down from top to bottom removing paint along the way (so fun!). This is not possible with regular watercolor paper. <br />
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Three trees look just right:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxNN2kW-iHZuhkmwh82qgMb9q4JQLR1lxdeaLrnRZrBIVmuKYEsxDkUtn24O6svV4alJ7iKTlHZJmdBv-7AqJZdw8-xbyy-lvNOGLPdzg_aj_ewu5PHjol06XnQSlOoBzej8eNQo5Ypw/s1600/heron-lake5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxNN2kW-iHZuhkmwh82qgMb9q4JQLR1lxdeaLrnRZrBIVmuKYEsxDkUtn24O6svV4alJ7iKTlHZJmdBv-7AqJZdw8-xbyy-lvNOGLPdzg_aj_ewu5PHjol06XnQSlOoBzej8eNQo5Ypw/s400/heron-lake5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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All that is left to do is add shading and details to the tree trunks, the heron's legs, ripples around its feet and dabs of paint for the tree foliage. It's done! It worked! So exciting. I'm pleased with how it turned out:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdIHEnFzJn5L5DbbdqsOjkJNZsvCbara20x_uPqH3bm-E_7kSX754-HRoVbPeVQBiVETtxH5ikqWt0xJv3Sf2SuOBJDoErg_vITR4g_JkmgrSujUbVvjBRcsVTfuOtnWS4W0ltO-sY0o/s1600/23H15-blue-heron-birches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdIHEnFzJn5L5DbbdqsOjkJNZsvCbara20x_uPqH3bm-E_7kSX754-HRoVbPeVQBiVETtxH5ikqWt0xJv3Sf2SuOBJDoErg_vITR4g_JkmgrSujUbVvjBRcsVTfuOtnWS4W0ltO-sY0o/s400/23H15-blue-heron-birches.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Blue Heron in Autumn" 11x14 in watercolor</td></tr>
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The original painting has been sold. If you'd like a similar painting done, let me know. I'll be happy to do a painting for you!<br />
<i>Please note</i>: each painting on Yupo paper is unique. I can paint a similar scene with like colors, but no two will turn out exactly alike.<br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4176285450156898863.post-59611141822282288382015-08-11T11:00:00.003-04:002022-07-30T08:38:13.980-04:00Purple Echinacea Cone Flowers Watercolor Painting Demonstration on 11x14 Yupo Paper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl2THRArDzCgb6Y28waY-K367O2VwS_DOaNUsMOp-L5a7R76TmvPENZ_1mxoINOdqHUPMXSKw-vDjqIWVZ-TZg_p7s5t_lKmQYUbynpEaG5Dx3f0MWJg1iKjJOhj4z_xsH1leGNsqLD4/s1600/watercolor-mixtures-in-palette.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl2THRArDzCgb6Y28waY-K367O2VwS_DOaNUsMOp-L5a7R76TmvPENZ_1mxoINOdqHUPMXSKw-vDjqIWVZ-TZg_p7s5t_lKmQYUbynpEaG5Dx3f0MWJg1iKjJOhj4z_xsH1leGNsqLD4/s200/watercolor-mixtures-in-palette.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
How many times I have looked at the swirls of color mixed in my watercolor palette and sighed, "I wish I could paint on my palette!"<br />
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Unlike paper, the palette's ceramic surface does not absorb paint, so the colors run freely and remain brilliant. <br />
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Well! No more wishing. I finally tried Yupo...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTglJA4l7LgK8h_RnmEyjxNvUXd4mXsPjXgc6oGN0FVIWUxVZDEevKdodtwJKCkw_f0OUIO1aAPOkPLRcQou-OHg7tQeqA9j0fSyFFC5lobvGp6icyRM-vzh-EYBb5hvdBdpP7bY2OJI/s1600/cone-flowers-yupo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTglJA4l7LgK8h_RnmEyjxNvUXd4mXsPjXgc6oGN0FVIWUxVZDEevKdodtwJKCkw_f0OUIO1aAPOkPLRcQou-OHg7tQeqA9j0fSyFFC5lobvGp6icyRM-vzh-EYBb5hvdBdpP7bY2OJI/s320/cone-flowers-yupo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yupo is an ultra smooth synthetic paper that does not absorb paint or water. It is environmentally friendly and acid-free<span class="smallfont"> (important).</span> The colors flow together in unexpectedly beautiful ways and remain brilliant, like painting on my palette <span class="smallfont">(also important)</span>. I'm hooked. <span class="smallfont"><br />
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<a name='more'></a>To begin this <a href="http://blog.zehoriginalart.com/search?q=cone+flowers">cone flower painting</a>, I use pale pink paint to make a faint outline of my subject with my brush (see above). Then I apply the first washes partly diluted with water and let them mingle as they will.<span class="smallfont"> Click images for a larger view</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_oVgwIIf8hzrWpmuxN6vEXJk4uZIk7Nlgh6qAxwZMWCBUft4VBGuIywnvyNcF5Dqg8jmIByPefErAXF-WYM0KsK0GRNwkV2ZOzFpzhKzVpP74m0Oxdoiz8tn4y2UWsyUGYm5SffB29k/s1600/cone-flowers-yupo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_oVgwIIf8hzrWpmuxN6vEXJk4uZIk7Nlgh6qAxwZMWCBUft4VBGuIywnvyNcF5Dqg8jmIByPefErAXF-WYM0KsK0GRNwkV2ZOzFpzhKzVpP74m0Oxdoiz8tn4y2UWsyUGYm5SffB29k/s400/cone-flowers-yupo2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When this is dry (it takes some time since the wet paint sits on the surface), I paint <i>lightly</i> over the first wash with thicker paint for details. It takes a delicate touch to keep this second layer from removing the first wash, but it can be done!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QQgbaXeBcofz3sQ_aGLLHQzFGwDWwhCJ4ChTVdCSZ0t_hIwT9hQGUGlncpdxWwvt7H66TG175h-WGIwy1pw9n39SVgFCYP1WnSyehMD1F_nBhj6Gr4N3eCcGvtBBol-Eg_IE0wLScPQ/s1600/cone-flowers-yupo3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QQgbaXeBcofz3sQ_aGLLHQzFGwDWwhCJ4ChTVdCSZ0t_hIwT9hQGUGlncpdxWwvt7H66TG175h-WGIwy1pw9n39SVgFCYP1WnSyehMD1F_nBhj6Gr4N3eCcGvtBBol-Eg_IE0wLScPQ/s400/cone-flowers-yupo3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Paint can easily be removed back to the original white of the paper with just a few strokes of the brush. I did that below to get the white spots on the butterfly. How awesome is that?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-Nn7COE6ijP2KfOKaufGeJRFbq6CxCOf7Wwiwgpf-Z0UvLhybjlI1v50epIppMCNTuvXiU4Pd8KCPhdrG8ZX3Mtp9sDLbnqLrwdI5HQdTEg2cibLQvYQuO2au33Wb8TN0mTN-1AchDg/s1600/cone-flowers-yupo4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-Nn7COE6ijP2KfOKaufGeJRFbq6CxCOf7Wwiwgpf-Z0UvLhybjlI1v50epIppMCNTuvXiU4Pd8KCPhdrG8ZX3Mtp9sDLbnqLrwdI5HQdTEg2cibLQvYQuO2au33Wb8TN0mTN-1AchDg/s400/cone-flowers-yupo4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To keep the painting protected and the paint in place, I spray it with clear fixative as a final step. The paper is impervious to moisture and remains perfectly flat with no buckling no matter how wet it becomes which is another nice thing about Yupo!<br />
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Below is the finished 11x14 inch version, one of my first Yupo paintings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4BPKM8mdRyPSVqKgC64GnkGTpm8pq6id1FfbpJN2fBvHvvr_9CSFMWva19yGwB0XOqpXZEKqzht_IVgH2WYwLpe-uWSedyl3roltt0QCeMMv-AJy3c5_zgtBxjJG7zcUtJ2zmPIaxwE/s1600/22H15-cone-flowers-yupo-white-bkg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4BPKM8mdRyPSVqKgC64GnkGTpm8pq6id1FfbpJN2fBvHvvr_9CSFMWva19yGwB0XOqpXZEKqzht_IVgH2WYwLpe-uWSedyl3roltt0QCeMMv-AJy3c5_zgtBxjJG7zcUtJ2zmPIaxwE/s530/22H15-cone-flowers-yupo-white-bkg.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Cone Flowers Original Watercolor Painting 11x14</td></tr>
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This painting is sold.<br /><br />
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<b>I'm happy to take custom orders. <a href="http://contact.zehoriginalart.com/">Contact me</a></b> for a custom painting of your pet, home, garden, grandkids, favorite vacation spot or whatever your heart desires.<br />
<b>To receive my posts by email</b>, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.<br />
<br />Janet Zehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125226443223198835noreply@blogger.com0