Last summer, I had an idea for 3 different paintings, so I started with a colourful wash on three 8"x10" canvases. I finished the 1st one- "Fowl Play", and have periodically worked on the second one, it's not finished yet, but I'm going to call it "Lovin' sun".Recently, someone asked if I could make a large
( 24"x36") painting- similar to the tiny "Forest of Feathers" one, in my Etsy shop. I loved the idea, and was thrilled to find that I had a brand new canvas in that size, still wrapped and waiting to be painted.
I haven't done any paintings this large yet, and just looking at that big white canvas was a bit intimidating… so I kept looking at it, while working out the details and a plan.
I wet the whole canvas, then brushed on yellow, red and blue, allowing the colours to bleed together. While it was still quite damp, I used a sponge to add more shades, depth and texture, then had set it aside to dry. I've made a new blog, showing the painting as it evolves.
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Since all my paints & brushes are on the picnic table, to enjoy the sunny day, I brought out a started 8x10 canvas (the one I from last summer) and chose to use it as a warm-up, before continuing the big painting.
I decided that the subject for this painting will be a cat portrait,
surrounded by leaves.
It took a very steady hand to paint all the black details with very fine brushes, and I'm thrilled to have completed it!
All it needs now is a clear protective coat. I like to use a shiny finish as it intensifies the colours a bit, but makes it hard to photograph. So this "finished" piece isn't actually finished…yet.
UPDATE: June 28, 2011,
I used two coats of shiny clear Varathane to complete my Jungle cat painting.
This completed photo doesn't do it justice, as it's hard not to get glare, (so the previous photo
is more true to how it really looks.)
Finished "Jungle Cat" painting.
(Now for sale in my Etsy shop).
