Wednesday

painting ~

Okay.... time to quit the dilly dallying around and get down to business!  I have been procrastinating over this project long enough.  I'm going to paint a dog... and hopefully it will resemble our beloved Brandy that we had for 14 years before her passing two years ago.

I know I showed you the sketch on canvas that I finally got around to attempting:


I really didn't like the sketch; as it just didn't look like Brandy - but ... I decided to try and work with it anyways.  I never drew a dog's face before ... let alone paint one ... AND I'm using oil paints ... only did that once before ~ so bear with me.

Seriously ... I don't have a clue as to using oil paints.  This is a trial and error  ~
I don't own good brushes or any of the fancy stuff.  I don't even know if I have the right kind of canvas (my daughter picked it up at a garage sale and gave it to me).  I've used acrylic paints on occasion but oils are a whole 'nother ball game.

I decided I would first paint in some shadow and work from dark to light.  I'm sure some artist out there is going to read this and laugh. I'm serious ... I don't know what the proper steps are in doing this.  Should I be painting the background first and then working in the subject ~ or vice versa?? I suppose I could do a web search and find out some answers; but I'll just jump off the boat into the deep water and swim!

Here goes ...

Welcome to my studio ... the kitchen table.


Oh mercy!  This is not going the way I want it to go.  That poor forlorn dog that is showing up on my canvas.  It's nose is too long ... and those eyes ... oh my...

Think Mel ... think ... don't quit ... just start blending those paints around ... tweak the eyes and shorten that snout somehow.

Here's where I'm at when I quit a few hours later ... YES HOURS. I had to quit for the day.  My colors are getting muddled ... and I don't know what you do about that.  Do I have to let it dry some before attempting more?  Any oil painters out there with some suggestions??


I hope it's starting to look like a golden retriever???  

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel



11 comments:

  1. Your painting is coming along nicely Mom. Just remember that oils are forgiving . . . if you don't like it scrape it off and try again. I remember Grandpa scraping off lots of paint before he was content with what he put on the canvas.

    I think about watching Bob Ross when I was younger and he always started with the background and put in a Happy Little Tree and a Happy Little Bush before he got to the subject of what he was painting... just a suggestion lol.

    No matter what its going to turn out great, you have always been a great artist even if you don't think you have talent... I am hear to say that you do... it runs in the family!!! So put down the coffee cup and park your butt back in that chair Missy and finish your painting. And don't argue with me cuz I will win! (I've learned from the best)

    Love ya!
    Your favorite daughter ;)

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  2. Been a long time since I thought of Bob Ross, Sara bringing up the happy little tree or bush brought back good memories. I taped several of his lessons and never got back to them. I first started with oil, and loved the way you could blend and merge colors. I like the picture, but the painter must be SATISFIED.
    Personally, I like it! I wish I could do that well from scratch...

    Love and ((HUGS)). I am so sick of popups, I clicked on your comments and got some video ad.
    From Nebraska!!!

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  3. It looks marvelous, please do not despair over it.

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  4. Oh my gosh, Mel. THAT's BRANDY all over!!!! Great job. You put me to shame and DADDY would have LOVED it.
    Like Sara said~~~~~~
    Life is Good as You are Artistic, don't argue with her.

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  5. I think you did a great job, I don't know what Brandy looked like, but if Dar says it looks like Brandy it must be so. Congratulations. Now find a frame and a place on the wall to hang that wonderful painting.

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  6. I like it Mel, I think you'll have a very nice painting there to go up on the wall. You've got talent!

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  7. You're super talented in oh so many ways! Looks great Mel.
    'love & hugs from afar'

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  8. I for one really like the painting. I would never have tried to do it because I know I couldn't do it. It looks like a beautiful Golden retriever. You are so talented in so many ways.

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  9. Sooo, is she up on the wall yet?
    Looking so great.
    Life is Good Girl

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  10. That's better than I could do great job keep it up!!!

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  11. That's better than I could do great job keep it up!!!

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