Silly

 Not much to update you guys on. Did a bit more with this picture. More than what the photo shows. I am too lazy to take another picture today...

Fixed the jaw on this painting. Need to fix her knees and elbows before calling this done... 

OTHERWISE. I got nothing else to say. Hoping the clouds disappear before 7:00 so I can take my dog to the park...

Also, check out this video! It's so fun. Try to guess what he is drawing.

It all starts somewhere....

FINALLY. It is starting to rain! It's been threatening to every day of the week, causing me to put off my running. Today I actually went to the park but had to cut it short because it began thundering. And NOW it's raining...well at least the weather is no longer lying to me...

In other news. PRETTY much done with this painting. I had to stop working on it for a while though. I need to look back at it in a week or so with fresh eyes so I can see any mistakes and add the rest of the details. But otherwise...I'm calling it nearly complete.

And since I pretty much finished this painting I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased a new canvas to begin a new painting. The canvas is pretty big, 20 something by 20 something...I'm in the zone lately! I figured I would take photos of the step by step process. I'll warn you now, it's not pretty, but every painting has to start somewhere. ;]

The reference/stock photo I am using. I have it open in photoshop.

I put down the wash here. Basically just a really really thinned out layer of brown oil paint. So the canvas isn't just pure white...

And then I quickly sketch out the proportions and where I want everything. Doesn't look much like anything huh? But it's just a guideline!

Laying down the basic shapes of the shadows. Just so I know where the blocks of shadow are. Now I think we can tell it's a person...

Adding some colors. And fixed some of the facial construction. It's still a bit weak...but it'll work itself out eventually.

 

More colors and also some more of the background is added. I'm wanting this painting to have a very dark background so the light in his hands is more prominent.

Added more colors to his hand and arms as well as some flesh tones on his face....and some smiley faces to brighten up my painting. ;p

AND this is where I am now. Added some color to his shirt, more black in the background, and more shading in his other hand.

The rain is coming down harder now! Well that's about it for today! Hopefully I'll get to work more on this tomorrow and show you guys how I made this painting not as ugly...

Background In

Today I actually began working on the background for my oil painting. So the pictures will make it seem like it's gotten a LOT done to it...but in actuality it isn't much. Haha.

Also I really apologize for the terrible quality of my photos. I have to take them in my room which already has terrible, yellowish, bland lighting. So the painting is a lot more vibrant, especially the background. The pictures make it look just white, whereas the painting itself has a lot of lime-yellow color in the upper part of the background, and the floor of the painting has some rich greens in it.

I also added in her ear...but it was after I took these photos. Anyways, enjoy! This pictures are taken horizontally because today I was working on it facing that way. I switch it around depending on where I am painting...for ease sake.

So looking at the painting I am thinking it is starting to slowly come together. The finish is in sight! I can SMELL it...or that may just be the turpentine fumes. I am really liking oils. I may start on a new piece right afterwards! Maybe an abstract like one? Just colors and shapes and strokes? ;] We'll see!

Lazy Thursday

Not much to update with today. Worked a bit more on the painting. So I'll show you those. Otherwise today was a very lazy day. I repotted my orchid...ahaha.

Not sure what way I will finish it as. I am currently working on it vertically for the ease of it. But it was meant to be horizantal. Which way do you guys like it best?
Here are some close ups

Painting

Well I actually starting a PAINTING yesterday! This is a big thing, since I usually have no motivation to do any traditional art unless it's for a class. So I am rather proud of myself...of course there IS a motive behind this, besides for my own pleasure. I am trying to build a good portfolio, in the hopes that I will transfer somewhere, hopefully an art school. I have a few months to work on pieces, but I realized how much I am lacking as for as a portfolio goes...

I've always wanted to transfer somewhere since the first semester at Georgia State. It's not that I HATE the place. The people in the art department are cool and what-not, but it's the campus and the people outside of the art department that bother me. Living there Spring Semester really put me in a rather low state of mind. Coming home every weekend was the highlight of the week. Just being able to get away from a place where I didn't feel like I was welcomed or belonging.

So we'll see how this whole portfolio thing goes. Hopefully I get in some good pieces this summer. It's already almost July! GOODNESS. One month left...how the glorious days of summer go by so quickly... At least this coming semester I will be living at home, comfortably. ;] As far as schools I am looking at, I've put together a list of really good art schools, it just depends on the campus or not if I want to go...and I dunno how I will see the campus. We'll figure it out sooner or later. But I'll try to apply to as many as I can! Some of the schools include, Rhode Island School of Design, Maryland Institute College of Art, Cleveland Institute of Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, California College of the Arts, and Pratt. My most favorite so far is Rhode Island, because it looks so wonderful! Also California...because I've grown to love it there. Haha.

AND. Here is the work in progress right now!!

Thought you guys might like to see the actual area I paint in...a corner of my room by my window. Haha. No where else I can do it! Works fine anyways... The painting was originally going to be so the woman is lying down, so a landscape orientation. But I wanted to work on it vertically, it'd just be easier. And now it is starting to look better that way... I guess we'll see how it looks by the end! ;] Oh, and it's oil paint on canvas. I've been working on it for maybe a few hours... I work relatively fast...

Summer

So it's been a while. But I'm still here. It's summer time now. You can tell by it being 90 degrees or more outside every day. Ugh. Recently I went to San Francisco. It was sooooo beautiful!

We went to a park called Muir Woods. It was so pretty. The above picture was taken on the trail. A couple was having a picnic...despite the rules stating you aren't allowed to. Haha. The trees were so big, they were redwoods I think. Picture HARDLY do them any justice. You have to be there yourself to completely understand.

We also went to an aquarium, which I forgot the name. Anytime I am at an aquarium I am always mesmerized by the jelly fish. They are so interesting and beautiful! Not to mention it reminds me of Seven Pounds. Haha. It was a lot like the Atlanta Aquarium, but this place had penguins and flamingos! But lacked a beluga whale...

Another place we went to was Alcatraz! It was really interesting being there and learning the history behind it. Not scary at all which I hoped it to be, but interesting nonetheless! Lot of interesting stories and what-not.

If you want to see more pictures of my trip you can go to my flickr page, click here!

Aside from that! Summer's been rather lazy. I think I really need to find a job...but I am too lazy to go out searching. Haha. I'll try later...maybe. I've been working on some art. I actually started an oil painting today. Oils are fun, but it is taking a while to get used to them... For the time being here are some speed paints I've finished recently on the computer.

As far as sketches go...I've not touched my sketchbook since summer started. I really need to though! I hope everyone's summer has been going well. I'll try to work on keeping up with my blog more.