Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Next Stages Of My New Painting

The continuing saga! Below I've painted the mortar lines on this brick building with thinned paint using a liner brush.
It may look as though I haven't done anything in step three, but I have shaded the chimneys and below the roof line.
In the next step I've shaded the top of the roof with black.
During step five I used a chalk pencil and sketched in the windows, shutters, and doorway. They are basecoated with a brush that fits that area. Several coats are usually needed.
Please excuse my ugly hands in the next photos. My shading is always done with floated color. I start out by folding two "Viva" paper towels into a square to use for my blotter. I'm illustrating with an old brush. Your brushes should "never" look this bad! (Ha!) Dip your brush in water and blot gently on paper towels(one side only).
Now dip the corner of your brush into the puddle of paint.
Blend your brush on your palette back and forth in a sweeping motion, keeping the opposite corner out of the paint. Now your brush is loaded and ready to shade. Practice makes perfect and I've had over 25 years of practice!
I never realized how hard it would be to photograph my own hand without help. I'm sorry for the blurred image.


6 comments:

  1. Hello Catherine; you make painting look so easy but then like you said you have 25yrs experience. I might just have to try it some time, I have always wanted to give it a go, maybe something small. I love your paintings.

    Hugs;
    Alaura

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  2. Can't wait to see it all done, and I love the cardinal photo in your previous food. Hopefully you'll be able to capture the nest when the eggs hatch.
    Hugs,
    Rose

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  3. Hi Catherine,

    Thanks for sharing this step by step progress of your painting with us.

    Errrr, haven't you forgotten a few bricks on the walls of your house? Just kidding: how patient you are to draw all these brick lines.

    I can't wait to see the next steps.

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  4. Hi Catherine, ah, thank you for showing a work in progress...I love to see how other artist's work and all the steps they take to achieve the end result. It is such a fascinating process.

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  5. Cathie, I love this step by step tutorial! I wish I could be in the room with you and have you teach me...I would love to be able to paint.

    Can't wait to see the next step!
    xo
    Penny

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  6. Hi, Catherine! I have had so much fun looking through your blog and your paintings--inspriring! I just met another artist, Kathy Miller, out of North Carolina, who does work in detail like you do! Perhaps you guys would like to swap tips to eachother? I'm always looking for artists with similar interests as mine, (primarily watercolor)--but I've recently been trying my hand in acrylic and having a blast at all that is so different from my usual medium. Thanks for posting your tips on 'floating'--I was wondering how you were doing such beautiful shading!
    Cheers!
    -Kerra
    www.icansketchu.com

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Thanks for taking the time to share your sweet comments!