What I did over summer vacation...

Suffice it to say this summer has been busy.  As summer winds down and we get ready for the kids to start school I can't help getting a little (okay, a lot) excited to get back into my daily routine.  I have a lot that I want to accomplish in the coming months and I am excited to start. I plan to ramp up my marketing, build a website, and look into making prints of my work.  With the kids home for the summer I've only managed to squeeze in a hour or two here and there, completing a few commissions but being able to sink into any longer projects...

"Vicky"

11"x14"

watercolor

"Vicky was one of my favorite commissions that I did over the summer.  The client supplied a ton of great reference photos, and was in no rush for the finished piece.  So, I took my time sketching out a bunch of different views and compositions.  I worked in charcoal and watercolor and really enjoyed trying to get a feel for her personality.  In the end I asked the client to choose which he liked best, and this was it, which was my favorite too.  Funny thing was that this was from a crumby reference photo (dark, oddly cropped, not in focus) but it really had a nice feeling to it and I think that's what came across in the painting.  That's why I always ask for a few different reference photos, because you never know whats going to work, especially when working in a looser more expressive style like this.  I hope to do more like this!