progress, process

Today I painted a little schnauzer, and boy, did I enjoy the process.  It was just a picture I found, no expectations, no deadline. Just a cute face and a limited palette. 

I'm not quite done yet.  I need to adjust the pattern of lights and darks, and maybe add a little more color, but overall, I like it.

Here is it, with another dog-in-progress...

I really like the sketchy-ness of this larger one, and am being very tenative so as to not overwork it.

Day 7 - Cooper

"Cooper"

6" x 6"

watercolor

This is a quicky with a limited palette, of my friend Alex's dog, Cooper.

Day 6 - Finley

"Finley"

7" x 7"

watercolor

I wasn't sure if I was done with this one or not, I just knew it was time for bed!  I'm happy to be keeping up with a painting a day so far and I think knowing when to stop is helpful.  I can always go back into it tomorrow if I think it needs it.  I'm liking this limited palette, a modified Zorn, just ivory black, yellow ochre, and cadmium red light. 

Finley is a border collie mix and she has the cutest floppy left ear.

second day, second try

I thought I'd take another go at this reference photo because I love it so much.  This is actually just a tiny study, and I am going to try again, larger...

"everyday is like sunday, study"

4" x 4"

watercolor 

I did this small one to try out a limited pallette of just ultramarine blue and light red, but I end up adding raw sienna and phtalo blue too.  Looking at this now I even want to go back into this one a little...

Zorn

Liam
5" x 7"
acrylic on gessoboard

This was an attempt at using the Anders Zorn palette that one of my  favorite painters, Sarah Sedwick, uses often.  However, I think my reference photo was a little washed out, and so I didnt have the opportunity to try and use the depth of color that she can get from this very limited palette.