Finished Lioness painting

Sister Act

30" X 60"

Original Oil

To see this painting in progress, see posts beginning May 8th. 

Elk continued

After filling in the trees on the right, I mixed the color for the small golden deciduous tree on the left. Cadmium yellow, titanium white and yellow ochre for the bright area and raw umber and yellow ochre for the shadow side. I thought I had the color perfectly mixed and began painting the tree. It was much too light and therefore dull. Adding more cadmium yellow and yellow ochre really made the tree "pop."

The tallest tree on the left was driving me crazy so I shortened it (no chain saws were involved and no trees were injured.) Now the deep background is over the top of the tree.

Figuring out the color for the background light rocks was a challenge. I knew the feeling I wanted but couldn't quite see the color clearly enough in my head. However, I knew of a sage grouse painting by James Morgan which I thought had a touch of the peachy color the painting needed. Looking in my Birds in Art catalogue when he was Master, I found the painting  - and the color.
A simple mix and I had it.

Next Painting

My lioness piece is done. When I have the scan of the completed painting later this week, I will post it. In the meantime, I will start posting my next painting in progress. It is another large one (30" X 50".)

I debated whether to paint this piece on Venetian Red gesso rather than white gesso. The deciding factor was that I really wanted to push my colors and think the red gesso helps me do that.
The first step was the upper right. Here I went wild with some electric blue (ultramarine blue as the base.)

The trees are painted with cooler tones. If I can keep the background cool, the warmth of the foreground will shine. With a warmer sap green, I mixed in some ultramarine blue. I also played around with a smattering of permanent green medium and chromium oxide green. The darkest darks have some paynes gray. For the lighter color on the trees, I used naples yellow.

Almost Done

Since the last post, I have finished the foreground lioness's legs and darkened her shoulder. This photo with my camera exaggerates the darkness of her rump. But, I will double-check to make sure it isn't too dark in the morning.

The major last step is the grasses. More will cover their legs with some extending onto their bellies. A danger would be to make the grasses too light which will distract from the cats.

Stay tuned.

The second cat

I'm back to work on the second cat after 3 weeks on the east coast. This may be the second cat I am painting in this piece, but this lioness is really the first cat in the work. She is the more important cat. Her body is in full view and she is the more foreground cat.

I have painted her with warmer colors than her sister. Her head also needed some brighter and more yellow (warmer) paint which I have added since the last blog. These slight adjustments will bring her further into the foreground and help set her apart from the other lioness.

Color helps distinguish the position of the cats in the painting but it is important to have distinct differences between the cats. I've already pointed out the slight difference in their right ears with the background lioness's ear breaking the plane of the background. When designing the composition, I made specific choices on their different body positions.
The close lioness has a scar on her nose and some black spots near her neck. In addition, her shoulder blade is more rounded and her face is fuller.
While all these distinctions are important, my favorite is their eyes. The background lioness seems more timid and unsure while the close lioness appears focused and determined. Some of this is achieved by pupil size and iris color. The rest from feeling - working with the eyes until I could feel a difference in attitude.

Maritime Show - Sea and Shore

Maritime Show - Sea and Shore

Louisa Gould Gallery

54 Main St.

Vineyard Haven, MA

Martha's Vineyard Island

www.louisagould.com/gallery

(508) 693-7373

Show runs June 25th - July 15th

Special Reception July 3rd, 5 - 7 pm. 

My original oil paintings will be included in this group show. All of them were inspired by my time on and sailing around Martha's Vineyard.

Buoy 2

4" X 6"

Original Oil

Gay Head

5" X 7"

Original Oil

If you have a chance to stop in the gallery, I think you will be impressed by the show and the array of quality work which the gallery represents.

The ears

I'll be adding some more whiskers when I complete the body. You'll notice that though the ears on the two cats look the same, they are slightly different. The most important difference is the right ear of the "background" cat breaks the plane of her back.