Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Daily Painting Practice - 30 Self Portraits in 30 days - Day 12

I missed a day, I know, so shoot me. I don't have an excuse but I do have a deadline this week. There is another art competition in Northern Wisconsin I want to enter. It is in July and the entries are due this Friday. So I have two days left to complete a painting , photograph it and email my entry.

I love the North Woods, I have done (two paintings) thanks to ours friends Carol and Peter who introduced us to the beauty at their cabin. There is such a wondrous life force or energy in those woods. This scene was from one of our visits.

I am working very hard to keep the beginning painting as muted as possible. Limiting my palette
to warm and cool gray at this point.

Here I am starting to add the cool blues and greens. Still trying to keep the background thin and muted. No rich colors yet.
It is already beginning to show some mood with just a few accent darks and lights. I have a long way to go before Friday's deadline. I'll keep you posted with more progress tomorrow .
click on the painting to enlarge the image

View from the canvas
Self portrait No. 12
10"x14"
watercolor and pencil

I don't try many watercolors..,. this is why. It is a very frustrating medium for me. Of course, if I spent as much time practicing with them as I have with oils I might actually enjoy them more.
This pose strikes my funny bone. It reminds me of those Hollywood black and white publicity photos actors send to fans and casting directors.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love seeing the progressive shots of this muted painting. Nice! Please share when you have completed it. Love seeing all the self-portraits too.

Debbie said...

Your paintings of the North Woods are soooo beautiful! and it's interesting to see how the one in progress is developing. I recently took a walk in a wooded area near my home, and wondered how I would go about painting the scenery there. I haven't the slightest idea how I would go about it. You make all that hard work look effortless. I'm also enjoying all of your self portraits!

Kathy Jurek said...

Peter, I will teach you how to paint portraits with watercolor if you teach me how to paint them with oils. =)

Peter Yesis said...

THank you Anonymous - I will continue sharing the progress on that one until it is completed.

Debbie- Thank you. Your work is beautiful, I especially like your flowers. I am sure you will have no problems finding and rallating interesting and beautiful things in your neck of the woods.

Hey Kathy - I may take you up on that one day!