Hi Subscriber,
Before a painting reaches that 'ooh-ahh' moment, it goes through a series of ugly stages. Any time I show a work in progress, I run the risk of someone mistaking it for a finished piece.
It's a risk worth taking to reassure you that it's genuine and because the process itself is intriguing. So here goes...
"Rye Crane Family," commissioned by photographer, Ron Cicotte, is about two thirds finished.
No legs, no beaks, not much detail in anything, but the values and color fields are firmly blocked in.
The topmost grasses are lighter, cooler, and will stay mostly undefined as they move into the distance. The cranes are brilliant white against the deep darks of the water and the reeds facing away from the sun.
The third and final stage, glazing and refining, actually takes more time than composing and blocking in, especially in this artwork because the composing was done for me by the photographer.
The only change I made was to move the male slightly to the right and up just a little so the waterline doesn't appear to cut through his middle and so the cranes look less crowded.
I'm pleased with how this is going. Not all commissioned work goes this smoothly. Ron's expertise with the camera is making this a delight.
I'll show this again when it's finished.
100 Quiet Places Series #63-64
