Preening II

This is a commission for a customer in Capistrano Beach, CA.

They liked the original Preening so much that they decided to commission me to paint them one of their very own (Preening has been sold). I will be changing the background color from the original to more browns and earth tones. Those will allow the finished piece to better coordinate with the decor in their home.

Here's the start! Just the wood panel with a simple guideline type sketch.

The wood panel is masonite and measure 24 inches wide by 48 inches tall. I've put 3 layers of gesso on it. Each layer is rolled on with a smooth stain roller and allowed to dry over night. Then the layer is sanded with a fine sand paper and the next layer is rolled on. Repeat this process with all three layers. Then it's ready for sketching.

This preparation process gives me a nice smooth surface so that details are easier to create. But it does give me enough "tooth" for the paint to adhere nicely.

Here's the first layer of the background. The concept here is that the background is really fuzzy and out of focus. The center of focus is the bird. So the background is just a suggestion of what might be there.

In any case, it gives me a chance to play with color and to attempt to create depth with just shadows and highlights of color. That will take several layers, this is just the first.

With the background in, for it's first layer, it's time for the bird. I started on the neck cause it was a smaller section to work on and I could figure out the colors and the technique that I will use for the rest of her in a nice small contained space. Below is a bit more of a close up so you can see a bit better.

As with all the other work in progress photos, the "color" will change depending on what the light in the studio is doing. The image above is a bit more yellow than the actual painting because there was a lot of sun in the studio. This picture has a lot less yellow in it because the sun was no where to be seen.

So, no, I didn't repaint the whole background.

Lots more of the body has been put in for it's first layer. Lots of shadow and highlight work.

WoooHooo! The first layer of paint is in! And not a bad job of it, even if I do say so myself! Now on to the next layers.

By way of explanation ... with oil paint, successive layers of paint, each with a bit more linseed oil, gives the illusion of depth. Your eyes will actually see "through" the layers and will interpret it as a sort of 3D image. At least, Leonardo thought so. :-)

I've started the second layer of paint. The background will get darker as I go along which will offset the egret really nicely. It's a longish process but well worth it.

Lots more work on the second layer of the background. I'm not sure if you can see it here on the internet but there's starting to seem like there's some depth to the background. And the egret is starting to look like she's coming "off" the panel. Either that or I'm just a looney artist!! LOL!! Maybe a little of both!

This is a much better image than the one above. A bit truer to color. And as you can see the second layer of the background is in now. And I think that I've gotten closer to the depth that I'm looking for. I think one more layer of paint should get it there. But that will have to wait a few days while the paint from this layer dries enough for me to work over it.

So... on to the second layer on the egret!

Lots of brush work here to get the feeling of feathers. It'll take quite a few layers to get it to the point where the feather effect is believable. In my opinion, anyway.

I'm putting in the shadows first. Those will be underneath then I'll go back and put in the mid tones, then the highlights. Altogether it'll make a really cool bird that will almost look 3D. Well ... that 's the plan anyway! LOL!

Back today from a much needed 5 days of R & R. Took the motorcycles across Iowa to Galena, IL. What a wonderful town! We had a great time! Now ... back to work!

Just before we left, I did get some more work in on the egrets head, neck and upper body section. You can now see more of the feathers.

Still more of that same kind of work to be done. Slow and Steady.

The background color change here is NOT due to the lighting in the studio. I actually put the third, or is it fourth, layer of paint on the background. It's now a bit darker and a lot richer. I didn't do any more work on the bird than in the last photo, but the work on the background changes the bird too.

Below is a photo of me with my motorcycle (hubby has one like this in black) at a scenic overlook just south of Galena, IL. Some beautiful country and some great riding.

Lots of feather work on the body, neck and head. I've added a warmer color to this layer. It will help to give more definition to the bird and it makes her glow.

I sat for a long time in front of the painting and finally decided that the body was actually finished and that I could start on the long feathers in the foreground.

I think that deciding that any part of a painting is done is the hardest thing. You're never really sure. On occasion, when I'm particularly confused about something, I'll turn the painting towards the wall and do paper work for a few days. When I get back to it, it's much easier to make whatever decision I was trying to make.

Pretty slow going here, but all the long spines for the breeding plumage are now in. And the ones farthest to the left and up have some highlight painted in. Eventually they will all have the highlights but it was easier to put in the shadows first and I was better able to see the spines that way.

Tiny little lines after tiny little lines in shades varying from white to brown ... repeat ... repeat ... repeat ... LOL!! Thank goodness for my books on CD. Otherwise the left side of my brain would definitely have found something else that it needed to do!!

All those pesky little feathers are on on the breeding plumes. Whew!! Some of them got a bit longer too. Some got a little darker and some a little lighter. BUT .. I think that they are done. I also lighted up the left side of the body, the neck and the top of the head. They looked a little dark and didn't stand out enough. I think that they're good now.

Now a bit more body work and blending in of the breeding plumes so that they don't look like they're glued on to the body.

She's Finished!! This image is a bit out of focus. I took it inside with a really slow shutter speed so that the colors would be more true to the original. And my tripod was just not cooperating. So I had to hold the camera really still. :-) As soon as the weather will cooperate - give me an overcast day with nice flat light -- I'll take the painting outside to re-shoot it. But I thought getting the colors more true was important for this.

I blended in the breeding plumes so that they now look like they come out of the body feathers rather than be pasted on and I worked a bit more on the body above the plumes -- lightened it up and added a bit more detail. I also lightened up the left side of the body a bit more also.

Now I let it dry for a few weeks. I paint rather thin so it doesn't take more time than that for it to be ready to varnish. The varnish will protect the painting and bring the colors back to life. Oil paint dulls as it dries. I use a retouch varnish which is recommended by the Smithsonian Art Restorers.

Then I let the varnish dry for a week or so (depending on the weather and the amount of humidity in the air) and then it will be ready to ship to it's new home in California!