Room for Angels - Work in Progress - Commission

Let the sketching begin!! Sorry I know that this is a bit hard to see. But at first I sketch really lightly. That way when I have to erase for the forty fourth time, it doesn't leave the paper a complete mess. I've added some close up views below. But they're kinda hard to see also. Hopefully, the images will get better as I get more confident with what I'm coming up with.

Starting to get the banner in with a tentative approach to the lettering. I think it's going to work. I've darkened the fairies a bit too. Moving along a bit slowly and tentatively, sort of the way it seems to work out in the beginning of all pieces.

Well, first I decided that the banner was just a bit too stiff. So I changed the sides some, to give it a bit more of a flowing feeling. Then I worked on getting the two fairies to "hold" on to the ends of the banner. It's a bit different than you would think, but I kind like that. I defined the wings of the fairies a bit more too. And I like how those are working. Finally I put in two butterflies! Liking this so far.

The additions are a little hard to see, but there are now two bouquets of roses on the banner. They're similar to the bouquets of flowers that are on the bed frames. So everything will be coordinated. I did work a bit more on the drape of the banner, but I'm not sure of that yet.

Thought I would give you a bit of a closer view along with the full view. This way you can see some of the background work that I did. I know that it doesn't look like a whole lot happened in a day's work. But what you don't see are the 6 or 7 other versions that fell victim to my handy eraser! So far I think that I'm happy with how things look so far.

Well, I spent quite a bit of time working on the drape of their skirts and of the banner as it falls from their arms. So far I think it's going to work. It makes sense, looks pretty and adds interest to the piece. ... Then I decided that the rays of the sun needed to be a bit more interesting also. In the finished piece they won't look quite as "powerful" as they do here. It will be a more subtle effect. .. And finally I began the process of working on the hair of the fairy on the left.  Whew!! ... Lots of progress!

Yippee!!  It's really coming along now! Hair is all in ... checks on the banner follow through around the fairies and into the drape ... and the flower garden at their feet has started to bloom!!

Now the flowers are really starting to fill up that lower section. It takes a while to get them drawn, but it's really going to be pretty. In my humble opinion of course!

The whole center garden is now in. Just a few more details to get finished and then it's on to Paint!!

The drawing is now finished and ready to be transferred to the wood panel. The best part is that my client has seen the finished drawing and loves it!!  Yippee!!!!!

You can see here how I'm transferring the image to the wood panel. I use an artist carbon paper. It took a while to find the right one. A lot of them will smear with the application of oil paint, so you have to be careful. This one works okay. ... drawing the image full size is the key. This way I don't have to draw the image twice and all the changes (erasing) happens on the paper, not the canvas.

Here she is all transferred to the wood panel.  Now on to Painting!!!

Just the very start of color. But even with just this little bit of beginning, it all seems to come to life. Needless to say, this is my favorite part.

A bit easier to see the colors in this one. It's been a bit dark in the studio, so it's kinda hard to get an image with good color in it. Anyway, moving along on this nicely, getting that first layer of color in.

This image is a lot more true to color! Yay for good natural light! Anyway moving right along. Getting in the colors that I'm sure of first! LOL!

With the addition of some more greenery on the sides that slowly get a bit richer in color, helps to give the illusion of depth to this 2 dimensional piece. I'll work to add more and more of that as this goes along.

A bit more color choices now. I'm working with colors from the fabric that will cover the upper section of the walls of the room that this painting will live in and with the wonderful Mackenzie Childs twin beds that will be placed below this painting. I'll have to take a pic of the fabric and post it for you all to see. I think this painting is going to really work nicely with those colors.

Yay! Except for hair, all the main colors have been chosen, so far. I know it looks a little flat, but the colors will all get richer as the layers go in. Also the fabric wall covering is a bit busy and I think the painting needs to stay a little simpler so that it bounces up off that background. But as always, the colors aren't always finale. We'll all have to wait and see together.

With most of the base colors in, I can now go back and start to enhance each of the layers. Which also pretty much means that the progress on the piece will look like it slows way down. But I really think that each time I add another layer of paint, the piece as a whole gets more interesting. In this image you can see how working on the sky section has added depth to the area.

Yippee! The flowers have color!

Went back to work on the sky this session. If you look at the trees in the upper corners you can see the difference it's made. The trees almost look like they've come off the board. It's really fun when that happens. Also did a bit of work on the border. I thought that it needed a bit more interest. It'll probably need another layer.

Finally chose the hair color for these two fairies. Well, I sort of chose. They are running the whole spectrum if you look closely, from blonde to a deep brown. But I think the combination really works. I also put another layer of color on their skin. (Sorry about the poor quality photo. That right side has a lot of bounce back glare. It really looks a lot more like the left.)

Another layer of color on their faces and arms. You can now start to see their personalities emerging. Fun to watch them come alive. Also got the lettering in and the flowers on the banner. You can really see the whole painting coming alive now. I love it when it turns this corner.

Some subtle changes today. The flowers in the corner boxes now match those on the banner. And the center section of low bushes now match those on either side (They got a second layer of paint) I think the lower greener now has some interesting highlights and shadows, but is still not over powering. I think this layer of paint helps to add some depth to the work overall.

Filling in some of the blank spots this session. The thin grass around the flowers is in. Was a bit of a challenge to pick a color of green that would stand out from the background but also be seen over the skirts of the fairies gowns. I'll go back, once the paint is dry and add some highlights and shadows. AND we now have a bird!! .... Also the lettering got a bit off interest with some darker pink at the bottom of the letters. Takes away the flatness that it had. If you look closely you can also see the light peach color that I added as a sort of shadow.

Birds, butterflies and a bit more skin tone. And the Fairy on the left has the second layer of color added to her wings and her bodice. I think it makes a whole lot of difference in the "depth". She now is starting to really look like she's popping off the board.

Moving along really well with the second layers of paint all around. The fairy on the right now has wings with a second layer and both of the gowns now have their second layer of green. It really helps to define the folds in the garments. I think I will go back in and soften the color a little. It may have gotten a bit too bright. But I'll let it sit and see if it grows on me.

Slow work this session, but definitely needed. The pink and cream check on the banner received some attention. I don't usually work with a straight edge brush, but boy did that come in handy for this! Some where over the last couple of session I work on the sun rays. I forgot to mention that. Now there are definite separate rays, which I like a lot better.

Spent a bit of time on their faces & arms this session. This is the 3rd layer of paint for those areas and they are now looking great (IMHO). I've inserted a couple of close ups for you to see it better. I also started work on the flowers in the center, which helps them. And the drape of the banner as it comes off the fairies arms received some attention also. I think we may be nearing the final push!!

       

Got the rest of the lining done on those flowers. A time consuming, tedious business. But worth it in the end.

Our fairies now have the lower sections of their wings put back in and they have all sorts of wonderful flowing locks! I also put all the grass that falls over top of the skirts back in. THEN .. I reworked the entire border. It looked sort of dirty before. It's cleaned up a lot now and there's a subtle shadow all around the edges. Just a couple more days and we should be all done.

Well, it's down to the final stretch. What I need to do now is to add the lining work. If you look closely you can see that I added a thin burnt sienna colored line around the outside edges. It really makes the "picture" sections stand out. I've also started the lining on the fairy on the left side. Tedious work, but well worth it.

Slowly but surely. The left fairy has all her lining work now. Really makes her pop off the canvas. The top or the banner has it now too and the fairy on the right has been started. Another session or two and it will be finished!!