Dancers (Painting as of March 31, 2019)

I worked on this project again today. I am painting a double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers, based on a favorite photo of this couple. For the past three days, I have been struggling with the man's face. This started when I needed to make some adjustments to the position of his head and face, for the sake of accurancy, but in doing so, I lost a bit of the likeness, and worse, his expression. After several days of struggling with this, I feel like I am now back on track, and the gentleness of this sweet man shows in his face. (These are all tiny changes, some of them adjustments of 1/16 of an inch! Although the painting is 16 x 20, the size of each face is much smaller.) This morning, after I was satisfied with the man's face, I made some corrections to the woman's figure. Then I started adding light to the ceiling, trying to imply the overhead light source without actually showing the light fixture.

Dancers (Painting as of March 30, 2019)

I worked on this project again today. I am painting this double portrait based on a favorite photo.  Today I made more changes to the man's face, head, and neck. This has been making me nuts but I feel like I am finally getting there. But it is worth it: what a lovely couple, and I want to do them justice. I am trying for a likeness but also want to capture the kindness and humor in their faces.  Today I also started adding in some pale blue for shadows on white,  to balance the colors and that was fun.  To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting as of March 29, 2019)

I continued work on this project today. The dual portrait I am painting is based on a photo of this couple.  Today I worked mainly on the man's face.  (Although the painting is 16 x 20, the faces are maybe 3 inches, so it is a bit of a struggle to get the facial details). I have been working toward greater accuracy for the man's features, but as I worked, the face was looking "too tight" and needed more light.  So today I worked on adding light to the man's face. I went over the face with pale colors, and tried to use looser brushstrokes, to match the style of the woman's face. I think that helped.  I made no other changes to the features except to bring the eyes in (toward the center) just a bit, maybe a 16th of an inch. But I think I am on the right track. To be continued. . .

Dancers (Painting) as of March 28, 2019

I worked on this painting again today. I am painting a double portrait of this couple, based on a favorite photo. I did a bit of work on the faces today, but mainly concentrated on the background: walls and floor. To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Detail of Painting as of March 27, 2019)

This morning I worked on this project. I am painting a double portrait of this couple, working from one of their favorite photos.  I am posting a detail of their faces, because that is what I worked on today. Tomorrow I will go back to working on the background.  

Dancers (Painting) as of March 26, 2019

I returned to this painting this morning. I am a painting a portrait of this couple, using one of their favorite photos as a reference. My work on the background has helped me to spot a couple of problems with the figures. After I tried to reproduce the man's pose in the mirror, and after I stared some more at the reference photo, I made some slight changes in the position of the man's arm. This is a difficult pose, lots of twists and turns (aka contraposto), but as it happens, this position is also part of a step we recently learned in ballroom dance class, and that helped. Today I also added more color to the man's tuxedo and added more folds in the cloth. That helps indicate position and suggest movement. I did a bit of work on the hands, and tried to add a bit of light to the ceiling. To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting) as of March 25, 2019

This morning, I worked on this project. I am painting this double portrait from a photo.  Today I continued to work on the background color.  I made the ceiling darker and then tried to bring the pink walls down to more neutral colors by adding brown to the mix.  I have to make sure the background provides enough contrast with the figures, and that is a bit complicated because the man is wearing a dark suit and the woman is wearing a white dress. In terms of background, this is still underpainting, as I try to find the colors I want to use. 

Dancers (Painting as of March 24, 2019)

Here is my current work-in-progress as it looks today.  I am painting a portrait of this couple, based on one of their favorite photos.  I have been working  on adding color to the figures, and working on the background, too. As I add color to the background, I am noticing things I want to fix. Last night I marked some changes to the man's position, and this morning I began by painting in those corrections  Then I added some purple shadows and highlights to the man's suit.  And I spent the rest of the time evening out the background areas and putting down a first layer of color (underpainting).  These are not the final colors, but I think I am going to use purple, pink, and pale yellow tones.  Today I already toned down the pink on the walls, using brown to make it more neutral, but I plan to tone it down even more by the time I am done.  To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting) as of March 23, 2019

Today I continued work on this project, a double portrait of this couple that I am painting from a photo. I started by adjusting the lines of the walls, trying to improve the composition and making sure the perspective works.  I moved the corner of the walls to make it visible, so the painting will be easier to read. Then I worked on cleaning up the areas in the background, covering up the many marks I made as I revised the figures.  Although there is now color in the background, I am really concentrating on working out value (light and dark) and am still figuring out what the final colors will be.  Right now I am thinking neutrals with yellow tones in the floor, purple tones in the shadows, and maybe pink tones in the walls, but we will see.  I also started adding purple, in transparent layers, over the man's suit (heading toward black) and over the woman's hair, heading towards gray.  To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting as of March 22, 2019)

Today I returned to this project, a double portrait based on a photo of this couple (our ballroom dance teachers).  At this point, the figures seem okay and the likeness is pretty good. (The people that I am painting agree and like the portrait so far, to my great relief.) Now I need to add color to the figures, and paint the background. Today I got started on both.  I added transparent pink washes to the skin tones. Then I used a ruler to reestablish the lines for the background, which I had painted over while correcting the figures. I started with white and brown, but I was getting lost, so I decided to paint the wall areas with a neutral value.  I mixed white with the pink I had been using  for the skin tone and started painting the two wall areas.  That color contrast really helped me to see where I was and to get the background shapes defined quickly. I don't know if I will keep the pink as a background color, but I am sure it won't be this saturated.  It is fun to see the figures against the background.  Still a ways to go on this. . . .

Hamentashen Bouquet (Digital Drawing)

Yesterday's post was a little animation that I created with Procreate, of a bouquet made of hamentashen (triangular cookies eaten at Purim.)  Procreate captures each stroke as you draw and creates a little video. Today I am publishing the drawing, which is the final frame of the video.  I used Painter to clean it up a bit.  

Hamentashen Bouquet

Today I used the Procreate drawing program on my iPad to create this little Purim fantasy. Procreate captures each stroke as you draw and makes a little video. This is a bouquet made out of hamentashen, the three-cornered filled cookies eaten on Purim.  I decided to use a triangular brush, just to make things interesting.  

Dancers (Detail of Painting as of March 19, 2019)

Back to work on this project today.  I am painting a dual portrait of this couple, working from one of their favorite photos. Today I worked on the faces, making small changes. At this point, I think I have a pretty good likeness for both of these faces. And I think the body positions are accurate or close to, although the dance positions are unusual. But I need to add color, and I need to work on the background.  To be continued. . . .

Zakim Bridge at Night (with Prisma filter)

Last week, we drove in to Boston to attend a lecture at Northeastern University.  I took some pictures on the way home.  The Zakim Bridge is illuminated with blue lights at night.  This photo captured part of our car's interior, plus reflection of the brake lights of the car in the next lane.  So I had a quirky composition to start with.  Then I added a Prisma filter, and everything pop.  I did a little retouching and adjusted the cast.  The composition is a bit wacky, but I like it.

Irish Fields with Fence (with Prisma filter)

I posted the original version of this photo back in 2007, but today I put a Prisma filter on it and am reposting it for March 17th. I have visited Ireland several times; my husband had a Fulbright in Belfast from 2003 to 2005 so we did some touring around the Emerald Isle. This is one of the photos I took, but I don't know exactly where.  When we think of Ireland we think of green fields, but sometimes we think of fences and barriers and borders, and all the troubles that have gone along with them.  But when I entered people's homes, no matter where I went, they always said, "You are very welcome here".  

Dancers (Painting) as of March 16, 2019

I did some more work on this painting today. I am painting this double portrait from a photograph. Today I made some small changes to both of the faces, but spent most of my time working the position of the hands and arms, and I think the proportions are better now. To be continued. . .

Dancers (Painting) as of March 15, 2019

I finally had a chance to get back to this project this morning. I am painting a double portrait in acrylic on canvas, working from a favorite photo of this couple. Although I haven't had time to work on this portrait for about 10 days, I have been looking at it and marking things I want to correct. So this morning, I started with those little corrections. Then I did yet another check of the proportions, and spent the rest of the time concentrating on the lower body. It is hard to see detail in the photo, so I sketched in underlying anatomy for the man's extended leg. That was really helpful when I was trying to figure out where to put the folds of the trousers as well as in working out the position of the foot. I spent the rest of the time concentrating the foot placement for both dancers. To be continued. . . .

Douglas County Pie (Illustration) Final

This is the final version of my illustration for a post for our food blog. The post is about Douglas County Pie, once served at the Paradise Cafe in Lawrence, Kansas.  But it has been years since we left Kansas, and the Paradise Cafe has since closed. This pie was just a distant memory till I tasted it again thanks to my son's GF, who baked it as a birthday surprise. A photo of her pie is at the center of this illustration. Today  I used used Painter's digital pastel to lighten the color of the pie and make it more of a golden brown.  Then it was ready to go, so I published it with my post: https://seasoningforeverypalate.wordpress.com/2019/03/14/douglas-county-pie-paradise-regained/

Looking Up at the Zakim Bridge

Busy day today, including a trip into Boston.  Of course, I took pictures on the Zakim Bridge.  Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition.  When you think you are too busy, take a minute and look around and look up.

Douglas County Pie (Illustration)

This is the illustration that I plan to use for a new entry in our food blog, Seasoningforeverypalate.wordpress.com. The blog post I am planning will be a nostalgic celebration of Douglas County Pie, from the Paradise Cafe in Lawrence, Kansas.  The Paradise Cafe -- on Massachusetts Avenue in Lawrence, Kansas -- opened in Lawrence around 1984. It was a very popular place to have breakfast, lunch, and pie! And eating Douglas County Pie was paradise! We left Lawrence decades ago, but last month, during a trip to Nashville, my son's GF made Douglas County Pie as a birthday surprise.  She had tracked down the recipe, and this was the real thing! Paradise regained!  I am using a photo of that pie to create this illustration. For this final version, I made some minor adjustments and added a purple border to match the lettering.  I hope to have the blog post ready on Thursday (Pi Day).

Douglas County Pie (Illustration as of March 11, 2019)

This is a work-in-progress, an illustration for a new entry in our food blog, Seasoningforeverypalate.wordpress.com. This is the illustration so far.  The blog post will be about the amazing Douglas County Pie, from the Paradise Cafe in Lawrence, Kansas.  The Paradise Cafe opened in Lawrence around 1984 and we went there at least once a week, for coffee, for breakfast, and for pie!  It's been several decades since I have lived in Kansas, but during last month's trip to Nashville, my son's GF made Douglas County Pie from a recipe she tracked down. Yes, this was the real deal, and it tasted as great as ever!  I took a picture of the pie and used it to create this illustration.  I added a Prisma filter and some posterizing effect in Painter.  Then I used Painter to add the lettering.  Next and last step:  create a border. To be continued. . . .

Douglas County Pie (Illustration as of March 10, 2019)

This is an illustration-in-progress.  I am planning an entry for our food blog -- http://Seasoningforeverypalate.wordpress.com -- and this is the first stage in creating the illustration.  The blog post is going to be about of Douglas County Pie, an amazing dessert from the Paradise Cafe in Lawrence, Kansas.  The Paradise Cafe is closed, and I haven't lived in Kansas for decades.  But during last month's trip to Nashville, my son's GF made Douglas County Pie as a birthday treat.  She had tracked down the authentic recipe and it tasted as amazing as ever!  I took a picture of the pie before we cut into it.  For this illustration, I started with that photo, but added a Prisma filter and then posterized the image in Painter.  And then I added space for lettering that will be added, above and below the pie.  To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting) as of March 9, 2019

I worked on this painting today, a double portrait.  I am working from a favorite photo of this couple.  Although I did a little work on the faces today, checked body proportions again, and then spent most of my time on hands and feet, definitely challenging!

To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting) Detail as of Mar. 8, 2019

I worked on this project again today. I am painting a double portrait of a couple dancing, using a photo as a reference.  Today I did some more work on the man's face, trying to improve the likeness.  I think I am getting closer. . .

Snow on Dogwood (modified Prisma filter)

Here is another photo from this week's snowstorm.  I used a Prisma filter on this, then edited the result in iPhoto to tone down the saturation.  I also made the image a bit darker, and made the cast a bit more neutral.

Just Another Snow Scene

We had a respectably large snowstorm this week.  Here is another picture that I took back on March 4.

Dancers (Painting) as of March 5, 2019

This is a double portrait in progress.  Today I did just a little work on the faces, and then returned to painting the figures.  I am working from a favorite photo of this couple (dance instructors in their 80s!) Today I concentrated on the positions of the arms and upper bodies.  There is a lot of torque or contra-posto in the position and it is a struggle to capture in 2-D.  I made a lot of changes, trying to get the positions as close as possible to the photo, but also trying to make the positions believable in the painting. I added a bit of color just to make things clearer as I was moving things around, choosing pink so it would blend in with the skin tones. I think the figures are improving, but there is still a long way to go! To be continued. . . .

Snow on Dogwood Tree

We had the first heavy snow of the season last night.  Snow is a big inconvenience, but it is so beautiful!  I love the way snow looks first thing, while it is still on the branches, before wind or rising temperatures make it disappear.  This is a close-up cropped from a photo that I took this morning, of snow on our dogwood tree.

Dancers (Detail of Painting) as of Mar. 3, 2019

This is the double portrait I have been working on.  I am working from a photo of this couple dancing.  Over the weekend, I have been working on faces.  I worked on the man's face first and am starting on the woman's face. This is the hard part, struggling to get a likeness. What is interesting about this couple is that they look more like themselves when they are together than when they are apart. To be continued. . . .

Dancers (Painting) Detail of Man's Face Mar. 2, 2019

I worked some more on this painting today.  This is a detail of a double portrait of two figures dancing.  I am working from a photo, so today I began at the computer.  I opened the photo on the computer, cropped and enlarged the faces in the photo. Then I applied a woodcut effect (without black) because this exaggerates shadows and shapes.  I printed this out, and then I got to work on the canvas.  Several times I upended both the canvas and the printout of the photo, which often helps as well.  I don't have a likeness yet, but it's getting better. Sometimes I think making art is just making mistake after mistake, trying to get closer to what you have in mind, and then if you are very lucky, sometimes you get there.  To be continued. . .

Dancers (Painting) Detail of Man's Face Mar. 1, 2019

Today I finally had a chance to return to this project, a double portrait of our dance teachers. I am using one of their favorite photos as a reference. So far I have been concentrating on the position of the figures. Today I started working on the man's face.  I wouldn't call this a real likeness yet, but getting closer. . .To be continued.