Wednesday, January 16, 2008

More Zest!

"Caught in the Breeze" ACEO can be bid on here.
Copyright Rita Woodburne



Well, howdy doody, dear reader!

Today I'm going to resume my solvent experiment. If you want to refer back to the first image before we begin just head over here to refresh your memory.

Pretty ugly, eh?

Well, like I mentioned before, that's okay because all coloured pencil pieces are subject to an ugly stage at one point or another. Fortunately, because this is a small piece and because I'm infatuated with horses, I can see past the ugly stage and onto something a bit less aesthetically revolting.

I decided that while I hadn't done enough smooshing (<--- that's a technical term...really) with colour and solvent I still wanted to go ahead and start on some "modeling" of my subject. This included pumping up some of the highlights and shaping the face a bit and blocking in some of the shadows by blocking in a colour as an under painting. It also included some fiddling with the hair because, well, I love flowy hair on horses and I just couldn't help myself.

Untitled WIP with bad lighting, 5x7 coloured pencil on pastelboard
Copyright Rita Woodburne

You, hopefully, can also see that I've thrown in some of the colours I'm planning on using throughout the body and face to establish warm spots and cool spots.

In the next picture I've gone over the mane some more and applied more solvent to the pink/ salmon coloured areas and I've also started working the face and neck areas by adding in more lights and other lighter colours such as Light Peach, Putty Beige and Ginger Root.

Untitled WIP, 5x7 coloured pencil on pastelboard
Copyright Rita Woodburne

My next steps will include more shaping in the face, such as including in the fiddly bits that can be found on a horse face, as well as establishing the shadows on the body and focusing more on getting the nose area the correct value.
While I'm working on those things I'll also be rolling around in my head what I'd like to do with the background. Because this is an experimental piece I didn't really give it too much thought but I do know that I'd like to stick with a fantasy feel or something very simple, no scenery.


So there you have it, another step forward in the solvent experiment. I'd like to have this one wrapped up for next week because it ties in nicely with a project that I'm undertaking next month (I mentioned it in my Plans for 2008- in the artsy section) and I'd like to mention what it is next week as well as extend an invitation to any other artists, or hobby-artists, out there in bloggerdom who would like to participate.

Curious? Well, stay tuned...

4 comments:

Jennifer Rose said...

I'm curious! :D

The horse is looking really good, lovely colours :)Very nice definition on his face (I hope you know what I mean by that?)

Rita said...

Thanks Jennifer! I do know what you mean. :)

Well, if you want to find out what the project is going to be you'll just have to check back next week! ;)

Anonymous said...

Love the blues in the horse. I think your experiment is working! And "fiddly bits..." haha! So true.

Rita said...

Horses are comprised of lots of fiddly bits, why, they're the most fun parts to do!
As far as the experiment goes, only time will tell if I can pull it off. :D