Painting Progression-Seasons Greetings-Step 3

Now I paint in all of the basic areas using simple colors.  I am working with acrylic paint thinned with water.  For the background sky, I create a  wash of soft blue which I bleed into the yellow of the late afternoon winter sun.  Care must be taken to avoid creating a sickly green where the yellow and blue tones meet.  Each area I add helps to create a map of what the finished piece should look like.  With the basic colors laid in, it is easy to decide what adjustments to make and to which areas in order to create the look that I want.  If I painted one area completely before working on another, I would probably need to change it later, in relation to other areas in the picture.  It is best to work over the entire picture, building a solid foundation first.

Painting Progression-Seasons Greetings-Step 2

When I begin to paint, I prefer not to work directly on a white surface.   I use a toned surface to help me see the colors I am applying more accurately.  The surface color that I choose will also influence the finished result by unifying the final colors that will be applied later.  I usually also allow some spots where this  base color shows through in the finished piece.  Here I have chosen violet purple which will be the basic shadow color in the painting, especially on the main subject, our illustrious snowman.  Violet purple is a warm color, which will make a nice compliment to a winter scene.

I mix my pigment into a generous amount of mat medium.  This makes the mixture very transparent, allowing my pencil drawing to show through clearly.  The white of the art board also shows through, keeping the ground color from being too dark or heavy.  By using a mat medium rather than gloss, I avoid creating a shiny surface to work on.  The acrylic paint dries very quickly and I am ready to start painting!

Painting Progression-Seasons Greetings-Step 1

Here is something completely different for a change of pace.  No horses in this one!  At one time, most of my work was illustrations done for advertising, books, magazines, posters and point of purchase displays, etc.  These days I do some of my art for licensing.  Companies pay me to use my art on commercial products such as greeting cards and puzzles.  This is a piece of art which I have created specifically for this type of application.  It is painted on art board and the image size is 9 inches by 12 inches.  I have painted the finished picture it in acrylic, which is a fast medium to use on a project such as this.

The first step is to produce a series of rough sketches to perfect the idea, building a workable composition that will attract attention and be pleasing to the viewer.  A jolly snowman must convey a warm and friendly personality, and the cardinal needs to be carefully placed in a natural pose.

When I am satisfied with the results, I  trace my finished drawing onto illustration board, clean it up, and spray it with workable fixative.  It is now ready to begin painting!