Painting Cats. Start to Finish.
First off, I have a feeling that writing this post – and more importantly, getting all the photos and captions in the right order – is going to take me longer to complete than the actual painting.
I’m technologically challenged, but I have the best of intentions. Here goes.
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- First, I transfer the image to the paper. Masque Pen will keep the paint from adhering to the parts I want to keep white.
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- Then, I apply a generous wash over the background.
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- A spritz of rubbing alcohol achieves a really cool mottled effect.
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- See what I mean?
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- After.
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- I don’t follow any rules for color mixing. It’s a free-for-all.
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- Adding different pigments to the still-wet paint.
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- Now moving on to some non-adjacent areas, like the eyes.
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- And ears.
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- Now adding some more color in. The darker areas first.
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- Another spritz of rubbing alcohol.
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- Moving on to the other cat.
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- And a spritz.
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- Waiting for the paint to dry. Hours!
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- The fun part: removing the masque.
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- A number 0 brush for some detail, followed by an even tinier one.
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- Just needs a little more shading in the eyes and…
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- Voila!
Title: Redward and Whitey (RIP Whitey)
Completed: December 22, 2009
Soundtrack: Storm Large, “Crazy Enough”
Beverage: Three-Buck Chuck
At any rate, that’s how a painting goes, start to finish. Merry Christmas mom and dad! Hope you like the painting and I hope you don’t read this ’til after Dec. 25.
December 30th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I have to say that I LOVE this painting. I am really spoiled! Both kitties were totally captured in their eyes alone….can’t wait to get this on the wall. Thanks again, Rachie!
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Oh a really gorgeous painting. I really enjoyed watching the piece develop.
March 2nd, 2010 at 4:08 am
[...] I paint on Yupo which is a synthetic, tree-free paper. Since it doesn’t absorb water like regular watercolor paper, the pigment dries on the surface and that’s how I can get really unique textures in my work. You can see a painting progress start to finish here. [...]