Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Work-in-Progress: Wild Horses Update


So okay: here is the long-overdue blog post I've been going to share for the past two weeks.   Lately it seems as if there has been alot of life-conspiring-to-keep-me-away-from-the-drawing-table going on.  Thankfully though things appear to be on the up-tick, and just in the nick of time: this piece and another I'm about to begin are both under deadlines.

Though some areas of the dark horse are not fully developed yet, I needed to move on to the pale horse and take a break from all of that indigo, black grape, and dark cool grey.  The lightest tones and details are being laid in over a yellow ochre base, and I'm finding myself struggling with a familiar nemesis..........this being my tendency to attempt to put in every single detail, rather than to suggest the details.  The suggestion of detail can be especially important as the image recedes from the eye, calling for less detail and softer edges.  I've already reworked areas of the pale horse in which I placed far too many individual hairs of the horse's coat.  This 'artistic character defect' of sorts, has proven to be a stubborn one -- and one I keep having to revisit and work on with each drawing.

What?..........CONTROL ISSUES!  Moi???  Never!            

9 comments:

  1. Beautiful Lynda..these guys obviously know each well, there's a real feeling of belonging. Is it pastel pencils that you use?

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  2. This is a wonderful piece! Looking forward to seeing it finished.

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  3. Lynda, Lynda, I told you that I thought this piece would speak volumes due to the size of paper! I was right and I knew that you would do justice!! What a story it's screaming already! If you're concerned about the detail just remember to be consistent with both horses. Sometimes I tend to change up techniques or styles midway a drawing and could kick myself later.
    It looks absolutely magnificent!

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  4. Love it, love it, love it.

    Maybe you can blend some of the tan area to eliminate every single stroke effect?

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  5. Thanks everyone for your kind words. That is so true Dianna that the level of detail must be consistent -- something I will be tweeking and untweeking all along the way -- by adding here and blending there, as you mentioned Debbi.

    These are colored pencils Elizabeth: a combination of Prismacolor, Derwent Coloursoft, and Faber-Castell Polychromos, done on sanded pastel paper.

    .........And I'm feeling the need to point out that the eyelashes are not done yet, because someone asked me if I would be "toning" them down a bit. lololol. Yes, this is definitely a work-in-progress in its 'ugly phase'! : )

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  6. It is looking absolutely great.
    Gonna be a winner.

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  7. Oh I thought the eyelashes were just the "flirt" factor. tee hee

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  8. Wow, just came across your blog and I absolutely love these horses. I shall be watching progress with great interest here :o)

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