Equine Work-in-Progress: Muzzle Detail

Above is the detail on the muzzle that I have laid in over the value drawing, minus the final whiskers.  One of the most challenging aspects of drawing for me, is the need to constantly and consciously fight the urge to execute every tiny, little detail.  Over time I have learned a bit --just a bit -- about the importance of suggesting detail, rather than drawing every excruciating grain of sand, piece of hair, or thread in the fabric.  Upon stepping back and assessing this horse's muzzle, I was (am) unsure as to whether I have successfully limited the level of detail.  As I carry on and build details in the other areas of the image, I will be better able to evaluate this.  Given that it is drawn on Uart sanded pastel paper, softening and blending the level of detail can easily be done.

So, back with my nose to the grindstone -- or in this case, the sandpaper.

Retrieved from the Flat File, and Kudos

This equine piece may look familiar to some of you: it is a drawing I began last summer, with the intention of returning to it prior to now.  At the time that I sat it aside I had little more than a somewhat pale grisaille laid in.  Over the past few days I have completed a solid base coat, and soon will begin layering in the subtle colors and detail work.  The piece is being executed on Uart sanded pastel paper, and unless I crop it (again), the finished image size will be 25" x 16".

Before closing I must give a big shout-out to California artist and good friend, Elizabeth Patterson, CPSA, who at present is having a solo show in Paris, France.  The exhibition is being held at the Galerie Louis Carre & Cie.  Check out the phenomenal video and show images through the gallery link: unless, unlike me, you are actually able to read french -- then you can enjoy the entire page!

Thanks for stopping in.

Work-in-Progress: Wyoming Wild Horse

The 'model' for my current work-in-progress is a wild horse that was photographed in Wyoming a number of years ago.  It will be a small colored pencil piece, just 8" x 12", and as usual I am working on Uart sanded pastel paper.

The image above shows my work to present, and currently looks much more like a graphite drawing than a work in colored pencil.  By building a grisaille using the range of Prismacolor french greys, I am developing  the general values and their placement.  As the subject is a grey horse and other colors in the drawing will be subtle, this technique should lend itself well to the piece.  It has been quite some time since I have laid in my base coat in this way , and I am enjoying it.  Next I will begin building the details and colors on top of the grisaille.

Oh, and to divert............the barn swallows are back.  There are only a few right now, but soon (as I'm sure I wrote at this time last year) there will be dozens of swooping, happy barn swallows in the barn and surrounding sky.  Their return always does my heart good, though it feels a little different this year than it usually does.  I suspect that this is due to the fact that this past winter has been a most difficult one, what with its losses.  There are simply those things that life brings, that change one  --  so the little things that have always brought me such joy with the return of each spring season are now measured against the backdrop of the past few months.  Its a process.    

As always, thanks for reading.

"Dust and Thunder" Completed

Dust and Thunder

18" x 24"

Color Pencil on Uart 600



Upon completion of Dust and Thunder yesterday, I couldn't help but think about how much I have learned from this drawing.  Much of it's process has been an exercise in managing discomfort -- a frequent and nagging sensation that what I was attempting to do each step of the way may not get the result I was going for.  In retrospect, this feeling was probably born primarily from approaching a subject in ways quite foreign to me..........the dreaded unknown.  

During a previous blog post I discussed how controlling contrast can impact composition.  Effective handling of contrast can help to lead a viewer's eye through a painting or drawing, and ideally the focal point should have the strongest contrast of edges.  With Dust and Thunder, I attempted to impact the contrast through color and edge control.  My previous assertion that my goal would be to make the appaloosa horse the focal point, may have been unrealistic -- given the prominence of the two largest dark horses.  However, I attempted to draw attention to the appaloosa in a couple of ways.  First, in my reference photographs the brightly lit area behind the horses did not extend as far left as it does in my drawing: I extended the brightness behind the appaloosa, to create contrast through both the use of values and color.  Secondly, I attempted to keep the edges of this horse's neck and head fairly sharp, as hard edges also increase contrast thereby drawing the onlooker's eye.  For similar reasons, I had to work very hard to keep most of the foreground foliage very loose and soft: too much detail there (hard edges) would have distracted from where the areas of interest needed to be.  As it is my tendency to feel as if I must place every little detail (okay....yes....I have control issues), this was quite an undertaking for me.  Finally, because colors of high contrast or intensity at the margins can pull a viewer's eye out of the image, I attempted to slightly darken the values of the sunlit dust on both the left and right-hand margins.

I have the distinct feeling that the process of this piece and the many things I have learned, of which the above is just a sampling, will change my future artwork: how and to what degree, I do not know.  Clearly in both life, and art, there is a lot to be said for pushing oneself beyond one's comfort level.

Thanks for reading.