If it's Wednesday it must be "Aubrey"

Ok, I'm working on "Aubrey" today. I'll leave "Charlie" alone till tomorrow, when I'll do the hair, etc and finish up. Aubrey's picture on the top, is the beginning point today. The bottom picture I'll swipe out and replace every once in awhile as I progress. Click for detailed pic.

My husband is packing to leave on a very long business trip without me so I'll be able to be here in my Albuquerque studio painting my fingers to the bone for the next 7 weeks with no distractions. We always travel together now so it's hard to be apart, but it helps that I get to stay home in New Mexico!

*finished the face. Click to enlarge for detail.

Wednesday rework

"Charlie" face completed for sure now. Unless I change my mind. Click for detailed shot.

I got up at 3 a.m. this morning and figured I might as well start working. I did some rework this morning and am happier with the face, overall. Haven't touched the hair or anything else.

I like doing the face first as that's the most important part, of course, but I like doing it exclusively first without touching the hair, clothes or background, because if I can get the face right then the other elements will work to pull the piece together and the face won't stand out so starkly, calling attention to any imperfections, which of course there will always be because I'm human. When the other pieces are completed, the face retreats and blends into it's surroundings appropriately. So say I.

I'm going to work on finishing Aubrey's face today and then I can get to those other elements I talked about. I should be able to finish both of these by the weekend. Oh to be two people at once. I really do need at least 30 hours in the day to do all that I want to do...or have four arms.

The face is completed on "Charlie". Doesn't he look like a combination of a Roman Soldier and a rock star? He is in a band, actually, it's called A'LE. (Click the link).

I'll go in and change some things over the next few days, I'm sure. I'd like to address the eyes just a bit, perhaps. Now I need to get back to "Aubrey" and complete the face there. Has to wait till tomorrow I think. I'm outtie!

Portrait work

Fixed the mouth but hmmm....too pink? Too "lipsticky"? Have to sit with it for awhile and see.


I have a lot of work to do still on Charlie. I've sketched in his facial hair so I can get a good feel for where it lies. The mouth is still in the underpainting stage so lots to do there plus the shape is all wrong. Making headway however.

Progress

Continuing. I got sidetracked for several hours this morning helping our youngest get all his ducks in a row to enter UNM in a few weeks, plus, having to help him obtain health insurance now that he's 25 and is off ours. Not a fun morning but it's almost done. So, back to work.

I'm slowly moving along on "Aubrey" and "Charlie". I'm finding that I AM enjoying the new color palette I'm trying out, though I'm now doing a mix of my old and new. I never mentioned what the new palette is, did I? Flake white, naples yellow and Vermillion Extra (at $35 a tube!), adding ivory black to deepen the skin tone then working with about 6 varying tones of this. In addition, I'm keeping my old palette mix of: burnt umber/burnt sienna/green/red for shadows and details, then greens and lavenders for added spots of color. Why isn't lavender spelled "lavendar?" That makes more sense to my fingers.

Anyway, as usual, click to embiggen the pics for detail. Got to get back to work.

My Studio

My studio in Albuquerque. Jeff is working from home for a few days so he's keeping me company while I paint. I have the blinds pulled up so I can flood the room with as much sunshine as humanly possible. Love it.

"Aubrey" and "Charlie"

Well, it's Monday and vacation is over. Time to get back to the painting. I have four portraits and one landscape to complete and then have 3 more portraits in the pipeline-one is a two person portrait, so I have my work cut out for me this month.

So right now I'm working on two different portraits at the same time, This is "Aubrey", 14x18" oil on canvas board:

It looks like I'm creating monsters doesn't it. I know. It'll get better. That's always the hope anyway.

And "Charlie", 14x18" oil on canvas board:Charlie has a beard so here, his chin looks uber long here, when it's not. Patience, patience.

I'm working with a slightly new color palette and I'm not sure I like it. I'm going to mix it up with my usual color palette and get the best of both worlds. I'll post updates on these pieces occasionally. For the life of me, I can't spell occasionally correctly. My computer always corrects me. I hate that.

New Years Day

Happy New Year to everybody! I baked cinnamon rolls this morning and then a batch of handmade pretzels (SO good!) and then our New Years Day dinner....which in truth, we just started this year when we heard a friend was doing it and it sounded so great. Ham and mashed potatoes, stuffing, biscuits and gravy and fried corn....so wonderful!

Jeff only has a few more days off and then has to work from home for his company-Monday through Wed, then he flies out of Albuquerque and will be gone to Seattle and Michigan for 6 weeks while I stay behind in our Albuquerque home. I'll miss him but I'm so glad to be able to work from home.

I'll get back to the painting on Monday morning when he's working. SO much painting to do, but hey, taking a few weeks off is much funner that I thought it would be. So nice to have fun with the family :-)