I've managed to paint one chicken-pic a day (haven't posted over the weekend - too busy painting), going back to fiddle here and there - this one I've fiddled too much and made the apricoty coloured chook a bit smooth and bland. I'm struggling with painting from photo references only...
These three look slightly cartoonish - also from not having live models to observe, I've rather exaggerated their colours and features I think. They look out of focus, but I did blend the edges to try and get a bit of movement and fluff going.
I think they're getting better here - I enjoyed the dappled light and trying to get that effect on the white chickens and the dark tyre and ground. I referred to my copy of 'Painting What you Want to See' by Charles Reid. His advice to keep the local values true - 'the lighted side of a black object is aways darker than the shadowed side of a white object' - helped.A comment on my last post from prairieknitter01 mentioned she liked the #1 step white (ghost!) hens on the red ground, and I must agree that I'm sorry to have lost the fluency of those first brushstrokes. I will finish the fourth lot of chickens, then choose something I can work from directly for my next mini-series.
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2 comments:
They are awesome chooks.I can hear them clucking. Dappled light is especially good. Having done so much good work from direct observance, you are such a fierce critic of your own work. Great high standards, but be kind! Church fete-goers will love them.
Oh, thanks, VP - I still feel I don't have much of a clue when it comes to oils - need lessons from you! How are your tulips/boules players going?
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