Here we go again! I did a quick sketch of a raccoon face the other day in my little purse sketchpad, and thought... "I could paint a raccoon..." Here's the sketch in all its imperfection:
Oh - I should note that the little terracotta container I'm holding (I got paint on it) - it's my charcoal holder. I got it at the Rembrant House in the Netherlands. It's an exact replica of his mixing cups. Makes me happy.
At this point, although I've spent a lot of time measuring, looking and thinking, I'm going to lay down the first layer of paint. I want the background to be abstract and look like it happened without thought, even though that is far from the truth. I want to get as much paint down quickly and perfectly so there isn't much left to do except for the detail work. This is the time I want to paint the raccoon's fur in hopes that it will come out just right.
THAT is not an easy task, since acrylic paint dries so FAST! Additives for slow-dry are well and good, but they change the texture of the paint and I don't want that to happen at this time. My choice of paints is a nice deep skin color, a (poisonous in California-guess-it's-safe-everywhere-else-ha!) gorgeous micaceous oxide - deep, dark grey with mica flecks in it - thick and grainy! - an iridescent silver and black. Here goes!
Okay! Laid down! I like it! I've also drawn some of the furry/whiskery details into the painting with a rubber-tipped 'paintbrush' which I use often. Love those things; have a plethora of them upstairs right now having a convention without me.
Anyway, I think my little raccoon looks pretty good already! In the next installment I'll show you how I go in with details. Stay tuned!
After a few days of mental simmering I couldn't stand it anymore and got out a canvas. Even my little quick sketch was so cute I couldn't resist any longer. So... I pulled up six or so photos of little cuties that gave me the information I needed and set my pictures on my I-pad to remain on-screen 'forever.'
This picture brought a surprise to me - as I began my study I noticed that raccoon faces are perfect equilateral triangles! Wow! Between the ears and nose, the distance is equal. Who knows these things? So, I got out the charcoal to work things out. I always use vine because it's pretty much erasable.
This picture brought a surprise to me - as I began my study I noticed that raccoon faces are perfect equilateral triangles! Wow! Between the ears and nose, the distance is equal. Who knows these things? So, I got out the charcoal to work things out. I always use vine because it's pretty much erasable.
Oh - I should note that the little terracotta container I'm holding (I got paint on it) - it's my charcoal holder. I got it at the Rembrant House in the Netherlands. It's an exact replica of his mixing cups. Makes me happy.
Next I'm doing a quick sketch of Mr. Coon. Really, it doesn't look very good, does it? But, although there's not much here, it represents measurements and exactitudes. Here is the information I need to go further.
At this point, although I've spent a lot of time measuring, looking and thinking, I'm going to lay down the first layer of paint. I want the background to be abstract and look like it happened without thought, even though that is far from the truth. I want to get as much paint down quickly and perfectly so there isn't much left to do except for the detail work. This is the time I want to paint the raccoon's fur in hopes that it will come out just right.
THAT is not an easy task, since acrylic paint dries so FAST! Additives for slow-dry are well and good, but they change the texture of the paint and I don't want that to happen at this time. My choice of paints is a nice deep skin color, a (poisonous in California-guess-it's-safe-everywhere-else-ha!) gorgeous micaceous oxide - deep, dark grey with mica flecks in it - thick and grainy! - an iridescent silver and black. Here goes!
Okay! Laid down! I like it! I've also drawn some of the furry/whiskery details into the painting with a rubber-tipped 'paintbrush' which I use often. Love those things; have a plethora of them upstairs right now having a convention without me.
Anyway, I think my little raccoon looks pretty good already! In the next installment I'll show you how I go in with details. Stay tuned!
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