Step 17, Final Step - A Close Look at the Big Painting

 I took some close up shots of particular spots in the painting so you could see how I put it together.

For this painting I used a big, flat two inch brush, because I wanted it to have a brushy, abstract look.  It took some discipline for me on that part because I love my brushes.

These shots will give you some clues as to how the paint was laid down.




In some places I really spread the paint, especially on the lower layers, and in some spots I laid the paint down really heavily.  In places I splattered dots and line, going back in places to cover the colors, and to have only the raised texture showing.






Complimentary upon complimentary.

With the clouds, I used a lot of acrylic gel medium to spread the paint out and slow the drying time a bit.  I like the layers of color showing through one another, and enjoy the breezy feeling in the clouds.

This was somewhere in one of the trees.  Once again, they asked for something that was somewhat abstract.  The closer you look, the more abstract it becomes.

Close to the sun, I've got the light glinting through the leaves.  To do this, I mixed the complimentaries, violet and yellow, to get a nice neutral color.  My goal was to make it look as if the sun was showing through the leaves.

I think that might be the only spot in the entire painting where I did this; I agree with Matisse - he said he couldn't understand why artist mixed and muddied their colors, preferring the bright bold ones.  Generally, I just lay them down, side by side. But in some cases, mixing for neutrals is just the right touch.

This is actually one of my favorite spots in the painting, but one of my least favorite photos - the colors fairly shout and dance with each other.  However, it was impossible to get a true photo. 

Oh, well.  Got to see it in person.

There's nothing shy about this tree.  Opposite colors shout at each other.  I tell my students that complimentary colors are called that for a reason.  They sit next to each other and say, 'hey, good looking, you're looking pretty fine today,' or '...wow - do you look good sitting next to me!'

Throughout the painting, I used a lot of acrylic gel medium.  It allows you to see through layers of paint to the colors below them.

There is no black in this painting, although I went for some serious darks.  I used indigo, which is a deep, deep blue/violet.  It came across as black.

These colors came out pretty boldly, too - I went for colors close to each other on the color wheel - yellow, yellow-green, green, then blues to violets.  The reds in the background pop out because they're complimentary.
















Sooo. painting done.  Now all we have to do is transport the panels and get them hung.  I have a feeling that that in itself is going to be no small job!

Step 16, An Artist's Process for a Large Painting

Here it is with the painting finished.  I am just one last coat of varnish between this and completely done.

Then once it's cured, it'll be figuring out how to haul the things down to the PACN and get them hung.

There's quite a glare going on here - on the bottom right panel going over to the middle panel.  There was simply no way to avoid the glare somewhere on the painting.  Just know that the true colors in that spot are a hot magenta/orange, with the dark trees being deep purple/blacks and seriously cool blues.

Step 15; Close-to-Final-Step - Finished Painting

FINISHED!  Here it is.  I'm calling it 'Bright Hope.'

The painting is done.  I ran out of varnish and have been having trouble getting the same varnish.  Because it's hazardous, I can't do a quick-mail deal.  So... tomorrow is my first chance to go down to Jerry's ArtaRama.

After the last varnish, a couple days' wait, and then the hanging.

Step 14, An Artist's Process for a Large Painting - Finished!

YAY!!!  I finished!  Today I added some more glazing to the clouds, tweaked some color here and there and did some splattering.  Very happy.  Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures for you because I don't have any pictures for ME yet!

The last step was to do some splattering, which left heavy paint that would run if it was vertical.  So, I have the three panels now laying in our garage horizontally.  Horizontal was a must for another reason as well - I laid down two coats of high gloss UV varnish.  One more layer of varnish tomorrow and it will be completely done.  A day or two of curing after that, and we'll be able to transport it to its new home, the Pregnancy Assistance Center North. :)

I'll post pictures in a few days once it's finished and dry.

Step #13, An Artist's Process for a Large Painting - Almost Done!

Yay!  Almost done!  Our son, Grant carried the panels inside this afternoon.  I'm going to look at it tonight and see if I need to tweek anything.

Barring any changes, I'll begin the varnishing process, hopefully tomorrow.  It's always fulfilling to finish a painting that I consider a success. :)

Step #12, An Artist's Process, continued!

Okay, I'm getting really close now to being done with the painting stage.  Here I'm working on the smaller tree on the center panel, and moving around the entire painting with minor details to pull the whole thing together.

Closer yet.  Now I'm going to finish the minor details, lay the panels down and paint the edges all around, and lay down some drips and splatters in particular places.

Step #11, An Artist's Process for a Large Painting

I'm getting closer.  A little more work on the clouds, painting over some paint splatters I don't like, and cooling off the hot foothills a bit.  I'm going to glaze over them with some violet so that you can see the reds/oranges/fuschias through it.

It's a cool, chilly day.  Dry, and a little gusty.  Hopefully, the dirt and leaves won't kick up!