Miniature Portrait Work in Progress

March 29, 2006

Here is part of a project I have been working on for much too long. It started out as an ACEO sheet, with a series of images of race horses in the post parade. The first one was just a head study. This horse did not have a number and was treated almost like the winner in a nine-horse field.

I have since finished three others and have a fourth about half done. Those images that have been finished can be seen on the ACEO Art page of my web site.

But this image and three others (that may or may not make it) are floundering.

I began this project back in January using a direct method of color application because my goal was to finish them quickly. Since that cearly hasn't worked out, I decided to experiment and try an underpainting with Light Umber for this one. There was a little bit of blue already on parts of the bridle and blinker trim, but it was very light.

This is the reference photo I am working from. It is one of countless photographs taken during visits to Mt. Pleasant Meadows, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

Here is the first step in the painting process.

This image reflects about two hours worth of work. To begin the underpainting, I established the major shadows and 'washed' light umber over most of the mid-tones. Once that was done, I began gradually working up a more complete range of values. You can see the difference between the eye (which is more complete) and the muzzle, which is less complete.

By the way, for those who are not familiar with ACEOs, they are art trading cards and are 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 (wallet sized). This series is being done on white Rising Stonehenge 250 gsm paper. The paper is almost card stock in weight and is wonderful to work on for something this size.

The reason some of ACEOs in this series may not make it is that there are some serious fingernail impressions in one or two of them. Yikes! On something this small, filling in impressed lines is doubly tough, though it is not impossible!

April 1, 2006

Here is the next stage and probably two or three more hours of work.

I am continuing to work up the value range with Light Umber. The areas that show the most work are the dark darks: inside the nostril, around the eye, the shadows on the blinker cup, inside the ear and along the front of the neck.

I also went through the image with my 'stylus' and impressed more lines into the mane, impressed a little bit of stitching on the rein and impressed a small buckle on the headstall just above the bit. I also impressed a highlight on the bit.

It is very pleasing to see the speed with which progress is being made on this painting with this technique.

Part of the purpose for this work is to teach myself to be more patient with the underpainting and to make sure the underpainting is absolutely as complete as possible before I continue with the color phase. One of the reasons I love to paint is the color, so although working in halftones is very helpful in working up the details, I tend to get impatient to move on to color work and start it too soon.

So I am forcing myself to continue working with just Light Umber just to teach myself some patience in this area and to make sure the underpainting is complete! Certainly, more easily said than done!!

April 2, 2006

This update shows the painting at the end of the weekend. On Saturday, I thought the underpainting was as finished as possible, but worked on it again Sunday and this is the result. The improvement in value range is marked. I believe the underpainting is complete.

I finished the background as well to help emphasize the horse itself, which is the subject of the painting. Each of the ACEOs in this series features a blue background, but this one is more finished than any of those finished so far.

Last night, I layered Light Cerulean Blue throughout the background. Today, I burnished with Cloud Blue, then burnished patches with Sky Blue Light. The end result is a very smooth, tonal background sporting slightly varying shades of blue. I am considering it finished.

April 3, 2006

I worked pretty much throughout the horse and, in some areas, it's difficult to tell the change. The colors I used (to the best of my memory!) are:

Blue parts of bridle and blinker hood: True Blue as the base, Peacock Blue for the shadows, then burnished Light Cerulean Blue and Sky Blue Light.

Gums and tongue: Light peach, Cream, Henna, Burnt Ochre. I didn't do much burnishing here, but layered Cream over the lighter areas and used a little bit heavier pressure to finish it up than what I started with.

Horse's Coat Color: Bruynzeel Fullcolor Sanguine, Prismacolor Burnt Ochre and a touch of Dark Brown, but only in the shadows.

Muzzle: Indigo Blue, Black and a light warm gray.

Eye: Indigo Blue, Black, Burnt Ochre, True Blue and Sky Blue Light.

When I finished for the evening, I realized that if I wanted to, I could call this piece finished. I want to darken the horse more, though, so it is more nearly at the same level of color saturation as the rest of the image.

April 4, 2006

Progress continues with another evening's work. My efforts are now focused entirely on the horse. I want to deepen and saturate the color, but I have decided that I want my horse to be a brighter chestnut than the horse in the reference, hence the difference in the color.

I used Orange, Terra Cotta and Tuscan Red to darken the coat and work some of the highlights. My shadows need to be a little darker, I think (time for another grayscale scan!), so I'll be working on those tonight.

Having said that, however, I can say that this image is very close to completion. It has gotten to the stage at which I work on it for 30 to 40 minutes each evening, then let it sit until the next day, when I can look at it with a fresh eye.

April 25, 2006
This tiny portrait is now complete and may be viewed on my website on the ACEO Art page or it's own page.