FINAL ENTRY :))

 I am delighted (and relieved) to report that the process worked to flatten the painting. And, as it seems with every painting I do, there is something new to learn. In the end it all enables me to go into the next project with more confidence.

So, I have cleaned up the edges, and applied the piece de resistance--the specular reflection and my signature. I am now pleased to say that I have finished painting Chloe. I extend my thanks to Glenda and Stewart for allowing me the opportunity to portray their sweet doggo in water colour.

~C

ENTRY #3 :(

So much for the fallacy of not having to stretch 300# paper! I came down to the painting today to find that overnight it had buckled! So disappointing. I am glad that I had at least taped it down but I should have used staples too as I usually would do.  I have heard others in my art group speak of ways to flatten the paper and I will have to look into this when it comes time to remove it from the board.

In the meantime, I will focus on Chloe's eyes as well as, hopefully, apply the last layer of colour. Her legs need some shading and, of course, I am struggling with the boards as expected. So, onward and upward.  Here's where I am at at this point.

~C

Okay, so I have had lots of advice from my art colleagues and they all seem to agree that you can have success at flattening the paper using a couple of different techniques. The painting has completely dried so I have removed the tape. My plan is to place the painting face down on a piece of cotton and then spritz the back, lay another piece of cotton, top with heavy cardboard and weigh it down. I will leave it to dry overnight and check things in the morning. Fingers crossed that this will do the trick. If not, my next plan is to iron it. Praying that this works because the painting just isn't suitable for framing as it is. I am trying hard not to be too upset at this setback and am attempting to look at it as a learning experience--albeit a painful one. Hopefully I have good news in the next post and will be able the share the finished painting with you..

~C

ENTRY #2

I have been thinking about how to do the background. Usually I keep it to a minimum with just a swish or splash or sometimes nothing at all. That is because I am not comfortable painting them. Depending on the subject, the background sometimes has to be painted first. I have decided with Chloe that I like the linear look of the boards so I have decided to risk trying something different. 

This early stage of the painting is always heart stopping because I can't see the way to the finished product yet. I really do go on faith and experience has taught me, if nothing else--patience.

And so, onward, with layer after layer, tweaking the colours and details. After about twelve hours this is where I am at.

I feel relatively good about how Chloe is coming along but there is a long way to go. As expected, her left eye is causing me angst. The boards? Not happy with them but I have decided to keep them light and as unobtrusive as possible. 

~C

ENTRY #1. :)

Chloe is a pretty lady who is a 10-year old Sheltie. Her parents Glenda and Stewart have requested a finished size of 8 x 10 and I have decided to use Arches 300# cold press. This is a heavy water colour paper so the stretching process is not a big concern for me. Some artists do not stretch this weight at all but I always feel more secure if I go through the process.

A HAPPY CHLOE

I have selected my pigment options and am happy that it will not be necessary to make a run into Nanaimo for a new colour--I have a good supply at the moment.

As with every painting I do, it comes with a unique set of challenges. In this case, I have two challenges. One is the size. Normally, I work on larger paper so getting a good likeness of the details of Chloe's face will be my main concern. It will mean working with very tiny brushes and a steady hand! Two things I wish I felt more confident about. The other challenge is that I have just the one photo to work from and the left side of her face is in deep shadow so trying to get a likeness of that left eye will be tricky. I am hesitant to admit it, but water colour art is not one hundred percent skill--there is a fair share of luck involved too. At least in my case.

So, first things first--the sketch. It is quite surprising how much time goes into just the prep work of a painting before the brushes even hit the paper. What I have learned in the year that I have been painting (yes, Covid drove me to my first on-line water colour art tutorial) is that the sketch is very important. It is not worth it to hurry through this part because an inaccurate drawing will result in a lot of scrubbing, lifting and frustrations.

So, here it is, completed and all ready to be transferred onto the art paper. Catch you at Entry #2.

~C