I'm in Barcelona for the next month! I'm hoping to keep up plein air painting, here is one of a plaza nearby. I started with a pencil sketch and then came back the next day to add the watercolors. I hoped to share the peaceful late fall, late afternoon atmosphere.
Making progress on the Liberty Bell painting this week. It's hard to see the detail in the above shot, so I've included a close-up of the middle and left archways. These are still in progress. The middle archway view (above) depicts several historically significant buildings: Philosophical Library, Drexel Building, Second Bank of the US, Carpenters' Hall, First Bank of the US, Merchant Exchange Building. I've included some Philadelphians hanging clothes to dry, taking a morning stroll, and calling to an escaped cat on a roof. Imagining people going about their lives 150 years ago is amazing. The left view (above) contains one historical building, Christ Church, in the distance on the left.
Click read more below to see the many sources that enabled me to make these drawings. Above is the finished version of the card project I posted about last Wednesday. This is the 12th card I've made for this family. All of these cards are in the gallery below in chronological order. The first one is from 1998 (I missed a year here and there)! The girls (and I) grow up over the course of these cards. Back to the most recent card, for those curious about the process behind it. Since the last post I made a few changes: Flipped the drawing horizontally. Moved the baby's hand closer to the mother's face. Printed the whole thing out, painted in the colors 'in real life,' scanned this painted version and did several hours of photoshop trickery to integrate the painted elements and hair detail into the digital image. See the process in the slideshow below. If you are interested in commissioning a project, I would love to hear from you. I am currently open to commissions beginning in March 2015. Don't get stuck on a waiting list! Email me at [email protected].
I've been making custom holiday greeting cards annually for the same family for twelve years now. Two sisters have always been the main characters of these cards. Several years ago a dog joined the family. This year their family has grown by one more, a baby boy. Above is the drawing before coloring. You can see the almost final product and the drafts leading up to it in the slideshow below. I started by making three drafts on tracing paper, the last of which I scanned and then redrew in photoshop. For the final draft, I will redraw and add color in real life so it doesn't look so... photoshoppy. Check back next Wednesday for the finished project and pictures of all the other cards I've done over the years. As I said in the last post, I am currently working on two commissions for Beneficial Bank. Both are to be 3'x5' oil paintings of historical scenes. I have just completed final drafts for each painting. There were many false starts and dead ends along the way, some of which I'll describe below (click images to view larger). This painting will highlight the intriguing history of Beneficial Bank, which was founded in 1853. Beneficial Bank’s foundation was inspired by Saint John Neumann's vision of providing a secure place for Philadelphia's working class to deposit their savings. For those interested a slightly less abridged history, click "Read More" at the bottom of this post.
ST. NEUMANN AT THE DOCKS
Tried out a few different color changes in photoshop and settled on this for the final draft. Next Wednesday: I've begun working on one of the 3'x5' panels, check back next week to see the beginning of the actual painting! There will be a new post each Wednesday by 7:00 PM. For the curious, click "Read More" below for a little more about the history behind this painting.
I am currently working on two commissions for Beneficial Bank. Both are to be 3'x5' oil paintings. One will depict the Liberty Bell, the other will depict a dock scene. To begin, I need to make a fully resolved drawing which will then serve as the foundation for the painting. I redesign and redraw until I am completely happy with every aspect. In my experience, this phase takes just as much time (if not more) than the painting itself! I've already worked through tons of drafts for each piece, some of which I'll describe below (click on images to view larger). The liberty Bell
At last, I arrived at a final draft, and eagerly moved on to color. I decided to set the scene at sunrise given the opportune eastern view. I also added the bell's inscription. Before beginning a final painting, I would still need to do one last study of the bell and the figure to clarify the details in my mind. I will also be including a kite in the distance and candle as nods to Ben Franklin, though the positioning of these are still to be determined.
In my next post, which should be up sometime next week, I will go over the drafting process behind the other painting. Gouache on consecutive book pages (ibook switches from vertical to horizontal orientation). Left: 5 x 8 inches. Right: 8 x 5 inches. |