Works in Progress Archives – Celebrating Color

When You Mix Purple and Orange, What Happens?

February 1, 2017 By Carol McIntyre

What happens when you mix purple and orange? Or perhaps, I should first ask the question, “Do you ever mix purple and orange?” These are two secondary colors that many painters may not think about mixing together. I happen to love this combination, because of the variety of browns that can result with this mixture. And, I confess, purple happens to be one of my favorite colors as a hue and it is a good color to use in many mixtures.

So What Does Happen When You Mix Purple and Orange?

My painting example to help answer this question is a pet portrait I completed recently of my beloved dog Kyla. She was a mixture of a Norwegian Elkhound and a German Shepherd. This gave her lots of lovely tans, browns, rusts, orange colors. When out walking, people would often stop asking to pet her or they would admire how pretty she was. [Read more…]

Abstracting Objects is a Brain Twister

August 20, 2015 By Carol McIntyre

Learning about abstracting objects was the objective of the enlightening workshop I took this past weekend from Annie O’Brien Gonzales , courtesy of Kimberly Conrad’s Gallery.

As you may or may not remember, I am in the mists of an artistic transition; this means that I am exploring different painting techniques. One of them is described in my recent blog post “Painted Outside of Your Box Lately?”. I thought it would be interesting to learn about Annie’s approach to abstracting still lifes because it would be my first abstract workshop.

Up to this point in my painting career, all of my learning about painting abstracts has been self-taught. My abstractions come out of my head while I am in dialogue with the painting. You can view them in my series “Abstracts With Depth.” I also love to fuse realism with abstractions in my “Windows Into Your Imagination,” but this workshop was a completely different artistic approach to abstraction.

The process for abstracting objects went approximately as follows:

First, a random under painting was applied to cover up the white surface. By the way, I often start my paintings similar to this. Hence, this process was not unfamiliar to me though it was a tad scruffier than I usually do.
Then we identified a still life or photograph for our inspiration. I chose an advertisement from a magazine.
Next I had to decide on the orientation of my 24″x30″ board. I then painted in a very rough composition using line. You can see it in yellow ochre.

[Read more…]

Painting of “Photographer” Hands | Stage 1 of demonstration

March 13, 2015 By Carol McIntyre

“Where do you get your ideas?” is a frequent question I am asked. For this next painting – featuring the hands posing to hold a camera – the idea sparked from having a vertebrae in my studio while completing a commissioned hand portrait of a chiropractor. See my post demonstrating another painting of hands.

I found this facsimile of a vertebrae fascinating. While in my possession I took over 30 photographs of it with a variety of light sources and at many different angles. I kept asking myself, “How could I incorporate this into a painting?” For my upcoming two-person exhibition in May, entitled “Beyond the Surface,” I wanted to compose a painting using it within a composition.

Because of its complex shape and spokes, it reminded me of a gear and then ultimately, I thought it could be held like it was a camera. Many years ago, I completed a pencil drawing of my hands operating a camera. Off I went to my photo storage and, fortunately, found the many photographs I have. You can see a few here.

Then it became a drawing exercise of manipulating the vertebrae image so that it appeared to be positioned within the hands as if it were a camera.

Meanwhile, I have longed to include the gears of a clock into a painting. There is something about their variety, rhythm and delicacy, as well as symbolism, that intrigues me. Recently, I had taken apart an old table clock giving me ready access to actual examples. I also used a favorite resource of mine – the internet – to find images of clock gears.

Once I decided on the size of panel I wanted to use – 18 x 24 – I then created a sketch, as seen below, to fit that proportion. I use the grid system to transfer a sketch onto my painting substrate.

After I textured my panel with a few layers of gesso, it was time to apply the underpainting which you can see in this photo.

[Read more…]

Watch the Custom Horse Painting Demo of ‘River’ | Stage 6

February 27, 2015 By Carol McIntyre

When we last saw ‘River’ in Stage 5 of his evolution, he was nearly completed. Based on input from Beth and my own need to tweak here and there (sometimes, we artists have a hard time of stopping….we keep seeing things in a painting that need a little of this and that), I believe ‘River’ is ready to depart my studio and head for home in Florida. What do you think?

‘River,’ 24″x28″x2″ oil on wrapped canvas

Beth wrote saying that I have “captured him beautifully!!” She had described her vision as one that arrived while she was practicing yoga and that River was telling her, “I feel great, I can run again!” Previous to his death, River had been quite ill, in pain and unable to run.

I, of course, could not be more pleased knowing that I have transformed Beth’s vision. I will miss him and his spirit in my studio. Way back in the beginning, the challenge was one that I was not too sure I could tackle, though I do love a good challenge. I am grateful for this opportunity and for Beth’s faith in me and my artistic skills.

Horse lovers, how did I do? Do you feel his glee at being set free in horse heaven?

Please share this post with others who may be interested in the painting process.

Watch the Custom Horse Painting Demo of ‘River’ | Stage 5

February 19, 2015 By Carol McIntyre

In stage 4 (see below)of this custom horse painting of ‘River,’ he was coming to life but still looking a little naked – definitely bald – without his tail an mane.

I had been wondering how the entire painting would alter in feel once they were added. However, before I added his flowing tail and mane (and it was difficult resisting from doing so. I wanted to see the cherry on top too! LOL!), I had to make several adjustments in the background and on his body. I like to call it fine tuning. By the way, fine tuning does take several hours. Much of the time is standing back away from the painting and assessing what needs to be tweaked. I also walk back and forth fairly often.

[Read more…]