50 shades of Maisy Grace.....

One of my two favorite Scotties, my sister has a pair of these lovable little terriers - oh wait - my brother's name is Scotty, so I guess it's actually one of three.........

With the exception of a pinprick size blob of quinacridone gold and sap green, this piece was painted exclusively using the following four colors - and that's it!  

Burnt Sienna, French Ultramarine Blue, Manganese, and 

Rose Madder Genuine..........here after referred to as; BS, FUB, M, RMG.

(1)

 #1. Map out the darkest darks, using various mixes of BS and FUB...... have intentions of laying down full values here (fail miserably).  It's OK though, as I am now, always have been, and looks like I probably always will be a glazer (doing things in layers).  Later I will be going over these areas many more times, no worries. 

Hey, instead of being a trail blazer.....I am a trail glazer !  :)

  

Note; I have saved out the bulk of my white high-lights 

with masking fluid (to be removed later).

For the one eye visible I started with a wash of straight quinacrodone gold, then after completely dry; glazed it with BS.

The ear got a light wash of RMG as did her collar.

(2)

#2. Now I washed over her secondary dark areas with a lighter version of BS and FUB and dropped some M and sap green onto her tag.  The eye receives a pupil using BS and FUB (full strength), having saved out the high-light with masking fluid is a real time save for small spots like this. And a light wash of M and some BS to start building the ear color.

People often ask me;  "How do I see colors in a photo when they can't?"  I think it's that I see things no different than anyone else, it's just that I exaggerate what suggestion of colors I do see.  The reference photo of this lovely canine had many subtle "shades" of black that I drew inspiration from.

(3)

#3. Sloshing on some background color as I work around the piece letting it bleed out from the edges of her fur......am working round and round over the entire piece adding various mixtures of BS, RMG, M, and FUB. Where I want to create the illusion of receding I use cool colors and 

where I want it to look as though things are advancing I use warm colors. 

(4)

#4. By now I have removed the dried masking by simply rubbing it off (Love this stuff!  Don't use it often but when I do it's a great time saver allowing me to wash over areas that would be saved as the white of the paper without having to worry that I have "lost" the white).  I continue to refine by adding depth and value but leave a lot of areas ambiguous in this loose rendition so the viewer can use their imagination.....the ol'  less is more  trick. The beauty of working on hot pressed paper is the ability to quite simply rub out color in areas I want softened. A little dab of H2o and blot with brush or paper towel and there you have it; a nice soft blur!

(5)

"50 Shades of Maisy Grace"

#5. Notice how on this final view, this adorable Scottie still "reads" as having a black coat....... 

yet she's filled with color! 

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