Surfer Girl on Beach (For lovelylightandpeace.blogspot.com), The Thrilling Conslusion

And here we are.  Kelly Murphy and I have both finished our write up of how we would paint out chosen photo.  Now is the time when we put our money where our mouth is, and actually draw and paint the painting.


Kelly Murhpy

Here is my process....

I sketched this out really quick....I tried to do the sketch within about 10 minutes....and I included a lot of extra lines....which infuses a bunch of motion and energy in the sketch...which shows up later in my watercolors....I like loose lines....and I tend to sketch quick with a water soluble graphite pencil....I tend to like to see lines all over my paintings...so I don't mind if these don't disappear when I start painting. 


Here is my sketch:

Just as I mentioned in my approach in Part 1.  I started with her left shoulder...I always start on the left. 

for colors....

I somewhat....haphazardly select colors....I have no plan....I have no real direction when painting...I jump about the page....with whatever feels like....where I should go. 

dipping into an ultramarine blue...a splash of some red...and watch it bleed and mix on the page...I never....or shall I say....rarely do I actually mix paint in any premeditated way....

as I mentioned to Michael....I just pick some paint and hope for the best.... let things bleed as they may....

oh, sure- I don't go all Dr. Seuss, oceans are blue....sand is sand color.....for this water...I think I used about 4 blues....with a dash of red...and some green....and splashed them about here and there.....

Next...I went for the girl....and splashed some brown....some orange....some yellow....some yellow ochre.... quickly...with lots of water. 

for added motion....after I splashed some color around....I used my watercolor pencils.....a blue one for some water....

and because I had picked up a purple watercolor pencil I found laying around...I used purple....which seems just as good as any to do some darker lines here and there...in her hair...and in the shadows. 

The thing is.....it seems as though.....the painting area....the palette...the way we approach the painting....and the actual painting of the thing....speaks volumes of us...our personalities....

the way....I haphazardly approach a painting....where my brushes lay around.....where I find my watercolor paint.....around the house....is who I am.  I'm disorganized.  If I want to sketch something...and I see a green watercolor pencil laying on a table....I pick it up and use that...for the reason that....it was there....and I used it.  just as good as any color....

and what happens is that...I think, at least in my method....much like life....sometimes you see an opportunity....or you're handed a certain tool....a situation....whatever may be handed to you....

and it's what you do with that.....thing....that counts....not exactly what that thing is....but how you use it to your advantage. 

and my lack of planning...only makes me....think about making the most out of the only watercolor brush I can find....or the only 3 colors on my palette....because I can't locate the others when I want to paint something that I'm driven to paint....I actually, I guess...create an environment that makes me....have to figure shit out....huh...how am I going to paint this with one brush and 3 colors? 

I just sit down and paint...whatever is around me at the time....is what is used....maybe I'm too lazy to go find all the tools...

or maybe....I just want to do the thing so bad....I just make it happen...no matter what I'm handed...

I'm going to make it happen. 

and believe me...I know my process...can drive some people mental....but so interesting to see how different we are as people....

you know....just....this kind of examination of how we paint....is really just....a bigger look at who we are...

everyone processes the world around them differently....we all just radiate our unique personalities through all we do....and when we start to examine how we paint...we see how we approach things in life....we see our strengths....and hopefully we can appreciate and love ourselves for the wonderful things we bring....and maximize those strengths....

because....by really thinking about these things....you start to know yourself....to really try to understand....where you are coming from...why you do the things you do....

and just.....LOVE YOURSELF FOR YOUR AWESOMENESS.....everyone should....

just....

do....

that. 


ahhhhhhhhh......man......deep philosophical stuff.....


peace...and love....and making.....it happen.  See Michael?  

This fun exercise just made me go off into....well, the place I go....life...painting....whatnot....how it all connects.  

Michael
So, I followed my own writings in order to make this painting.  First I started out with a nice drawing. There isn't a lot of detail here, so it didn't tae too long to do.












Next I tested a few colors to see if they really were what I wanted.  I was pretty satisfied with my initial color selections.  I don't think I needed to change any of them.  The only thing I did was mix a little of the quinacridone rose into the water color to get it a little purplish.

I'm really happy with the way most of this turned out.  There are a few things, however, that I wish I had done just a bit differently.  I must have rushed a few times.  First, the horizon line to the right of the girls head.  Second, some of the shading on her legs.  All these places there is just a little too much run.  I really wish that I had taken just a bit more time.  I will offer the excuse that it was considerably colder in my studio than normal, and the paper wasn't drying as quickly as I thought it would.

I am really happy with the hair.  I put it on just like I wanted to:  The mass of it one blob.  From there I began pulling out individual hairs and really putting form to her hair.  Then I darkened the color just a bit and began adding all the individual strands.  The overall effect of the hair I really like.

As for her suit:  its not really black.  I don't have black on my palette.  So I had to make a mix of all the primaries to get it the way I wanted.  Hopefully, you all like it.

Thank you to Kelly Murphy for being brave enough to ask me to help her on her project.  I had a blast chronicling my steps and producing what is, a very nice painting.  Thank you.


And so there you have it.  Two drastically different approaches to the same painting.  One, (mine) much tighter and literal, and one, (Kelly's) looser and free-er.  Both, I think, wonderful paintings.

Thank you, Kelly, for bringing me into your project.  I hope we can work on another one at some time in the future.

And thank you, faithful reader, for following what we did.  I hope you enjoyed it.   I know I did.