I’ve never been quite happy with this pig from last summer. Today I thought I knew what to do to fix it. The values were off; not dark enough in some spots, not light enough in others. This is better, just not sure he’s done.
And I finished the trees. I’d like to do this one bigger, in different light conditions and to paint it en plein aire. I see a series…
After much fussing, I think they are both finished. Am I wrong?
They are pretty adorable.
Pushing the paint around on pigs is a pretty fun way to 
spend the afternoon. They certainly have a ways to go. I’m enjoying the color.
I thought the pig with the buried nose was done last week… but a few days later I realized, no. The new pigs helped inform the old pig.
A couple new pigs, come to life.
Finishing this up was not as hard as I thought it would be. I quite enjoyed the way the foreground grasses came together, the abstraction involved. Adding interest to the foreground helps make the cattle look more shy by pushing them further away. The spookiness of the animals is part of what I’m trying to show in this painting. I couldn’t get near them… they just kept moving away from me through the deep grass. Using such a close value range was fun and something I’m not doing enough in other paintings. Last version.
And I’ve adjusted values on Pig.
Hey, that’s breaking a golden rule. Values are supposed to be dealt with first. But I think he’s much better, so breaking rules is OK by me! Last version.
I am making up the background for my original sketches of these animals, Except for the longhorns where the background was part of the first sketch. I was attracted to the angle of the hillside and the flat fields beyond.
I want to use the background to steer (no pun intended) the painting toward abstraction. I’m looking to Linda Christensen for inspiration.
Trying to plan a bit more, before I start a more finished piece, hopefully to save time. I seem to make so many major changes, partway through a painting… in value, color, composition. This isn’t the easiest medium to make changes, unless I want to draw on top with pastel or colored pencil. The strength of gouache is that mistakes in color, composition or value can’t hide.
I will add a feed tub to the pig’s environment. I’m not sold on the chickens. Is the chicken in the back too big? I think so.
I know I’ve been away for a while. I have been busy, just not posting. Here are some quick paintings I did yesterday on cards. I used my B&W sketches adding the color with gouache. I will use these to bring resolve to bigger paintings. I like the looseness. Will need to figure out the backgrounds though.
Took my sketchbook and drew animals this morning. I took plenty of photos too. And I’m starting with Chris’ “donks”. They are quite the personalities, curious and strong. I think they enjoyed posing as much as I enjoyed drawing.
This will be a fun painting. I want to include the fence and break the space up like a mosaic. That may be part of the Farm Animal theme.
Tomorrow, I’ll start something with the Fowler Creek pigs.
