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.
What’s a dustbath, without the dust? I knew I was missing something!
Today I took my sketchbook to Sonoma Garden Park and drew Nick’s Chickens. The black and white charcoal sketches only got me so far. I went a little further at home this afternoon, with pastel. And somehow I think I prefer the original sketch. That happens to me often. I need to learn how to hold onto the energy of the sketch, before I commit to a painting. Any ideas?
I want to get started with this Farm Animals project. It will involve sketching animals in their environs. And then working up paintings from the sketches. But it was raining this morning and I had made no arrangements with farms so I pulled some old photos together and just started painting.
I want to draw a variety of farm animals; pigs, cows, goats, sheep, chickens and of course, a horse or two. Chickens are going to be lots of fun! (I’m also open to suggestions and locations.)
Art on a Farm 