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The best advice on this art adventure was given to me a couple of years before I ever picked up a paintbrush and that was "take a painting class and get involved with the painters in your community." Of course, it took me two years to overcome the fear and commit to art lessons, but ever since I have been actively involved with other artists in my community and the larger Nashville area and have reaped untold rewards! Last year I began to consider art events further afield and was, happily, accepted into two art shows on the west coast, which got me thinking about some of the national art organizations that serve oil painters. There are several and I began to investigate what other fellow artists thought about them. Some felt it was an unnecessary expense, but many of the artists I admire had two or three listed on their CVs. After a lot of deliberation I decided to join the National Organization of Oil and Acrylic Painters, otherwise known as NOAPS, which welcomes all comers who pay the dues. I also applied to Oil Painters of America, who jury applicants based on submitted jpgs of recent paintings. If accepted, you begin as an Associate Member and have opportunities to advance, after a few years and a few hurdles, to the Signature membership (where you get to put letters behind your name!) The biggest jump is the Masters Level and it is a small and special group of amazing painters. When we got home from vacation this week a pile of mail was waiting and in it was a fat little envelope from Oil Painters of America. You know what a fat envelope means, right? (happy dance!) So now I am a card-carrying American artist!!  Thank you for letting me share my happy news! Thanks for reading my blog!
Just like my kids when they were toddlers, it's a good thing this donkey is cute or else I would have given up! I thought it would be entertaining for you to see my process. The struggle is real! So, the beginning: I start most of my work with a grisaille lay in, covering the canvas in a warm, transparent layer of paint, usually a red or orange oxide. Once that is on, I use a low lint paper towel and wipe away the lighter areas of the subject and go over the darker values with more transparent paint.  A lovely, almost haunting image results. Many artists will continue with transparent layers of paint and build the values while leaving the image more monochromatic.  I went for the "local color" of the donkey in my photo reference, mixing warm and cool grays and darker browns for the fur.  Hmmm, I thought. He looks a little brown. Maybe I should make him grayer...  Now to build in some dimension with values so he looks round and not pasted on. Hmmm, now I think he is too gray.  I like this brownish color better. And the gray shows through because I'm mostly using transparent paint colors. Hmmm...I think his chin is a little weak and the shape of the muzzle is too slopey...  Straightened the slope out; now to develop a sweet, tender eye. It took several renditions until I got the one that shows how darling this boy is. Also, let's make him fuzzier.  A little more work on the background, floor, and the light streaming in. Not feeling satisfied with the difference between the lighter values in the head compared to the dark neck. It kind of looks like "Pin the Head on the Donkey" to me.  Adding some lighter values on the coat and blending the edges below the ear seems to help round out the neck area. I'm trying for an indication of fur without losing interesting brushstrokes.  A little more light here, a little more dark there...a few dots and dashes..."Light in the Stable" 16x20 Oil on canvas $600 I hope you enjoyed coming along with me while I wrestled this cute fellow! Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!!
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