FPM Painting #6: Kasey

Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #6: Kasey

Okay, "Fall Portrait Marathon" has been turning into "Winter Portrait Marathon", but why confuse things by changing the name officially, hm?  My latest big adventure has taken up a lot of my time recently, but hopefully things are more in a groove now.  I got back to my painting yesterday, and it felt great!

Kasey-reference photo

This handsome fella was in full wedding finery, and flanked by his decked-out owners.  I've cropped them out, and filled in with the leafy background.  They asked me to also leave out the bow-tie collar, and some ribbons you can just see the remains of on his back.

I worked out my drawing, printed it out, and transferred it to the canvas using the method I've settled on with the pastel on the back, and the damp canvas, drawing over the drawing to transfer it to the canvas.  Works great.  This time I used a sepia (reddish brown) pastel, which will give some of its warmth to Kasey, setting him apart from the cool green background.

I got right into the underpainting, using my old pal, Payne's Gray, diluting it with water and a glazing medium.  Here's where we're at this morning.

Kasey - work in progress
acrylic on canvas, 5" x 5"
© Xan Blackburn, 2011

He looks just a little bit cross-eyed right now, eh?  Well, we'll fix that.  It's early yet.

Off to it, then!