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| Petey in progress - Detail acrylic on canvas panel, 8 x 10 © Xan Blackburn 2012 |
Hope for Hounds
Since the last entry, I've been working on the 2012 Hope for Hounds collar and tee-shirt design, which is a yearly fundraiser, and collaborative effort between myself, 2 Hounds Design and Greytwear. I can't show you that design yet, since we like to make a big splash with it, but suffice it to say, it was a series of new challenges, and I learned a lot, including how to make repeating patterns using Illustrator. That was fun! In a tearing-my-hair-out sort of way.Then there was a surprise health issue that took me out for a few weeks. Bleh! Let me just say this about that: this nation needs to have some kind of socialized medicine and price controls. Normal people cannot afford even short-term illnesses. I will be making a concerted effort to up my commission output accordingly!
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| Jack: Soft sculpture "sketch" in sculpy © Xan Blackburn 2012 |
Jack: soft sculpture
Still on the books is Petey, of course, and the soft sculpture portrait I auctioned recently. The soft sculpture got a sculpey "sketch" cobbled together while I was recovering. That was really useful, as it clarified some issues about joints and proportions. And it was kinda fun, too. You can see that I'm thinking of using large buttons for 3 of the big joints (per side), and a sort of inset joint, like a clam shell holding a hot-dog, for the other two (per side). Doing this 3D "sketch" helped me figure out where the main body will have to be narrow to allow the limbs to have a pleasing fullness, and to decide what parts can be sewn as one whole piece and what will have to be sewn separately and attached to the body, like the head and tail. I'm still considering using an internal wire armature that will allow Jack to stand up, and to pose his body and head a little bit. It's a pretty ambitious design for a first effort, but heck! Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?But let's get back to Petey!
Petey
You may recall that we left Petey in a watery phase. Very nice in its own way, but just the beginning. I've been developing the underpainting, concentrating on the deep shadows and delicate striping, his darkly outlined eyes and nice big greyhound shnozzle ball. This series of pictures demonstrates how these have built up.
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| Petey in progress acrylic on canvas panel, 8 x 10 © Xan Blackburn 2012 |
Starting to brave the darkest darks, and establish some of the finer stripes and squiggle markings.
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| Petey in progress acrylic on canvas panel, 8 x 10 © Xan Blackburn 2012 |
Lots more depth already here, building the form of his long face, and the cast shadow.
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| Petey in progress acrylic on canvas panel, 8 x 10 © Xan Blackburn 2012 |
Just about ready to start in with new colors. I've reclaimed a couple highlights that got washed out, on the nose and in the shadowed eye. The perspective is shaping up nicely. I still need to get a lot darker in the cushion as it plunges down along Petey's throat. The contrast between the dark shadow of the cushion and his lit face will really pop him out, too.
I've been using some new brushes, nice pointy round ones, and I like the variation of strokes I can get with them. It's hard to remember, as I curse my old splayed brushes, that once they were this springy and fine! A new brush is a wonderful thing. Yes it is.
Alright, back to work!
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