Blog
Cat with Yellow Flower – Painting of the Week
Capturing Character
This painting of Ragdoll cats, which are like a long haired Siamese, was fun to paint. I practiced the cats at the top like a border, in a smaller size, around the drawing of the large cat. Practicing different poses as a warm up is most helpful. It familiarizes you with the subject but boredom does not sets in through repetition. Making this border a part of the painting kept me from getting sloppy in the practice mode. The Persian rug with the yellow flower added flavor to the scene.
The main ingredient to capture character is shape. The space between descriptive shapes is also very significant. Notice the patches and spaces of dark between the eyes of the cats. The power of the big descriptive shape, the body, cannot be underestimated and no amount of detail can make up for the story it tells, so take time to get that right. Painting character requires fearless concentration. Love will not fail you as it is the opposite of fear so focus on what you love. I recommend a good nap, a cup of coffee and a warm up exercise before you start.
Sincerely,
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Read more and sign up today for my New Watercolor Workshop
Abstraction and Color Transitions
June 18-20 | 10:00 – 3:30 | Fargo, ND – limited enrollment
The purpose of this workshop is to help you loosen-up your brush strokes by experimenting with watercolor textures and connect them to your subject. Create interesting related beautiful backgrounds that accent your subject and invite the viewer to enjoy the painting as they transition towards the subject.
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I hope to see you in Bismarck at the opening of this upcoming show of my work, with two very talented artists
A Spring Exhibition
