Unbought and Unbossed, Shirley Chisholm in Acrylics

7 Replies

Shirley Chisholm, 8″ x 12″ Acrylics

I do not think it is a great likeness, but I still think it’s a neat portrait. I could certainly use some practice with lettering, but that’s ok! I took lots of progress shots. Which helps remind me that the first 70% is terrible and just keep going!

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-1

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-2

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-3

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-4

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-5

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-6

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-7

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 8 progress-8

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 15 progress-1

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 15 progress-2

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 15 progress-3

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 15 progress-4

Shirley, 8″ x 12′ Acrylics, April 15 progress-5

Shirley Chisholm, 8″ x 12″ Acrylics, April 2018

 

Hello to Paint Party Friday!

Acrylic Portrait Progress (the same one!)

8 Replies

April 2, 2018 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Dangit, I was sure I’d have more done by now. This is still not finished! But I did spend more time on this one so far than any of the earlier ones. And here’s progress pics! The first one is just as it ended last week, with the addition of the dark background.

April 2, 2018 – 1
12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

April 2, 2018 – 2 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

Maybe one thing I could have asked myself before this would be, “do you think she will look like a zombie if I put grey over green?” Because yes, I did that, and yes, she does look like a zombie. Which is not my favorite. I almost abandoned it here. But instead, I pressed on!

April 2, 2018 – 3 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

April 2, 2018 – 4 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

I decided on yellows and browns for the next layer but the features are looking much more stiff and I switched to the hair for a bit before deciding how to finish (?!) this face.

April 2, 2018 – 5 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

April 2, 2018 – 6 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

Thanks for stopping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday!

End of March Acrylic Practice

13 Replies

St. Vincent reference pic, captured still from youtube video

March 24, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in Progress 1

March 24, 2018 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in Progress 2

March 24, 2018 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in Progress 3

March 25, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in progress 5

March 25, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in progress 6

March 25, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in progress 7

March 25, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in progress 8

March 25, 2018, 16″ x 20″ Acrylics in progress 9

Still far from complete! I honestly don’t know if I will be going back to any of these portraits in progress! If too many days pass I tend to start a new one. I should probably stop buying new canvases and try to finish a couple!

Meanwhile as we find ourselves in this bizarre and frightening timeline with ignorant white supremacist loons and their Russian puppetmasters trying to break democracy, I feel it’s important to clearly state one’s objections to this repulsive and frankly horrific state of affairs.

But, I also think it’s good to remind people that the forces of good are tireless, committed, and winning small victories. So here’s a happy story for this post:  A deported veteran who launched a health clinic for other deported veterans in Tijuana, Mexico, has been granted citizenship in the United States.

Hello and thank you to Paint Party Friday, and of course many thanks for all the nice comments!

Late March Update, Acrylic Portrait

14 Replies

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Pretty happy with this one so far! I think I am going to leave it for now, but it may reappear on these very pages in the coming weeks.

Here is proof you can make a decent nose and mouth and eyes if you practice. Which I am trying to do more aaaaaaaah. Have to fix the nose on the right side, decide how to finish the shoulders, and eventually eyelashes. And tone down the pink cheeks a bit. But on to the next one for now!

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress 1, portrait on green

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress 2, portrait on green

This is definitely one of my better sketches underneath, and improved the process quite a bit. Obvious, right? I have been watching more videos. I linked some over here! The green background was done the day before and let dry.

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress 3, portrait on green

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress 4, portrait on green

16″ x 20″, acrylics in progress 5, portrait in green

16″ x 20″, acrylics in progress 6, portrait in green

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Eye detail in progress, March 2018

Hooray progress pics.

Thanks for dropping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday. :D

 

Mid-March Acrylics Portrait Practice

17 Replies

 

March 11-14, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

So this one is at a point where I may decide to move on to the next one. But that is probably a mistake! This is definitely not *done* but maybe it will never be. Or is that a terrible precedent?! I don’t know. Any insight appreciated.

Anyway, I think I will give this one some more time. I will post an update next week!

There will probably be a new one as well. REALLY trying to paint 5-6 days a week. Progress pics below. See how the mouth was crooked to start? On the other hand, it looked a bit like she was deliberately sort of pursing her lips. But I straightened it and it still needs some fixing up.

March 11, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

March 12, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

March 13, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

March 11-14, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Thanks so much for dropping in! Thanks so much for the nice comments!

Hello to Paint Party Friday, recently having reached their seventh birthday, wow!

I am learning to paint so I can be a painter in support of our inclusive, progressive future. :)

Acrylics 2018 – March Restart

5 Replies

12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

After painting every day the first 30 days of the year, I was waylaid by a (small) separate art obligation and then February happened. But now we’re in March. (HOLY COW IT’S MARCH) I am switching from animals to people.

12′ x 16″ acrylics in progress, March 6-8, 2018

I’ve been watching a lot of portrait painting videos. Some acrylic, some oils. The oil painters often do an underpainting in acrylics. I think about adding oils from time to time, but for now I’m going to stick with acrylics until I feel comfortable with them rather than add more complications! (I will add links to some of my favorite portrait painting videos next time.)

And here is the 12″ x 16″ hound dog in acrylics which was the last painting at the end of January.

12″ x 16″ Hound Dog in progress, Jan 26-28, 2018

As I wrote on Facebook:  As a side note, many days I feel I cannot post things without acknowledging the absolutely grotesque political environment in this country. I hope we are all trying to help in small ways, however we can. But I can’t be a painter if I don’t learn how to paint. So I’m going to keep doing that. Be kind to each other!

Hello to Paint Party Friday. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 19 through 25

January 19, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 20, 2018, 16 ” x 20″ acrylics in progress, aardvark!

Jan 21, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, Aardvark!-2

Jan 22, 2018, 16″ x 18″ acrylics in progress, aardvark!-3

Jan 23, 2018, 9″ x 12″ acrylics in progress, young panda

Jan 24, 2018, 9″ x 12″ acrylics, young panda

Well I do think this young panda is quite cute. Someone suggested it looks like a finished painting. When I stopped I did not think it was finished because I keep seeing things to fix. But it IS the most finished painting in these first 24 days of acrylic painting.

Jan 25, 2016, 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, hound dog

I started this hound after watching this Lachri Fine Art video about painting in a looser style. These early underpainting stages look terrible! She says the early stages always look like she painted them with her feet. On the other hand, they are *slightly* less terrible than earlier this month. :)

As a side note, if I could just add this comment to the universe:  Please send Mr. Mueller and his team some extra strength and fortitude to face what’s coming. A dying animal is most dangerous.

Thanks so much for stopping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday!

 

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 12 through 18

Hello again! Here is this week’s production.

Jan 12, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

On January 13, I switched from taking photos on the easel, to taking photos in the bathroom. So, the lighting is slightly better. Plus I am able to make some adjustments in Adobe Elements. But, many apologies for the subpar photos! Also yes, I need to do something about the terrible lighting at my easel! Dangit.

Jan 13, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 14, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 15, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 16, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 17, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Jan 18, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Also! I have started an Acrylics page so I can list all the articles and videos that have helped me the most. I will try to remember to put a link in my acrylic painting posts.

Hello to Paint Party Friday! Thanks so much for all the nice comments. :)

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 6 through 11

Hooray, still at it! Though as you will see, one day  produced only a background. But a background painted in acrylics! (The whole of which got painted over the next two days – a llama with a completely different background.)

I actually spent two days on two different paintings this time. I would not call any of these finished! Don’t know if I will ever finish them, and it doesn’t really bug me! It’s all practice.

Jan 6, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, theslumberingherd.com

Jan 7, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, theslumberingherd.com

Jan 8, 2018, 12″ x 16″ acrylics, a background.

Jan 9, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 10, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 11, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

I have learned a few things in this first 11 days. Mainly this. A thing I already knew:  paintings look TERRIBLE for the first 85% of the progress. One must keep on. :)

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 1 through 5.

Hello!

It is Day Five of January, 2018 and also Day 5 of acrylic painting.

Some of these are terrible! None of them are finished. Some may never be finished, but that’s ok. Really!

January 1, 2018
12″ x 16″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 1. I started this first one on a background I did back in August. Which is just the most recent time (before this one!) that I decided i was really going to do painting for reals.

Jan 2, 2018 12″ x 16″ acrylics, progress. This is where I started and ended today

Jan 2. Started this one today with the left image completed. Also from last August! Anyway, I worked on it for a couple hours and ended up with the slightly fluffier, still far from complete, right side image.

Jan 3, 2018
16″ x 20″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 3. 16″ x 20″ is big! Though I’d like to do bigger. This one started with the blue background previously completed, you’ll never guess when!  Last August.

January 4, 2018
9″ x 12″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 4. Terrible! Holy cow. I think the nose has some promise but otherwise pretty bad. Started this one on a white canvas. Painted a quick blue ground. Might try to rescue or might paint over. Going to need lots of canvas, after all.

Jan 5, 2018
12″ x 12″ acrylics in progress. Started today with the background.

Jan 5. Not too thrilled with this one either, after 3ish hours. We’ll have to see if I give this one another go. Either way, I think tomorrow it’s back to dogs. The fifth day was rough. My brain was telling me I could take a day off. But no. Nooooooo. Not giving up today. :)

Thanks so much for stopping in! If you leave a comment include your site so I can visit back.

Hello to Paint Party Friday!