A Partial Plan

untitled rose value study

Here is another update on my value study for the rose painting. As you can see, I completed the initial shading on the main rose and started working on the rose bud. I decided to flesh out the form on both roses, the leaves and the stems on my first pass. Then I will come back and work on my hierarchy of lights and darks.

As I am working on this, I have realized that I think of this drawing as being tall and thin with the roses standing up (like it is posted here). But it needs to be long and thin, as if the roses are laying flat, to fit the space in my mother-in-laws dining room. Hmmmmm... That part of the plan I am still working on. My current thinking is to finish this drawing, because I like it in it's own right, then do some tweaking in Photoshop for the painting. Or I may try some thumbnails to get a feel for the changes. I'll keep you posted.

Preparing to Paint

value sketch for rose WIP

copyright 2007 Stacy L. Rowan

Tomorrow my art group meets again. In preparation I decided to start a value study for the rose painting. I am using several different references for this painting, so I felt a value study was important. For one thing I need to make sure that the lighting is consistent throughout the piece. Also, I felt it would be easier to work from one reference while painting instead of flipping through a pile of papers to find exactly what I need when I need it. You'd be surprised how quickly a wash can dry when you don't remember if you wanted a soft edge or a hard one!

I could have done a smaller thumbnail sketch to block in basic values, but I chose to make a drawing the same size as my study painting. It can be tricky to get the values correct in the center of a rose where so many petals meet. I find it is easier to work larger when the details are more complicated. The other reason I decided to work larger is that it has been awhile since I did a graphite drawing. I knew I'd enjoy creating a more finished drawing. So I let myself have fun.

I haven't decided yet whether I will work on the background more tomorrow or try to finish up the graphite drawing. Maybe I'll work a little on both.

Thumbnail

I don't have time for a proper post today, but I will put up a recent thumbnail sketch that I did. It is of a pot of Gerber daisies on my window sill. I had moved them there to make room on the counter when I was preparing dinner. The next day the sun came streaming in that window and illuminated the daisies. I'm a sucker for dramatic lighting and couldn't help trying to capture a quick sketch of this. My favorite part came near the end of the sketch when I noticed the reflection of the daisies in the window. More inspiration for the someday file!

Proof

I really hate when I come to check the dates of my blog posts and realize it has been a whole week since I last posted. The guilt...the shame...it's almost unbearable.

So to relieve my guilt and prove I have been working, I am sharing the ugly stage of my pen and ink WIP. You can see I was jumping around a bit. The right hand side of the building has one full layer of shading and two partial layers. I did this because I was anxious to see if my sloppy lines would be noticeable in the end. Thankfully, it seems the top layers will cover my flaws. Now I know not to work on pen and ink too late at night when I am already bleary eyed.

copyright 2007 Stacy L. Rowan

I am also sharing this value sketch for a new colored pencil drawing I have started. I get double points for this because not only does it show that I am working, but also that I occasionally do some preparatory work like a good girl before jumping into the meat of a project. Excuse me for a minute while I polish my halo.

copyright 2007 Stacy L. Rowan

In addition to these two projects, I've also started the drawing for my next watercolor painting. I won't show that now, but will save it for next week when I am again feeling guilty about letting a whole week pass with no new blog posts.