Today I did an oil painting demo at a local art supply store. You locals probably know I’m a part-time employee there but today I wasn’t. Today I was the “visiting artist”. The manager asked me to “just do your thing”. So I did and I had some fun too.
Here’s the drawing phase. I tried to keep in mind mass and depth, overlapping elements, and perspective.
The next photo shows my first and a half pass with oil paint. First I tried to keep in mind shape and value, then addressed color. I gauged value of a shape by comparing it to the value of neighboring shapes and where it fit into the whole scheme. I gauged color a similar way. I asked myself “what could I use to mix this?” “is it warm or cool?” The answers were found by looking at the shape’s color alone and then comparing that color to neighboring colors and the whole scheme.
I decided to leave the pull cord out because I wanted to focus on the dragon. Plus it seemed awkward and very high contrast compared to the other elements. Maybe it’ll find its way back into the picture. I’m not sure.
In case you are wondering, the dragon was a gift from my folks a few years back. They found it at Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minnesota. If you visit, ride the carousel. The carousel at Lark Toys is magical. The animals are unique, hand-carved, exquisite pieces of rideable art. They are a delight for the eyes with their jewel-like colors and intricate detail. Just beautiful.