Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Mrs. Cow - a portrait in ACRYLICS!


7 1/2 " x 8 1/2" acrylic

     I used to dislike acrylics completely. I used them on throw-away pieces, sketching out ideas before turning to my precious oils. (There are no bad painting mediums only bad painting medium owners.) Little by little I've been discovering their benefits. They keep my illustrations a little fresher and more painterly. I've always fought against having my brushstrokes visible to the world but the truth is brushstrokes can give a piece more energy. Bring on the brushstrokes!

     Thankfully, I did the majority of Mrs. Cow on Monday. I added a few last minute touches Tuesday morning with wonderful little puddles of rainwater all around my feet in my basement studio. I did not want to spend my day down there, so from the comfort of my dry living room I pulled out my iPad and practiced some facial expressions. 
     This is what I don't do enough of. This is where fear of failure comes in. These aren't terrible but they aren't great. I've been meaning to do this with my book characters and I'm dragging my feet about it from fear that I can't make it happen. But I can . . . with practice. I simply need to make a commitment to draw more. So, (shall I do this?) next week I will post some sketches of one of my book characters, in different positions, or with different expressions, or both. There, it's out in the world. I will share my results, good or bad, or both. See ya next Wednesday!

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