SpencerAcrylic on canvas, 5″ x 5″© Xan Blackburn 2011 Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #4: SpencerI finished Spencer’s portrait the evening before Thanksgiving, but, well, you know, I got busy and didn’t post about it right away. But, hey, you were busy too, right? Sleepy boy Spencer evolved from looking like a blonde guy with lipstick to … Read More “FPM Painting #4: Spencer is Done!”
Spencer-Reference photo Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #4: Spencer Lisa’s kitty, Spencer, in his sleepy pose, is pretty inviting, eh? Don’t you just want to snuggle your face into that soft warm fur? Mmm. Spencer was a Special Cat. Lisa’s friend Jan told me some of his story. The boy loved ice cream and popcorn, and … Read More “FPM Painting #4: Spencer gets started”
Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #3: Eliza’s Skyy Skyy5″ x 5″ acrylic on canvas©Xan Blackburn 201 Skyy threw me for some loops. With her elegantly simple coloring, and gentle gaze, should have been simple, right? Ah, that’s always the way! It’s the simple stuff that’s hardest to do beautifully! But, I couldn’t look away from … Read More “FPM #3: Skyy is done!”
©Eliza Nardone 2011 Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #3: Eliza’s SkyySkyy was a member of Eliza’s family until this last summer, when an illness took her. Eliza sent me a long, wonderful letter about Skyy, describing a dog’s dog, who was a study in contradictions, like her own black and white face. She could be a … Read More “FPM #3: Skyy begins”
Toni – work in progress©Xan Blackburn 2011 Fall Portrait Marathon, Painting #2 Toni is all done. I think. It’s after 11pm, so I may change my mind in the clear light of day. We’ll see. Right now, I say she’s done. (See the finished version at the bottom of the post.) Toni’s portrait got started … Read More “FPM Painting #2: Toni is done!”
Toni – work in progressacrylic on canvas, 5″ x 5″©Xan Blackburn 2011 I accidentally deleted the pictures I took of the first stages of Toni’s portrait, but suffice it to say, it was sort of watery, and I lost most of my drawing when I glazed over it. 😛 You can still see – or … Read More “FPM Painting #2: Toni progresses”
Christine’s Haileyacrylic on canvas, 5″ x 5″©Xan Blackburn 2011 Fall Portrait Marathon: First painting is complete. Christine’s pretty fawn greyhound, Hailey, was simply a joy to paint. This is what I had in my head while I was working, from Hailey’s mom: Hailey was diagnosed with osteo when we got back from Dewey. She started … Read More “FPM: Christine’s Hailey is done!”
Hailey-work in progressacrylic on canvas, 5″ x 5″©Xan Blackburn 2011 Fall Portrait Marathon, first painting. Hailey is up first. You saw my digital sketch in my last post. I decided to bring some of that feel to the canvas. Hope this works! I used a retarder (an additive to slow down the drying time of … Read More “FPM #1: Hailey”
I’ve been processing photos submitted for the Fall Portrait Marathon, wrapping up my big mystery commission (that ran over into Portrait Marathon time! :rolleyes: ), communicating with the winners, and sketching up the first Fall Portrait Marathon (hereinafter referred to as FPM) painting. Hailey-SketchDigital painting, ©Xan Blackburn 2011 I did a quicky ArtRage painting … Read More “Mystery portrait wraps up, and Marathon begins”
I think I’m done. I know! I know! I say that, and then the next day, I fiddle around some more, and THEN I’m done. So, maybe I should just post this as an update. The penultimate Spring Portrait Marathon post. Well, let’s back up, and I’ll tell you more about how I got to … Read More “Portrait Marathon: Finale, stage two. Strider”
