Angry Duck Studio

I'm avoiding Four Lions because I'm not sure how to finish it yet. So, I'm painting a portrait of my rambunctious Weimaraner, Clooney, on the second wood-framed silk screen that I found in the alley.

I often paint by a 'create-destroy-create' process. 'Destroy' is maybe too strong a word. More like 'create-messup-create'. I rationalize that this process results in a more interesting piece, but really it just reflects the fact that I'm still learning and playing around with my art.

Alright, on the the painting...

Source photo, taken by me!


Step 1 - Create a raw representation.

This step was the initial attempt to capture the essence of the subject. In many ways, this version is my favorite. It often is. Maybe I should have stopped here.

Step 2 - Play with color. Arguably, the 'messup' stage.

I wanted more color variation, so I added some brighter reds, greens and blues. The idea is that the new colors will show through, adding depth as I bring it back toward the original version, which is the goal of the next step.

Step 3 - Re-create: refine and shape.

In this step, I wanted to bring it back toward the original look. As I added paint, the borders became less distinct, so I outlined them with darker colors. I also became frustrated with shading the ears, so I made them mostly black. It's less accurate, but more dramatic.

I think this piece is done. I chose to leave his eyes in the cloudy-empty-blue state. I'm always nervous doing eyes and I think the piece works fine without the effort.