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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Illustration Friday: Fearless

I did this piece for the 'Art Makes Noise' show a few months back. Here it is transferred onto stained wood art board & lightly shaded with colored pencil. A few of my reference photos are lying about the living room.


I turn the computer screen so I can see my color study that I worked out in photoshop as well as a few reference canaries. My printer is almost always out of ink, and even streaks black & white images, so visuals on screen are my better option .

I'd like to go back and work a few areas just a bit more. This was done on wood board specifically made for painting, but I found it too be much too slick for me. It was like painting on glass, and the paint just slid off. So, I've since gone back to my original craft boards with their toothy wood grain that I love.

'Canary Chimes In'
Acrylic on wood
 
The yellow canary was so fearless he flew in and sang his own song loud and proud.

25 comments:

Tony LaRocca said...

Yes, but when he was off key, did he get "gonged"?

Draw For Joy said...

Very beautiful!

Ms Leaney said...

I LOVE this! A really lovely image and I love how you use your materials! I look forward to following your blog!

Have a great day!
Sally
Marshmallow Beanie

Shirley said...

Angela! She's gorgeous! And look at that awesome, beautiful canary...I love that prideful, strong feeling you've given it. Just perfect! It's wonderful to see/hear of your process. Can I ask what paints are you using? Are they acrylics? Gouache? Beautiful work, as per usual!!
By the way, my friend just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED your piggy-puzzler print. : )

k.h.whitaker said...

this is beautiful, I love all the yellow

Angela Matteson said...

Shirley- I used the Atelier Interactive Acrylics mostly, but had to switch to some regular white for brightness. The Interactive kept pulling up too much color from the bottom layers.

I'm so glad your friend loved the print!

k.h.- thanks! I've been in a love affair with yellow for a while now after years of rejecting it.

Dear Fireflies said...

Ah, this is just so full of sunshine!! Gorgeous work, Angela... and thanks for visiting me! :))

bee'nme said...

Absolutely lovely Angela - it is a wonderful take on the topic and simply a gorgeous, inspiring painting all around! It was great to get a glimpse of the process too!

Blessings,
Becky

Eric Barclay said...

Love the color scheme! Wonderful characters and technique, too.

Leonor said...

Que linda ilustración y que lindo también el taller
abrazos

Bella Sinclair said...

Oh wow, this radiates so much warmth and tenderness. She has a beautiful expression. And the canary has so much confidence and joy! Fantastic painting, Angela! I'm always so fascinated to read about your methods. I learn from the best. :)

Debra Cooper said...

Angela your work is just so lovely, I love the color tones and sweetness of the whole piece.

Megan Coyle said...

Wow, I love seeing your process here. And the colors of this piece are incredible!

Bong Redila said...

wonderful illustration.

Anonymous said...

That is AWESOME! I own a bird who sings and talks. This art work of yours reminds me of my bird and I.

Amy C said...

such a sweet piece, like her yellow ribbon and the yellow lace on her tank top.

sketched out said...

Love it to pieces, Angela!!

I have the same problem with my printer running out of ink. I end up depending on my monitor for references material as well.

illustration poetry said...

hello Bird, what a lovely bird you are...

kiss!

Joana Su said...

Hi! I have just found your blog! You work is very beautiful! Congratulations!

Joana

AscenderRisesAbove said...

aww very nice. I like the blue whale too; somewhat sad, perhaps the boy's totem animal?

WilsonW said...

I want a studio like yours someday! very nice!!

-Wilson

Katherine Herriman said...

Me again :) I'm very curious as to how you transfer your images onto the wood board. I'm completely crap at re-drawing things and go to great lengths to not have to!

Angela Matteson said...

I use the old school transfer method of making my own carbon paper by covering a piece of paper with graphite, 6B - 9B pencils work great for this. I tape this, and the xeroxed sketch on top and trace over.

TECHS&BIKES said...

Beautiful Work! Was wondering...what type of wood and stain did you use? Do you seal it with anything.

Angela Matteson said...

This was a wood board especially made for painting on. I'm not sure of the brand name. I found it at Blick. I only use watered down acrylic to stain the board.