CHALLENGE # 11 - August 23, 2011 - September 19, 2011

csebeling wrote

on 25 Aug 2011 7:19 AM

Jen- I used masking fluid for the flame and wet a circle around it to make the edges soft for the "glow" before I started with the black bg.

Thanks Susan- Can't wait to see yours, too!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 26 Aug 2011 6:58 AM

Cindy, you did a good job on that black bg.  Merry Christmas!  My eyes are improving daily.  The bruising and s\welling are nearly gone.

Kay Zimmerman wrote

on 29 Aug 2011 12:12 PM

I just popped on and what a surprise. There is a new challenge and folks are already posting pics. I am so totally behind. Love what I've seen so far. Hard to think about Christmas when it is over 100 every day. We can only try. Nice work.

Kay Zimmerman wrote

on 29 Aug 2011 12:12 PM

I just popped on and what a surprise. There is a new challenge and folks are already posting pics. I am so totally behind. Love what I've seen so far. Hard to think about Christmas when it is over 100 every day. We can only try. Nice work.

holland2 wrote

on 30 Aug 2011 6:00 AM

Cindy - You manage to get such great detail in such a small format - you must be using brushes with only 2 or 3 little hairs in them!   Great "glow" around the candle flames and "shiney" on the Christmas balls.  I like the greenery lightened up, too.  I may try to mess this one up with water colors, too.  You've set our bar pretty high, though!

holland2 wrote

on 30 Aug 2011 6:03 AM

Kay Z. - Yeah, Christmas in August/September is a little daunting, isn't it?  Maybe doing Christmas scenes will make it seem a little cooler for you!

Turps245 wrote

on 30 Aug 2011 11:15 PM

Well I had a go at Dave's waterfall. It is not easy but it's good practice. Not sure if painting it would have been harder or easier!

In my sketchbook with B pencils.8 x 10

it's that perspective thing again! Enjoy!

holland2 wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 4:34 AM

Yay!  Good for you, Jen!   This is great - I really like your crop, too.  I did some "photoshop" manipulation of this photo (reversed the image and took out some foreground trees, etc) and, hopefully, I will have time to give it a go before I have to go back to work.  You were able to give the water great movement and the rocks in the stream even appear to be under water.  Good values on the exposed rocks, too.  Love the "negative space" feel of this one!  Great job.

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 7:08 AM

Jen, this is a great little study.  Zeroing in on the falls is a super idea. As Holly said, the water has a lot of movement. I suggest that you push the darks to make the water pop.  Push the dark above the water and between the water streams and on the foliage in the bottom right.  It will make that light water just pop off the page.  Good job. 

csebeling wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 8:20 AM

Nice Jen! I love water falling off the jaggedy rocks on the right side and the way the shadow cuts into the falls on the left . 

holland2 wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 11:01 AM

Jen - Coming soon - I just have the legs and the dead tree or stump he is sitting on left to do.  Had them in before but painted them out 'cause they were way wrong!  Before the end of the day, I think I will be able to call him finished enough to post (between laundry and packing).

holland2 wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 12:58 PM

OK - here's my hawk - he looks a little more like an eagle than a hawk - I think, anyway.  I think he has some "structural" errors but my nose has been too close to it for too long to figure it out.  This one is done in interactive acrylics so those corrections should be relatively easy (theoretically, at least). SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE!   He's on canvas paper and that's a 9x12 mat sitting on the paper (I got him so lopsided on the paper that I had to expand the background to I could rotate him to get him at the right angle - )  WOO HOO - I made Joyce's challenge with time to spare - that's a first for me (the time to spare part!) 

Joyce Lydia wrote

on 31 Aug 2011 5:09 PM

Sam- nice your eyes are getting better.  I have thought about you a lot and it makes me happy to hear things are getting better.

Kay- welcome back!  Looking forward to your next picture.

Jen- nice waterfalls.  Black and white pictures are fun for me it's when I add colour to a picture that I make messes of the pictures.  Jen- if I did that picture I would leave it alone except I would had just a touch of colour to the leafs...Nice job!

Cindy- WOW! your candle picture is wonderful full of life!  I love the stacking candles, the green leafs of the evergreens the balls and the black background.  So to cut to the end the whole picture is an A+ GREAT JOB! CINDY.

Holly, Holly, Holly good job on your hawk/eagle, the bird is so nice I only need to say A+ for you too for a picture well done and for mkaing the challenge timeline.

Maybe I should just give everyone A+'s

Now for a question.  I've started doing a picture on watercolour paper and the with the first layer done in watercolours can I add pastels to the picture once the watercolour drys?  Thanks everyone in advance, also in fine print I'm not sure I will make the deadline for my first picture but I'm doing a all nighter so I hope too...........