Pattie

This is the second painting in what I hope to be a very long series of portraits. The first was of myself, the second is of my wife and the next will further expand out to people not as close to me.
Sessions
Pattie: Finished
After 125 Sessions my latest painting is finished.
see the postPattie: Signing Paintings
I almost never sign my paintings, but today I’ve signed this one and I think it’s important.
see the postPattie: The Texture of Socks
Socks have an interesting fuzzy texture to them and it takes a scumbling, dabbing stroke to get them right, a normal brush stroke will not work.
see the postPattie: Ending on the Right Foot
I’m pretty happy with that title, it’s not totally true, but close enough. Her right foot is the second to last I have to accomplish on this painting.
see the postPattie: Left Sock and Foot
There is so much meaningfulness with everything I do on this painting. It’s important that I get even the socks correct to the best of my ability.
see the postPattie: Wood Floor Done
I’m almost certain I’ve finished the wood floor except for the smaller shadows under her feet which I will do when I work on the feet next.
see the postPattie: Shelving Done
The shelving is done now I can focus on finishing the floor then the very last will be Pattie’s feet.
see the postPattie: Close To Finished With The Shelving
I did a few more lines of the shelving fronts today and I’m almost to the bottom. Tomorrow I may finish the shelving and the floor.
see the postPattie: Avoid Fixing it Later
As I’m painting the vertical fronts of the shelving I remember painting over them somewhat and thinking I would “fix it later”
see the postPattie: Home Again
We had a super long trip last night and didn’t get home till 2am so I’m painting a bit late in the day on Pattie’s portrait after getting some needed sleep.
see the postPattie: Trouble With Shadows
Now that I’m getting better at painting the wood grain I have to deal with another complexity, shadows cast upon that wood grain.
see the postPattie: More Wood Floor
I’m getting the hang of a painting this wood texture without too much detail. Honestly I’m kinda feeling like I’m being lazy with it.
see the postPattie: Wood Floor
I wasn’t looking forward to the wood floor so I just dove right into it. Normally when I don’t like something it’s because I need practice.
see the postPattie: Random Shoe Box
Working on the very bottom right shelf and a random shoe box, I’m not sure why it’s there.
see the postPattie: Books Done
I finished the harry potter books shelf today even though I’m now suffering from a cold…
see the postPattie: Harry Potter Books
I enjoy meticulously painting the spines of harry potter books on the shelf, a very important part of Patties life.
see the postPattie: Another Busy Day
Another late day doing art, although I spent a lot of time earlier in the day stretching my canvas for the next painting.
see the postPattie: Busy Day
Right after work today I had to shoot off to the mainland for a Dr appointment so I’m doing my art much later in the day than normal.
see the postPattie: Construction Distraction
After sanding and two more coats of gesso on my next painting I had to work on Pattie’s portrait with some extreme construction noise distracting me.
see the postPattie: Reducing Intensity
Most of the background on this painting has been a lesson in chroma and reducing its intensity.
see the postPattie: More Dishes
I just spent a little time on painting the dishes today because I was putting many coats of gesso on a new painting.
see the postPattie: Dishes
I’m not working on two paintings, I’ve determined the next painting’s composition and I have started preparing its canvas.
see the postPattie: Piggie Sugar Pot
A birthday present given a funny name by Pattie and one that has stuck fondly with us for many years.
see the postPattie: Travel Day
I spent most of the day today traveling and waiting with errands on the mainland. As I write this I’m totally exhausted but happy that I got some work done on the painting.
see the postPattie: Not Much
I didn’t get much done on this painting today as I was doing a lot of preparation for my next portrait.
see the postPattie: 100 Sessions
I’ve worked on this painting now for 100 sessions. Most of the session have been an hour or shorter but this is still the longest I’ve ever worked on a painting.
see the postPattie: Multiple Paintings
I’ve started preparation for a new painting that I will work on in tandem with this painting. I hope to increase my motivation with variety.
see the postPattie: More Elephants
Today was a shorter session as I need to run off to a friends house to take photos for another planned portrait. I now have two more portraits in the works.
see the postPattie: Elephants
Another session with the top shelf. I’m working from left to right and at the end of the line is a bunch of elephant figurines.
see the postPattie: More Fairies
I worked on more items at the top shelf today plus I went through over 400 photos taken of Patrick yesterday. I’m excited for the next portrait.
see the postPattie: Fairies
The small mass of items at the top of the shelves includes fairies and a whole bunch of stuff that isn’t recognizable, at this point it is just texture.
see the postPattie: Angels
I’m now working on a couple angles to the right of the tiny portraits. These will be much more indistinct and fuzzy than the portraits.
see the postPattie: More Tiny Portraits
A photograph in a photograph, but so tiny that I have to spend several sessions getting every little tiny stroke/dot correct.
see the postPattie: Tiny Portraits
With today’s post I’ve finally caught up with all my posts after my vacation a week ago.
see the postPattie: Random Objects With Meaning
Even though the objects seem like detritus most have some history in Pattie’s life, today I’m painting tofu containers and fabric from Ireland.
see the postPattie: Top Shelf
For this session and many others I’ve moved to the top of the shelving unit and started with all the complex items stacked up there.
see the postPattie: More Sea Creatures
I can’t seem to bring myself to generalize any of these objects into broad strokes, I see much importance in every tiny thing.
see the postPattie: Sea Creatures
I’m working on a section of the shelves that holds nothing but sea creatures, mostly mammals like a Beluga whale and dolphins.
see the postPattie: More Vegetable Animals
I’m continuing my work on the top left shelf full of vegetable animals.
see the postPattie: Vegetable Animals
Today I’m working on the top left section of keepsakes which is a group of animals shaped like vegetables, or is it vegetables shaped like animals.
see the postPattie: After Cruise
We are back home from the cruise and I’m doing my art later in the day, it is good to be back home although I’m still rocking like I’m on the ship.
see the postPattie: Before the Cruise
It’s 5am Sunday and I’m working on my painting while my mind is racing with things I need to do before our trip, so I plan accordingly.
see the postPattie: Sand Castles
She collected small colored sand castles when she was young. I remember seeing them in stores when I was much younger also.
see the postPattie: Next Shelf
I moved on to the fifth shelf out of 16 today and I’m trying to keep the colors and values the same through every session.
see the postPattie: A Wizard
I spent the short session today painting a wizard figurine on one of the shelves in the background.
see the postPattie: One Goal
This painting has one goal and I make sure that everything I add to the painting is in service to that one goal.
see the postPattie: One Figurine
For today’s session I finished painting the one figurine above and to the left. It wasn’t much but that part is done.
see the postPattie: Little Progress
Just a little progress today on the painting. I only got a small area done but I’m happy with it’s quality and that is most important.
see the postPattie: Overlapping Edges
While focusing on edges it’s helpful to overlap brush strokes for objects that are right next to each other, rather than painting up to the next object.
see the postPattie: Intentional Details
All of the items in the background may seem randomly placed but I assure you that most are very important details that have a narrative in this story.
see the postPattie: Cushion
Today I worked on the cushion and box that Pattie is sitting on. I’m moving all over the painting picking out easy subjects.
see the postPattie: Distance with Edges
I decided to work on the background shelving today, I’m still a bit sick so I chose an easy section. The square directly to the right of Pattie’s head.
see the postPattie: Mindset
It’s important to recognize my mindset when beginning a session it can make a huge difference in my performance.
see the postPattie: Legs
I’m working on her legs now, not much to say as I’m still sick and trying to do art daily without messing up anything on the painting.
see the postPattie: Simple
The medicine I’m taking for my cold is making me groggy and unfocused so I recognize this and work on something simple.
see the postPattie: The Minimum
I have a cold and even though I don’t feel like it, I’m going to do my art today. Because I set an achievable minimum.
see the postPattie: Other Knee
Yeah, the titles of my posts lack any vestige of interest, I’m not a writer, I’m an artist so I’ll be literal.
see the postPattie: Knee
For this session it was really easy, I had a wonderful call with my brother and painted Pattie’s Knee.
see the postPattie: Hand
I’m done with the shirt and I’m on to her almost hidden hand.
see the postPattie: Starting With the Darks
In areas where the surrounding values are very dark I find it easier to start with the darkest of them.
see the postPattie: Small Areas
On lazy days when my motivation is running low I focus on smaller areas to help me get started.
see the postPattie: Shirt Again
Not much to update for this session, I’m still working on the shirt and will be for the next few sessions. Lots of bluish gray and subtle values.
see the postPattie: Shirt Texture
As I painstakingly render the folds in the shirt I’m also thinking about the texture of the fabric.
see the postPattie: Bluish Gray
The color of the shirt Pattie is wearing sometimes looks all gray and other times it has a very blue chroma to it.
see the postPattie: More Shirt
I’m going to have several more sessions of work on this shirt and I find it hard to write about anything meaningful.
see the postPattie: Shirt
Moving down from the face and neck I’m working on the blueish gray shirt now. And starting in the shadows.
see the postPattie: Head Done
I’m almost positive that I’m done with the most important part of this painting, now I need to move outward.
see the postPattie: Fairy Locks
Pattie wears these wonderfully colorful collections of yarn tied into her pony tails and today’s session was all about reproducing the one she is wearing accurately.
see the postPattie: Hair Refinement
There is a precarious balance between sharp and hard edges with hair, too sharp and it looks like straw, too soft and it’s cotton candy.
see the postPattie: Supporting Elements
For this session I was working on supporting elements around the face like the neck hair and ears.
see the postPattie: All About the Details
Every inch of this painting is now covered in oil paint. Most of it is all a rough block-in but the rest is all about the details.
see the postPattie: More Top Shelf
I worked more on the top shelf with all the tiny details, it was a lot of fun actually.
see the postPattie: Top Shelf
I continued my mind state from life drawing and focused in small areas moving from right to left slowly on the top shelf.
see the postPattie: Bottom to Top
I finished the basic block-in for the floor and then I moved all the way to the top of the painting and starting blocking in the top of the shelving unit.
see the postPattie: Wood Floor
For this session I almost finished the whole wood floor with a very simple block-in.
see the postPattie: Socks
I finished off the block-in for the pants and socks during today’s session.
see the postPattie: Yellow Bars
I painted the fronts of the shelving unit on this session and I’m not liking the color right away.
see the postPattie: Lower Half
I’m moving my way down the painting adding the first layer of paint for later refinement.
see the postPattie: More Shirt Block-in
Honestly the more I finish the rest of the painting the better I like it.
see the postPattie: Shirt Block-in
It’s a simple and easy day today. I’m just working on blocking in the rest of the painting before I come back to details.
see the postPattie: Frustration
I’m a bit frustrated with the work done today at it is not turning out how I would have hoped.
see the postPattie: Sufficiently Fuzzy
I’m working again on the background and to push it back I’m keeping everything fuzzy, in other words, soft edges.
see the postPattie: Patience
I feel as if I will never reach the vision I have in my head, or even come close to it.
see the postPattie: Portrait Struggle
I struggle to capture the most subtle of emotions and I’m not there yet but I will work on this painting for as long as it takes.
see the postPattie: Back to the Portrait
One great thing about posting my progress daily is that I can review my work from the previous day and make corrections constantly.
see the postPattie: Shelving Block-in Done
I finished the block in of all the square shelves and keepsakes, I still have to do the vertical and horizontal fronts but it is a good milestone.
see the postPattie: Wonderful Details
I think it is the small things that make up the majority of our lives and who we are.
see the postPattie: Another Square
I had lots of driving today so I made only a little progress on the painting, but something is better than nothing.
see the postPattie: Slow Progress
The past couple days have been short sessions and today is no different.
see the postPattie: Short Session
There are some days when it is good to recognize that my focus is just not there and the minimum is okay.
see the postPattie: Different Colors Every Session
I have a bit of an issue with different colors being used for the background with every session.
see the postPattie: More Cubbies
I’m enjoying the relaxed painting of cubby holes that I’m doing currently, I a few more of these to go before I return to the portrait for more refinement.
see the postPattie: One Square a Day
The shelving unit behind Pattie neatly sections off my daily art work it seems.
see the postPattie: First Layer
I’m still working on the background, this may take the longest even though I’m not planning on going super high detail with it.
see the postPattie: Background
I started on the background today to get away from the portrait for a bit. Her face is not done yet but it is good to work on something a bit different for a while.
see the postPattie: Refinement in Oil
I’m very new to this and I’m not very sure of what I’m doing. I’ve never painted oil over a well defined acrylic base so I’m going slow.
see the postPattie: Oil
I’ve started with oil now and I’m taking my time, I don’t want to rush this as it is the first time I’m trying oil over acrylic.
see the postPattie: Neck
Painting in the areas surrounding the head really adds depth to the painting so far, I’m even happier with the face as I start on the neck.
see the postPattie: Closer to Oil
I feel that I’ve achieved what I can with the acrylic and the major features of the face.
see the postPattie: More Eye Refinement
I worked on the right eye a bit this session and moved into the structure around the eyes to see if I could figure out why the emotion isn’t there.
see the postPattie: Back to the Eye
The emotion is paramount, yet I don’t feel the painting is capturing it. Which is why I decided to work on the eyes again today.
see the postPattie: Constant Refinement
The morning after every session I post about my progress and review, which creates a loop of constant refinement and improvement.
see the postPattie: Covering Some Ground
Today’s session was all about getting some paint on the canvas, in later sessions I will work into each area and give it the attention it needs.
see the postPattie: Transparency
In small ways I keep experimenting with how acrylic uses transparency because the dry time is so quick that I can try many things quickly.
see the postPattie: Back to the Fundamentals
Every few sessions on a painting I have to revisit the fundamentals, in this case drawing, and focus hard on getting it right.
see the postPattie: Subtle Value Changes
I’m using tech to help me see subtle value changes when the intensity of the colors are super high.
see the postPattie: Trial and Error
I must admit that I’m floundering a bit here as I’m playing with acrylic and it’s transparent properties.
see the postPattie: The Acrylic Experiment
I’m trying something new, I’m painting with Acrylic, but not for the whole painting just for the beginning layers of the figure.
see the postPattie: Ready for Paint
I’m done with the initial drawing, but I will continue to refine it through the whole painting process but I’m excited to begin painting in the next session.
see the postPattie: Anxious to Paint
I’m so close to finished with the drawing that I can’t wait to start painting. But I need to finish the drawing well if the painting has any change of going well.
see the postPattie: More Drawing Refinement
I think I will have about two more sessions before I actually begin with paint on this painting.
see the postPattie: Everything Represented
I have everything represented on the surface now. It needs refinement, but at least I have everything placed.
see the postPattie: More Photos
I needed to take more photos of the shelving today after trying to refine the keepsakes I’ve been drawing, I needed more detail.
see the postPattie: Chipping Away
Like Michelangelo with his “David” I’m chipping away at this painting one day at a time one small piece at a time.
see the postPattie: Keepsakes
The background of this painting is a large shelving unit full of keepsakes. I’m excited and a little overwhelmed at all the detail to capture.
see the postPattie: Lots of Straight Lines
I’m focusing on the background of the painting now which has a shelving unit with lots of square sections, lots of interesting perspective.
see the postPattie: More Photos Less Drawing
For this session I’m moving to the background but I wasn’t happy with the pieced together background images that I have, so I began to take more.
see the postPattie: Moving to the Background
I think I’m done with the drawing of the figure and now I’m moving to the background.
see the postPattie: Shading Helps
At this point I have so many lines going all over the place that I need more information to separate them, so shading helps a lot.
see the postPattie: Constant Refinement
For the most important parts of this drawing I do constant refinement until I’m certain I have what I want.
see the postPattie: Folds
Folds in clothing can get super complicated and as I move down the portrait I’m having to deal with more and more folds.
see the postPattie: More Drawing
More drawing on this painting today. I’m moving slowly through the figure, from top to bottom with a focus on accuracy.
see the postPattie: Beginning Drawing
This phase will take the longest, or it will seem like it. The most important thing is the foundation, the drawing.
see the postNew Painting
The idea for this painting has been in my head for months and I finally had time to take the photos.
see the postDetails
- Work: 1552
- Size: 16.5" x 30"
- Medium: Oil on Paper
- Sessions: 125
- Start date: 2/3/2019
- End date: 7/13/2019