Concentration #10

For my 10th Concentration, I did a picture of my father. This one was really difficult because of the small details in the trees but I think it turned out fairly well. I used a balance of both large areas of light values as in the snow on the ground and large areas of dark values as on the jacket and pants and the trees in the background.  The shadows on the ground as well as the receding line of houses in the background give this piece a sense of depth.  The shadows and the house line also create converging line which direct the eye to the center of interest, which is my father.  The intricate details of the trees provide a nice textural effect for this piece and the the lines that make up the trees, pointing in various directions, give the trees and the work a sense of movement and interest, which is important in a piece that, with so many horizontal lines, could become stable and boring.

 

 8x10

Here is a sample of the process I used to complete this piece:

Here are some interesting blogs and links!
http://painternyc.blogspot.com/
http://bland-art.blogspot.com/
http://happyfamousartists.com/blog/page/3/

Concentration #9

For my ninth concentration I did a scratchboard of my mother at my grandfather's house. I think this one turned out really well because the striking lighting of the window on the room creates high contrast values that contribute to a dramatic atmosphere.  However, I also used many horizontal and vertical lines in this piece to create a peaceful, serene, almost pensive mood for this piece. Horizontal lines, like the lines of the molding on the walls, create feelings of calm and serenity.  Vertical lines, such as those on the window, give a sense of stability. I concentrated the areas of highest contrast on objects that I wanted to emphasize, such as her face, the chandelier, and the candle holder because I felt that these elements, when emphasized, added to the drama of the piece.  The other areas either had similar values or very softly contrasting values.   I once again used hatching techniques to create the values in the work and I also used the fiberglass tool to create some softer values on the floor near her feet.  

 

8x10

A Few Process Pictures

Chandelier Progress Detail

Face Progress Detail

As always, check out these other interesting blogs and artists (links in the sidebar):
http://tinymediaempire.com/
http://paintsmc.blogspot.com/
http://www.jones-terwilliger-galleries.com/Artist_Entry/opencarson.html


Also please watch this amazing 3D painting demonstration by Riusuke Fukahori!