A Fun Perspective

I have transferred the pencil sketch from the last post…here  to watercolor paper and I am thoroughly enjoying working on this painting. It's such a fun perspective of a really great mare who happens to love Peeps. This is the Peeps face!

WIP #1

First and lightest glaze

WIP 2

Pushing some of the darks and some detail. When I start adding the darks the light just starts to appear out of nowhere!

Horse Work In Progress

     I currently have six paintings going right now It's amazing what feeling inspired will do for you! Three of them are horses and since you have asked here is a Work in Progress of one of them. I won't be divulging the name or final of this boy until it goes to it's new home. 

Step #1

    The sketch. I did several variations on the sketch and I like the composition of this one the best. I'm using Arches 300 lb Hot Press with a very smooth, bright white paper and is probably one of favorites because it is very suited for the way I like to work. This piece measure 14 x 11.

©Deborah Bollman
www.DeborahBollman.com

Step #2  

     Laying down the lightest glazes first and saving the white of the paper.

©Deborah Bollman
www.DeborahBollman.com

Step #3

     Starting to lay in the darks and modeling the musculature. As soon as I start adding some of the darkest darks the light seem to appear from nowhere. 

©Deborah Bollman
www.DeborahBollman.com

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Holiday Portrait Gift Commissions

     THe holidays are right around the corner! Time to start thinking about commissioning those holiday portraits. I've already have a few spots spots booked! If you are thinking of giving the gift of a horse, dog or NFL football portrait/painting, please, don't hesitate to contact me. The process is super easy to get started! For more info drop me an email at deborah@deborahbollman.com

©DeborahBollman
Luke, Watercolor, SOLD

©Deborah Bollman
Running For Glory, WatercolorAvailable
FASO Bold Brush Top 15%

Have an amazing day!

Deborah

Showjumper WIP #4

     I headed out of dodge with my dog for a few hours today to recharge my batteries. We went for a hike to a favorite spot where I never run into anybody. I've been feeling a bit burned out the past few days with so much going on with my studio, my son and summer activities. Then it was back to the studio and I had several uninterrupted hours of painting.
    So here is where I left off. After this dries I'll put more time into this later this evening. This painting is a watercolor and the support is a full sheet of Arches Hot Press 300lb paper. For those of you who missed the previous posts see my earlier blog posts for photos of the progression of this piece. I am really getting in there with the darks. I am using a really strong mix of alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue and burnt sienna. The pigments are not thoroughly mixed on the palette .  Instead I charge a large squirrel mop and really load the brush so the colors can mingle on the paper. This prevents the darks from becoming flat and dull.
I am really careful to keep a lot of soft edges at this point by wetting and softening with a brush any hard lines that appear. I save most of the hard edges for the final details or any place I want to place emphasis.

    The eye is now getting it's initial glazes. I start by working wet on wet. This keeps soft edges as I start to describe the shape of the eye and ears and find the expression. In addition the values around the muzzle and nostril have been increased. As I push the darks the initial lightest glazes start to take on a very cool glow. This is the part I love about watercolor.

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Stay tuned! This is coming down to the finish!  You can click on any of these mages to get an enlarged view.

Deborah O'Sullivan Art
Epona Studio
Website
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Jumper Schooling on the Flat WIP2

More on this little jumper painting. I had fully intended to finish this little painting last week but I wasn't feeling great. Those darn ticks got me again. I have Lyme...again... This is becoming my spring right of passage. Please, guys, check yourselves and your animals thoroughly for ticks after being in the great outdoors.
Okay, so back to this painting. When I first started out in horses I did the jumpers. I had a super Amateur Owner (A/O) horse named Mr CJ Bonkers. He was a super, super TB (ex racehorse) that I picked up cheap by paying his back board. His owner didn't want him anymore and he was just left in his stall for a couple of months when I found him. He was a very difficult, complicated spooky guy. But we clicked and we had a blast together. He was very accident prone..needed to be wrapped in bubble wrap....:) ..constantly getting stitches for this, cold hosed for that. He couldn't be tied and he spooked at everything when I first got him. His name was actually very appropriate! :) But this boy could jump and jump well and he was super fast. And I loved him dearly. We competed very successfully on the East Coast in the jumpers until I retired him at age 14 because of odd lameness issues that no vet could diagnose. Turns out he had LYME disease! Seeing a theme here? This was back in the early 80's before vets around here would routinely check for it. He was treated but never came 100% sound so he was lightly ridden, hunter paced, etc for fun .He loved to do stuff. He had an untimely, tragic death in a pasture accident at the age of 18 on Thanksgiving morning. He was an incredible boy. I am sure some of you have known a special horse like this. I'd love to hear about them!
So what,you may be thinking, does any of this have to do with this painting? The horse in the reference photo that I used for this could be his twin. So I will be using some of CJ's photos to complete this. I really will have this finished tonight.
This one is for those special horses. Let's hear about yours!

Maplebrook Art Show

Saturday evenings art opening was a great success. Great people, fabulous artwork, wonderful food, big Derby hats and a thrilling race! When we arrived there was a brass band outside dressed up in red and white stripes. The first person I saw was equine photographer extraordinaire Juliet Harrison. She made a rosette out of film for her hat. Very clever! Be sure to check out her website to see her wonderful work. Juliet Harrison Photography

That's me on the left with my crazy Derby hat with Juliet on the right.

My derby hat. I found this hat in a consignment shop and then just stuffed it with fake flowers and rooster, turkey and Guinea Hen feathers. My roosters are not very happy! ;-)

Juliet with one her entries.

Two of my pieces on display.The painting Eyelashes depicts an inquisitive little foal.
Below that is Power & Lightness which I have previously done a WIP here on the blog.

Tilly Strauss is a wonderful local artist who participated in the show. I adore her work as I find it both whimsical and haunting. It can catch me off guard and make me think. There is something in her work that I can really relate to. Be sure to check out her website and blog.
Tilly Strauss Website
Tilly's Blog Showing Up For the Muse

The art show runs until June 7 and all artwork is available for sale. See link for details.
Maplebrook Art Show

Studio News- Art Events

The next couple of weeks will be pretty busy. So today's update will be event related. So mark your calendars! I am really looking forward to participating in these events.

ArtEast and Pawling Library Slide Slam
Friday, April 24, 2009
Pawling Library Annex
Broad Street
Pawling, NY

(845) 855-3444
Spend an entertaining and fun evening viewing the work of artists. Listen to what inspired each unique style.
Enjoy friendly conversation and refreshments with your fellow artist and art enthusiast.

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I am delighted to be exhibiting at the Maplebrook Show. I will post updates as they become available.

25th Annual Maplebrook Art Show & Sale
Opening Reception
May 2, 2009 5 pm
“Over Hill and Dale”
Art work will include a section representing the equestrian world, landscapes and other nature based themes and interpretations, especially those of our region and the greater Northeast.

This year’s show will coincide with and celebrate the running of the Kentucky Derby and feature a Derby theme at the opening including favorites such as mint juleps, big hats, and Kentucky celebratory foods, plus a viewing of the 135th annual race at Churchill Downs, “the most exciting two minutes in sports.”