Friday, March 25, 2011

An Artist's Dilemma

A few more places to work on this one. This is Chester - from the Critter Farm - permission to use the photo was given by the owner.  I painted a larger painting of Chester and Beau here.  What I am writing about today is 'this' happens every once in awhile.  I have painted his mouth too close to the edge of the bottom of the panel.  My thought is to try one of those 'cradle' kind of frames, where you build a wooden frame the same outside dimensions as the panel and glue it to the back of the panel and paint it black.  Once I put it in a frame to see how it looked, that little 1/8" or 1/4" covers the bottom of his muzzle.  Measures 5" x 7" - done in acrylic on another claybord panel.  Lovin' it!
I found that painting with black acrylic on this surface does nothing to darken..so I have this great dark purple that I mix with the black and it comes out even darker than black. 

8 comments:

Angela Elledge said...

I was surprised to read this is 5x7 - it has a very large presence to me, like almost life size! I don't know if this was intentional or not, but I love the way the background colors and brushstrokes appear to be radiating from Chester; it makes him appear to be a very special fella, which I'm sure he is.

Pattie Wall said...

Thanks Angela, truth be told, it started out VERY serious and I wanted to copy the background, which is trees and bushes and stuff, but as I used my brush and paint over the surface, I was very pleased with the effect - thus left it that way. He IS a special guy. Quite a character! Wish I lived close to an art supplier, cause I need some more of this stuff pronto!! (black claybord, which is really supposed to be scratchboard - that's what I get when I buy sample packs) Oh well, just have to wait for slow delivery service I guess. I have used up every last piece of it.

Danni said...

Awww, hi Chet! ♥
I'm with Angela, I think you need to go BIGGER! Waaaay bigger. Can you imagine a life-size one of these hanging on your wall?! :-) :-)

Pattie Wall said...

Hey Danni - looking for a photo of Beau that would be a complement piece - I found one more claybord for now. Hubster is going to make me those backing frames. Ya, it would be cool - lifesized...gotta get more paint for that one and a bigger claybord. ha! I enjoyed his 'stinkership' with the chicken in the pasture the other day...he makes me laugh!

Pattie Wall said...

I wanted to add a commment from my parents, who don't know how to add them here so I will do it for them, because I appreciate it - no matter who send it, as long as it is positive!
"GOT ON YOUR BLOG AND CHESTER BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. AROUND THE LATE 30'S.
WE HAD FOUR PAIR OF MULES. THERE WAS A PAIR EACH FOR THE HIRED HAND, DAD, RANDOLPH AND ONE FOR ME. (THIS WAS BEFORE WE HAD A TRACTOR).
MY PAIR WAS NAMED PAT AND MOLLY. RANDOLOPH WAS TOM AND MAGGIE-DAD HAD GEORGE AND SUE-HIRED-HAND HAD SAM AND MABEL.
ANY PICTURE OF A MULE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES--SOME OF THE MEMORIES NOT TOO GOOD.
YOUR MULE,CHESTER APPEARS TO BE PRETTY YOUNG.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. MOTHER AND I ENJOY READING YOUR BLOG.
WE LOVE YOU
DAD AND MOM
An aside, my dad told me one of his first jobs was a mule driven grass cutter used along the highways and medians.
He suppied the mule and cutter, they paid him for it. Thanks Dad and Mom.

Pattie Wall said...

that's 'sends it'

Ellen Burkett said...

I am in love with him! This guy is a beauty, no matter where his nose is! :)

Pattie Wall said...

Thanks Ellen! Being in love with a burro - there are a lot of us out there!

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