Category Archives: Everything Else

Memories Of Oregon

This is the demo I did last night.  I added some finishing touches after the class.  I’ve done this image a number of times so I’m always trying to incorporate some fresh ideas.  I feel quite good about this image.  A little splatter always helps.

Rex Beanland, Memories Of Oregon, watercolour, 20 X 8

 

Memories Of Oregon
watercolour
20 X 8

Doorway

Rex Beanland, Doorway, watercolour, 9 X 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a painting that I use in my watercolour classes.  I hadn’t painted it for a while  so I was interested to see if I could add any new elements to it to keep it fresh.  I did 85 % of the painting in class last night.  I finished it off this morning.

A couple of things that came to mind during this process.

1) The first 85 % of the painting is about getting the big shapes, putting them into a pleasing composition and giving them the right value.  If this works then you know that your painting will work.

2) The last 15 % of the painting which includes adding details, unifying colours, adjusting values and adding accents and highlights can take as long as the first 85 %.  This part brings the painting to life.

Anyway, that’s how it happened with this painting.

When I look at it now I think it has a great sense of light and is very realistic while not being overly busy.  I can also see 2 things I would change next time. The first is to not have all the highlights in the green bushes at the bottom.  It looks like it’s being lit from below.  Secondly I think it still has too much pure white paper even though I reduced it to just to the right of the door.

Shading A Portait 2

 

This is the image that I shaded in this video clip.  It’s a beautiful portrait of Emma Watson.  It’s particularly interesting because of the 3 values of shading, normal on the left, dark in the middle and white paper on the right.  I also did it on hot pressed watercolour paper which is wonderful to shade on.

Basic Drawing Skills – Emma Watson

Rex Beanland, Emma Watson, pencil, 8.5 X 11

Rex Beanland, Portrait of Emma Watson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This portrait was a lot of fun to do.  It has some challenges shading-wise, with 3 areas of value.  The normal skin tones on the left, the dark shadows just off centre and the white of the paper on the far right of the face.  I finished it off with a black watercolour wash for the background and the gown which I think adds a nice touch, and it certainly helped speed up the process.

Full Frontal Portrait

rex beanland, full frontal portraitThis portrait has a lot of very interesting features in terms of a learning experience.  There is a very subtle overall shading pattern.  Also to accurately recreate her hair as it goes from very dark to gradually showing more light and detail is a real challenge.

In the previous post is a video clip detailing the complete shading process for this portrait.  It doesn’t show the drawing but just the shading which is a very similar process to painting a portrait.  Starting with an underpainting and slowly building up the darker values.

Downtown Calgary, Plein Air

Rex Beanland, Downtown Plein Air, watercolour, 9 x 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the view from one of the only free parking spots that is close to the downtown area.  It’s part of the redevelopment zone for the Calgary Stampede so I imagine it will be gone at some point.

In any case it affords a neat view of the office buildings in the downtown core.

I quite like the smoke effect.  It was done using Chinese White.  In my plein air painting I find I use Chinese White a lot more because I can’t afford to take the time to paint around shapes.  I need to concentrate on the composition and value pattern and trying to make my washes interesting.

Weaselhead Rhythms Part 2

This particular scene is becoming very interesting to me.  I think that it would look good in a 20 X 30 format so I’ve done a little colour study using that format.  I like the high horizon line though I think it could be even a little bit higher.  Also the angle of the bank on the left has changed considerably from the previous post and I think a perspective between this one and the previous post would work best.
Anyway, that little plein air dash on Friday is having some very pleasant reprecussions.