100th Blog Post!!

New Braunfels Art League Flyer

Above is a flyer produced by the New Braunfels Art League has been distributed around town to acquaint visitors to the gallery. I am excited to have Cow Dog in the upper right corner for all the visitors to see!!

Also, I was notified last week that Cow Dog was awarded Honorable Mention in the Mungyo Gallery Pastels 2013 Summer Contest offered by Jerry's Artarama. The contest was open to anyone who used Gallery pastels to complete their painting, any one in the country. You can check out all the winners here:

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/galleries/2013/mungyo-pastel-contest.html

More about the Dog!!

I know everyone is tired of hearing about Cow Dog but I just had to share this new development!!

But, I won't force you to look at the painting one more time here.

Jerry's Artarama is a national chain selling art supplies. There is a store in Austin. That's where I took the pastel portrait workshop from D K Richardson. I used the principles learned in  that workshop to paint Cow Dog.

Today I received an email from D K Richardson with this link:

http://jerrysaustin.blogspot.com/2013/07/dk-richardsons-pastel-portrait-workshop.html

Please check it out. I am so thrilled to be highlighted in the blog of this store.

D K Richardson's Workshop

 Almost completed workshop piece

10x8, pastel on Ampersand board

I know it's been about 6 weeks since my last post--believe me, I know!!! I have been working on a commission piece that I cannot share on the web without permission AND I have been working my new job. Just returned from 12 days in Memphis, which is a neat place, but it is sure good to be back home.

The best part is I arrived home in time to take a wonderful workshop given by D K Richardson at Jerry's Artarama in Austin. To me, her art is breathtaking, the realism and detail amazing. I really enjoyed the class, learned sooooooo much, and hope to be able to apply it to my work. She is an excellent instructor and very supportive/encouraging. Three of the five participants had never used pastels before. They ended up with wonderful, portraits they created all on their own. D K never touches your work she simply guides you (verbally) in seeing and applying the pastel to get the lifelike results.

I am very pleased with my painting. I have included several progress shots taken over the course of the 2 day workshop. Her method is very labor intensive, but so very worth the effort. Check out her website at www.dkrichardson-artist.com.

Initial grid and drawing

This is where my affliction of 'seeing too much" comes in handy!

                                                 

First application of color.

 Putting in the undertones of the cheek.

 Fairly, happy with this but the nose is wrong.

Pretty happy here, but sweating the scarf on her head.

Think it may still need some tweaking.

 Just have to worry about the background now.

Thanks for checking out my blog and not giving up on me!!