NATURAL HABITAT
SELF PORTRAIT
This self portrait is the first one I’ve done using oil paints. I am excited to recreate portraits in the future in order to see my progress. My goal with this piece was to take everything I learned in one class and apply it, copying my reference photo as well as I could. The reference photo I chose featured a dark shadow down my face. I decided to use this to my advantage and practice something new, and break out of my “comfort zone”. The single light source to paint appropriate highlights and add color where needed. Creating shadows on my face and shirt forced me to be exact with my grayscale.
DANGER
I started this painting with a basic sketch, and set aside until I felt confident to bring the idea to life. Making a realistic looking snake and skull required many reference photos to compare to an organic shape I first sketched. Figuring out where my light source, and shading needed to go came with a lot of challenges. I knew I wanted the subject to be brightly lit to show the heat of the harsh sun in the desert, but also have shadows reflecting off the snake onto the ground or skull. The background and floor are a darker shade of brown to make sure the focus stays on the skull. The blur in the mountains and the blend of clouds and sky further the effect of a dry environment.
COWS
This painting depicts a strong bull. He hardly has any expression or movement. The large sky behind him makes it seem as if he is towering over you, and the horns barely being contained show how large this animal is. Blending in the browns and the whites allow for a fur-like texture in some spots, while the short fur on his forehead and back is hardly disrupted. Giving this bull a darker color pallet gives off a different feeling than the playful calf.
The calf to the right, depicts a bright blue sky, a green field, and flowers. The calf is running up toward the viewer which is not a common perspective. His tail wagging in the air and his tongue sticking out give the idea that he is non-threatening.
WEAKNESS
For the piece “Weakness,” I decided to only use one light source, the flame. This was a challenge in trying to understand where the light would reach in a completely black room. The light from the flame reflecting on the hand and nails give it an orange tint, using purple to show shadows. I also made sure to only include highlights where necessary such as on the shiny nails, or the metal “Zippo” lighter. The flame itself depicts a woman in a natural state and position. Creating the values for her on a small scale canvas proved a challenge.
APPLE STILL LIFE
This apple was the first oil painting I made using a live reference, as it presented its advantages and disadvantages. Creating a drop shadow for the apple as the sun moved and the lighting changed while highlights were either extreme or didn’t exist, allowing me to open up and create an apple that was more based on my eyes than copying it exactly. This also strengthened my memory and helped me study it closer.
