The Finished Piece -part 3- Ship Painting A to Z

Creating a Ship Painting from A to Z - The Finished Piece - Part 3

Up-close and Detailed Images of my Latest Painting 

Well, here she is!  There were a lot of steps in between Step 2 and this final piece, but I don't want it to get too long and boring so I am going to do the "Reader's Digest" version.   When I finished it, I layed it on my crazy floor cloth (compliments of Spicher and Co.).  It's a room sized floorcloth and made of vinyl so it's perfect for laying a wet canvas on because I can wipe any messed paint right up!  That's Some Pennsylvania dutch for you!  

I drew the ship out on the canvas using pencil

The first thing I did after putting the drape in and the crest was to paint the ship.  As stated in the caption, I first drew the ship and then painted it.  I usually draw it on another piece of cheap paper to make certain it's not too big or too small for the canvas.  After that I start to paint.  I paint the sails LAST.  I do all the illustrating of the main ship first because I don't want any black paint spilling on my white sails.  The sails go thru enough with my vigorous antiquing at the end! Nobody wants dirty sails.  (I learned that the hard way).

The next step was to paint the eagle!

Yes, I first drew it on another piece of paper.  The last thing that I want is pencil marks (or worse eraser) on my antiqued canvas!

Look how the gold of the eagle picks up the fantastic gold-leaf of the liner in this wonderful deep walnut PERFECT frame from heaven.  (Not really-just kidding). 

I love the seagulls!

Little touches are what make a painting, I think.  For instance, if I was sitting on the fence about buying this painting and if I were a bird lover, well you guessed it!  The seagulls help as does the eagle.  I like to think about things like that when I paint.  Coincidently, the reverse holds true, as well.  Sometimes something small will keep somebody from buying something.   I don't want to have to work too hard to sell it after working really hard to paint it.  Even my signature is important to me.  I want it to be beautiful on the original painting and recognizable.  Again, the color of my signature was carefully selected.

Finally, when I am certain the canvas is dry, I might try an encaustic finish.  MIGHT is the key word!

This is what this painting would look like hanging in a masculine office or library!! 

I simply have it propped up against my studio door so that I could see what it looked like.  I wanted to know for my own information so that I could suggest (honestly) where this painting would look nice.  

Here it is in my dressy living room.  

Please forgive my UGLY white plastic box in the bottom left next to the couch.  

So you see, if you have contemporary furniture, my artwork, although 'antique' looks just fine.  I appreciate your following this whole process.  I am getting ready to paint cactuses.  Yes, and they are really cute, too.

Thanks so very much for looking!!! 

Enjoy! 

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