Rufus Porter Style Wall Panel, Post 2

Painting In the Trees and Getting the Detail Correct 

Another day is gone, and I am no where near finished. My back doesn't enjoy working on the floor :).  This is a large painting, and it has to be done on the floor.  You get the idea, time isn't on my side, it's slow going.  

My goal with this is that the colors are bright and current but the technique, I want to look old and historic.  I plan on painting in some sailboats and ships.  I am thinking that some of the boats will have red sails.  (See picture directly above). 

As stated in yesterday's post, I want some birds in the painting, too.  They will be executed very much like the painting on the bottom left.  I love the flying bird and also the stationary ones!

I am getting closer, but no solo, yet! I love the stylized trees and the sunset/sunrise color scheme.  This will look perfect on my grey walls until I am ready for something new or it sells. 

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Look at my mess, actually, this is rather tidy for me ~ smile. 

For now, here is what is completed.  By tomorrow, I should have some birds in the painting as well as some ships.  The panel has sort of a breadboard edge on it, which I intend to grain.  

Here is an example of some of the graining that I believe could look really cool on the edge of my mural painting 

Thanks for looking today.  Enjoy your weekend! 

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Rufus Porter Style Wall Panel

Sofa Sized Wall Panel 

Landscape 

Rufus Porter Style 

Rufus Porter Wall Mural 

This little picture above is an actual Rufus Porter mural taken from a book that I have.  While I want to paint in his likeness, I don't want to completely copy him.  It has to look like a "Kolene" painting, I think.  

This is going to be a long post with a lot of pictures. 

Here was the first step in my painting which is literally about the size of a door frame.  

I started by painting it a soft yellow and pink tone.  You can see the pink along the horizon of the reference picture above. 

Then I put some mountains in on the horizon.  This is very roughly painted for now.  I am resisting the urge to pick up a little brush.  I have learned to lay it out first.  If I get caught up in the details, I will be stuck. 

Here you can see that I am starting to build some color.  Even as I type this, the painting is nowhere near done.  I am just building color at this time.  The further I go, the more I will think about adding elements that make up the composition. 

In this shot, I am starting to add some deeper tones at the base.  This will cause the other elements of the painting to form a cohesive look.  Everything starts to come together.  

This is an actual Rufus Porter wall mural.  I like the colors on this because I happen to have a grey living room.  I think the warm tones with the subtle pink hues will blend nicely.  

My first tree. 

I admit, I really didn't want to have the trunk of this tree as wide as it became.  I decided that with some bark added, it would take my eye away from the width.  I was right.  I like this.  

Here is my second tree.  It looks very basic, but art takes time. Each day I work on this painting, the colors will develop into an antique likeness of an 1810 landscape.  (Or so I hope.)

I found this on line.  I happen to like the colors of this fire board a great deal.  I confess, I don't remember who painted this.  I think it was R.Porter but I can't swear to it.  I love how the colors have come together on this board.  

Here is what I have so far completed.  Tomorrow, if there is time to work on this, I will add more detail.  

Do you remember these silhouettes I painted a few years ago?  I kept some of them and they hang around my home.  Some day I might sell a few of them, but for now, they are mine.  I happen to really love the bird one and plan to place some birds in the painting.  This is a detail that will be added much further in the process.  Every landscape has to have some birds.  

Enjoy! 

Kolene Spicher 

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