What goes into a custom piece like a mermaid

The Black Pearl 

I am working on a custom piece for a couple.  This is the painting that they referenced.  I thought today's post could be about what is involved in making a "Custom" painting.  

The first step is to find a frame.  In this situation, the couple is looking for a 'beachy' frame.  What is a beachy frame?  It's a frame that would go well with beach decor!  They are usually white, black, or natural.  

We immediately thought of black.  We have  at  (Spicher and Co.) a simple black moulding that we often will frame nautical pieces in. I have framed original art in this moulding and it looks fab.    In the photo below, it is featuring a folk landscape but imagine a mermaid... 

We also could go white.  In this next picture, you will see a beautiful chipped up white frame that screams beach. 

The scale is wrong on this, but we could have it cut to fit. 

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This leads me to my next step, choosing a size.  

My suggestion  for mermaids would be to go with something that is 18x24, and this would be painted on paper.  The frame would add even more size to this piece.  The frame is a big part of the art! 

Here are the colors! 

Correct color pallet

The actual black pearl painting is below.  The room is dark that this was photographed in so the colors are sort of muted and dull in the reference piece.  

Colors not accurate

I love this ocean.  Oceans can really reflect many different colors.  We can go dark sea or light.  Check this out! 

Beginning stages of seascape with whales (top)

This is what we start with!  I go bright and each layer subdues and enriches the next.  Till I am done with this, the colors will be wonderfully muted like this mermaid! 

Really, that is the process.  Frame first, which determines the size, and then subject matter, and finally color.  

All you have to do is message me!  

Enjoy. 

Thanks for looking. 

Kolene E. Spicher 

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Painting for Spicher and Company and the upcoming High Point, NC furniture market, Entry 2

The Bathing Beauties 

Carrying a shell 

So these are my newest creations.  They are sort of a take off of the vices in a way.  My goal is to have 12 of these.  Currently, I am at number 7.  My idea is that I would have 6 ladies and 6 mendies, just kidding.  Men.  Six men.  

I like the idea of drinking something tropical while being in the water 

It's always fun to imagine what you might get to do when you go to one of those tropical places.  Really, anything you would like to do is available for money.  You can snorkel, rent a boat, look for shells, drink a beer or a soda, have a margarita! Whatever.  If you are lucky enough to live along the ocean, you may want to stop at our show room in High Point and check out these new bathing beauties.

This is why I need someone other than myself looking and critiquing things. 

What's wrong with this picture?  I didn't mean to, but she has the wrong finger up.  OH NO.  Here is the new revised version.  (Thank you Tommy for noticing).

Here are a bunch of them… 

I LOVE THE man.  

Wait, there's more.  

My aim is to have a match for each person.  Then you can mix and match them!  

This really is a fun project for me
I love to paint water and I love to pain sky. 

He's carrying a drink…For today's brewers and soda-ers. its all about the cool packaging.  In this instance, I am not saying what it is in the can, it could be soda…or…beer.  It's whatever.  I love to drink whatever.

I am going to post some more bathing beauties, hopefully, tomorrow!  Thanks for looking. 

ENJOY. 

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Custom Mermaid Painting - Treasure of the sea! - Post No. 1

Sea Treasures 

I love the complexity of this Cottage style frame 

Today, I have started a new custom mermaid painting.  It's actually going to be a double mermaid painting. This painting is about the treasures found in the sea.  It will include (along with the mermaids) dogs, shells, ships, sailors--everything that we love.  Everything that holds mystery…even the sea itself will "pop" in this painting.   

When I paint, I like to draw the viewer into the painting.  To do this, it has to be about something.  The real treasures in life are the people and the animals that are placed in our care for a short time…  

This was drawn very fast, but this is the composition.  

 I want the mermaids to have some sailor friends in the background.  One standing and one sitting, it keeps things interesting! However, the painting is definitely NOT about the sailors.  It is about the dogs and the mermaids.

So ADORABLE~Both of them! 

My idea is that the big shell will hold the dogs.  The two mermaids are actually two sisters.  The "mom" of these beauties wanted them on the beach with shells, etc.  It thought it would be so cute to have the dogs, too.  

Picking the frame is always a challenge.  We decided that we wanted to go with a cottage style.  The frame is really complex.  There are a lot of tones that are under the surface that make it beautiful.  

I am definitely going to be including the warm sand.  It contrasts the frame quite nicely.  

I had this old mermaid print laying around; it is actually too small for this frame.  I thought it would be fun to throw it behind the frame just to see… I like it.  The only thing that I intend to do is go MUCH lighter blue with the water.  

I like these color tones.  

I love the blues here.  

And here...

I am going to include a ship or a sailboat, too.  I am not sure which! This was taken
on the Chesapeake Bay. 

Thanks so much for looking.  I appreciate your time! Check back soon for more updates.  I am going to begin the tedious task of drawing the mermaids very soon.  

Enjoy! 

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Mermaid Ship Painting

The Flying Circus

You are welcome to read this, but I have updated this painting.  Sometimes, a piece of art isn't finished (when you think it is finished).  Sometimes, just sometimes, it needs something more.  I'd like to think that it hadn't fulfilled its mission…TO MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY.  Please read February 16, 2015's post!  I think you'll understand why I updated it. 

This  painting was briefly talked about a week ago, but now that I have a few moments, I wanted to talk about it in greater depth.  As I was painting this, I kept thinking circus.  When I see those old ships in the harbors of Annapolis or Philadelpha, I wonder about all that roping.  My thoughts go to the movies  like Pirates of the Caribbean because that is what I have been exposed to.  While I think that a seasoned sailor can swing from the ropes, the average JOE cannot! 

The title is down on the right side  THE FLYING CIRCUS

SO my favorite thing about this painting is the fresh white flag.  I almost painted it a color and then decided not to the very last minute.  I am so glad that I did because I love the contrast of the white against the green/blue sea.  

This painting is 18 1/4" x 22 1/4" and is featured in a simple black frame.  

This is a tad bit brighter than the original but overall captures the painting's colors

The frame is an antique and more primitive but very simple 

I think that one of my favorite things to paint is happy.  Happy, happy, happy is what we all need.  This world is too scary to have artwork that doesn't make you smile.

Enjoy! 

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