Custom Boy Portrait - Part 2

The process unfolds 

Look at the brush strokes in the grass, water, and his pants 

If you read my Custom Boy Portrait, Part 1, you will remember that the last picture that I presented had the young boy drawn in pencil.  It was what I call a composition drawing, something that I do before starting to paint. 

Saint Bernard 

The customer wanted a Saint Bernard in the painting along with a book and a ship.  It is fairly common to see portraits of this  period including both a dog and a book.  

  

I love his sweet little smile and the colors really pop on the high quality water-color paper. 

When deciding on the composition of this piece, remember I had said that it was important to illustrate the dog in such a way so as the viewer realized that the dog was  of a large variety.  Even as large as I made him, I could have gone bigger.  I know this because my neighbor (growing up) had a St. Bernard.  To me, it looked like a horse.   Let's just say this is a young St. Bernard.  

This is a great example of what I am talking about.  

In this shot, you can see that the dog is really large.  It is nearly as tall as the child.  

This was one of the paintings that the customer referenced when requesting a child with a book.  They liked the ship, too, so I have included a ship in the background of our painting, as well.  You can read about this painting by going to: 

http://kolenespicher.blogspot.com/2015/10/portrait-of-young-girl-auction-item-for.html

This is almost finished.  I really love this frame
and think that the painting is really very sweet! 

I will look at it for a few more days, probably till Monday or Tuesday and then send it to be framed if I don't see any adjustments to be made.  

Thanks for looking and I wish you all a happy New Year!!  

Enjoy 

Tweet

Patriotic Portrait of a Transformed Boy

God bless America, Land that I love 

I

I have a good friend that sometimes helps me, I actually have a few of them, LOL.  I am in the process of preparing for a show in September 2015.  It's in Doylestown, PA and it's called the Bedminster show.  I have tickets that I am giving away to this wonderful show, private message me if you are interested.  

I was going thru some of my inventory and found this boy.  I had painted him a good while ago and no matter what I did to him, HE JUST WOULDN'T SELL!  

This is out of proportion due to the angle that it was photographed
but you get the idea.  I wouldn't say it was ugly but… 

So I asked my trusted friend what she thought, and she said (to my delight), "Why not add a flag instead of the bird."  Boy with a bird, hmm.  I think she might be right. LOL 

Coming up with a name for this was really easy for me.  It just came to me…God Bless America, Land that I love.  I went online to find the words to that song and found the Celine Dion song that is pasted just below on youtube...  Make sure you listen to this.  IT IS AMAZING.  Here's the link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygd5U1BtlEI

I also have a picture without the glass so that you can really see the details and the freshness of this.  

I can honestly say that I LOVE THIS. 

I am really in love with America.  I am so glad that I live in this free country.  I was touched by this saying that I read today:  Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.  It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.  Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again…

--Ronald Reagan

I obviously have a thing for nautical.  Ships were often times put in the background of antique artwork so that the viewer would associate the subject matter with the sea captain.  That was my goal as well! 

Thanks for looking! 

Enjoy. 

Tweet

Creating a Portrait - Part 3 - For the GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK garden tour in Gloucester, VA

I think I might have finished this portrait

 except for choosing a frame 

I am debating if I will even put this behind glass! 

Sweet little face with strong chin! 

I have shown a lot of different options that could happen with this portrait with regard to the framing.  I feel after much deliberation, that the gold frame looks the best.  I know that some of you disagree, but I had an overwhelming positive response to this gold-leafed frame!(ABOVE)  

Well here she is!  I am very pleased with how she turned out.  The method that I used was my Retrieved Wallpaper technique.  This is also the method that was used to paint my Central Park scene (Refer to last year). 

Love the splash of color and all the crazy cracks! 

I really enjoy painting this naive style.  It makes me happy, so I am intending to keep doing it!  If you have any strong opinions about the frame, simply like KOLENE SPICHER on Facebook and leave your feedback. Choose the page that I manage and not my personal FB, please.   Or if you prefer, you can leave it on this blog, too.

Frame Number 1 (I think this is a little heavy and dark…)

Frame No. 1

While this frame is gorgeous, I think it might be too thick and heavy.  I just don't know.  The frame can be a deal breaker…

I like this one, but guess what, it doesn't fit.  I would have to pay someone to 'doctor' the size.  Sometimes this doesn't look right…
Frame No. 2 

I like this one, actually, but would have see if I could have it trimmed down.  It might, in the end, be more time-consuming than it's worth.  I do like it, though :) 

Frame No. 3

This one has the same problem as No. 2.  I would have to adjust the background, which would be easier than No. 2.  However, I really like the gold.  But then The style might be limiting, most people do not have this fancy of a house (although, these gold leafed frames are coming more and more into Vogue).  I was recently in NYC at the Restoration Hardware, and they have an entire wall of these made into mirrors!  It was amazingly beautiful against their dark grey backdrop. 

The fourth (No. 4) option would be to make one and grain it.  I sort of like this idea!  What do you think? 

The FIFTH option is This!  I would have to cup the bottom of her dress off to accommodate this frame. 

I think that I like this red frame…

Finally, here is what it would look like as a business card.  The info is on the back, I was told not to include this over the internet.  Not sure why, I guess spam.  If you look closely at this print on image No. 3,  1/3 of the way up on the left, my signature was temporarily penned onto the paper.  I am going to remove this and re-sign it on the lower right.  This was only done for the business card! (See below). 

Front

I really think this turned out well.  I will be handing these little guys out at the Garden Club of Virginia Historic Garden Week Garden Tour showing.  I am excited to help my friend with this event!  I am at the house named "Nesting" on April 25, 2015! 

Thanks so much for looking today! 

Enjoy! 

  

Tweet

Girl with Mask, Part 2

When the painting still isn't finished ~ You add a bird! 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222659217/kolene-spicher-original-painting-of-a

I kept walking past this painting and doing a double take.  What is on that girl's shoulder?  It looks like a bird.  Okay, it was her bow.  However, because I kept seeing a bird, I decided that a bird should be there.  This is one of the many licenses I take when I paint.  I can't tell you how many times I have assembled a painting only to later tear it apart. 

Here she is with her mask pulled down! 

And here she is put back together.  Don't forget, you can pull the mask right off! 

SEE Feb 28, 2015 post. 

Enjoy!  

Tweet

19th Century Style Portrait of Young Girl with Dog

My Cup Runneth Over 

This is a painting about a girl with her dog.  As I was drawing 

her, I decided, at the last minute, to put a cup in her

hand.  It was as if, she was feeding her little

guy out of her plenty.  

There is a scripture in the 23rd Psalm that talks about God 'Anointing our heads with oil; Our cup runneth over… '   Even 

when life is hard, God provides.  Out of this fullness

we can give to others. 

This was the inspiration for this piece. 

I love how the puppy jumps up on her dress.  

We have two dogs here where I live.  Both of them jump for joy when we walk into the room.  They depend on us to love them and feed them and bathe them.  We do this out of duty but we are motivated by love.  

 

The ship without sails suggests permanency 

All of my paintings have water in them.  I just love the water and when it's not there, I feel like I need to add it.  I think it really

contributes to the overall beauty of this painting.  I like 

the splash of 'blue.' 

The landscapes around this, I will blog about soon

This painting is long and thin.  It measures

7 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Very Antique frame with old waaavy glass! 

I am going to be putting her on Etsy unless someone 

messages me first! 

Enjoy! 

Tweet