Bailey - Watercolor Dog Portrait Play-by-Play
I had hoped to get these play-by-play painting photos posted in October, but alas there were things which limited my consistency as a blogger. No October post!
For those who are interested, this is the progression of how my recent 17x21 watercolor dog portrait of Bailey, my sister-in-law's gentle Yellow Lab, slowly appeared on paper.
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| Bailey Boy, in the Garden - Stage Eleven - small changes to background greenery |
Once again, as I often tell my students, planning and executing a painting is a lot like building character and skills into your life.
You start and things don't look too promising. Everyone must build their skills from scratch, starting small. Sometimes it looks like there just isn't much improvement. Other times you don't really know what to do next. But you keep going, slowly working to strengthen just one area of your life. Don't try to do everything all at once, work on one small improvement. You believe the best will come to be if you work diligently. You hope things will work out in the end. You pay attention to the small details. You avoid the distractions which impede forward motion. You make sacrifices to accomplish things that matter. You press forward. Eventually, what seemed very daunting at the beginning starts to become easier to do. Your comfort zone widens as you discover new insights, and meet new people. It gets easier to breath when you're in shape. Same in painting and in life. Doing the difficult things brings fitness. Feed the brain well, get enough rest. If you feel you've failed, try again.
Always expect great things at the end when you paint, knowing it will take time to get there, and a good foundation.
As best you can, envision what it's going to look like when you get there, when you reach the end. Our lives will one day end, too. What do you want others to see when you reach the end of your time here on earth? Live toward that vision each day.
With this goal in mind, remember His beauty is the greatest, for the Holy One is whole, complete, nothing is lacking, everything is provided and provided for.
Ask our Father for His help and help is graciously given.
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| Bailey - Drawing and then Painting Stage One |
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| Bailey - Stage Two |
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| Bailey - Stage Three |
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| Bailey - Stage Four |
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| Bailey - Stage Five |
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| Bailey - Stage Six |
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| Bailey - Stage Seven |
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| Bailey - Stage Eight |
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| Bailey - Stage Nine |
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Bailey - Stage Ten
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| Bailey Boy, in the Garden - Stage Eleven - small changes to background greenery |
Your painting-friend in Vermont,
Elise
"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." ~ Psalm 29:2
"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." ~ Psalm 96:9
