Horse Study Continued ….
March 28, 2012
[I apologize to my blogging friends for falling behind in viewing your many entries. There have been a number of deadlines I’ve been facing, and now I feel somewhat negligent in posting and commenting.]
In continuing to try and improve on my initial study of a pair of horses, I have placed them in a more complex setting.
Icelandic Horses "Odur" and "Lettir"
I am somewhat more satisfied with this result, and have been learning a great deal in the process. This is Arches Hot Press Paper which is has a very smooth surface and is slightly creamy in tone. It has the qualities of illustration board. The demand on the painter with Hot Press is the need to lay the initial wash down with the hope of not going back into it, or back over it. Because there’s no ‘tooth’ to the paper, the paint floats on the surface before finally being absorbed.
Although the flaws of this scream out at me, the reason watercolour is considered the most demanding of painting mediums is simply because trying to correct the flaws will result in outright catastrophe.
All I can hope for is renewed confidence and another attempt. However, I remain pleased with the composition, if not some of the particulars.
My painting mentor taught me to adhere to the “20 to 1 principle”–‘for every painting you keep, throw out 19’.
weisserwatercolours 
Very kind of you, I must say. I have nothing but admiration for you and your work
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Loved the brush process – no bone structure required when you understand movement – great result!
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I appreciate your visit and your very nice comment!
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Touching….
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Thank you very much for stopping by and giving encouragement this way!
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Beautiful!
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I’m glad you like them–and this actually was the final result. They liked this so much I didn’t attempt another.
There is a painting here of a Robin, if you scroll down to “To Hell With Winter”, you’ll see I painted a juvenile N. American Robin as a commissioned work.
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You will be happy with the final result, I’m sure. Don’t you find it is when we spend that extra hour or day with all the small stuff, it turns into something even more remarkable?
I grew up with a horse or two around, so these are priceless.
Do you have a miniature of a robin? I adore robins, and when I see them on my lawn, my heart leaps with joy!
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oh thank you kofegeek!
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I am following the progress..and the final result is wow 🙂
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Thank you for your encouragment!
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So pretty! Nice job!
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I certainly am enjoying your lovely Spring flower photos, Ken. Thank you very much for this
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This is fantastic. Wonderful work.
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Thank you again for your comments and telling me more about your area. Icelandics would probably do well there (one would think) as they apparently are the oldest breed, going back 1000 years, and well suited for Winter. Here in Kamloops, B. C., it is horse heaven, but I haven’t seen many Icelandic ones. Again, thank you for your support.
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I sure like your Icelandic horses! There are no horses in Fort Yukon which is a shame because they are such graceful and majestic creatures. What immediately attracted me to this version is the rising slope of the land leading up to them, and then the trees framing the field.
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You not only do watercolours, but poetry! Talk about challenges! Thank you so much, d.m.
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Watercolors are a very challenging medium indeed! Much harder to layer or change anything than, say, in acrylics or oils. I love this one, a quietness and wistfulness about it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the process of its creation.
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thank you–it is very good to see you visiting here
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How very kind. I am getting to know your lovely blog, and the wisdom and candour and smiles its filled with.
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Your horse painting is lovely, and I so enjoyed “getting there” along with you.
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“20 to 1 principle”
I think is a good principle. 😀
Very nice painting. I like this one.
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thank you and same to you!
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Please don’t worry about it… I’m behind too… It does get to be a job in itself… and we do the best we can. Happy Palm Sunday! 🙂
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I like the end result , lovely scenery. I would not throw this one away if I were you. That would be a waste of a good painting.
Ciao, Francina
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Your welcome and thank you so much. I try to be positive most of the time 😉
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That breakfast photo looks soooooo good, Jen. Thank you for these encouraging words.
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Love the painting…especially with the flowers with it…I find it hard painting in water color..Great art!
Thanks for the likes.
Happy Sunday!
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Thank you for taking the time to make this encouraging observation–but as hard as it may be for me to start from scratch, I’m not tasked with tramping all over Texas every day! You bring us amazing photographs of amazing blooms–and that is such a treat. What others claim are weeds, you reveal as heritage species, in need of preservation. That is a valuable service to us all.
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I appreciate having your encouragement. This is a case where the subject matter is challenging my capabilities in the medium. So your comments are a boost to my spirit.
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I appreciate the support, Kim. Thank you very much.
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Very nice, Lance!
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I like the addition of the flowers and trees! I also feel warmth and compassion between the two horses.
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“For every painting you keep, throw out 19.” For me as a photographer that’s easy to follow. Given how inexpensive digital photographs have become, especially compared to film, I can afford to experiment and take photographs of something from different angles and distances, then pick the one(s) that came out well. I appreciate how much harder it is for you painters, who have to start from scratch each time. More power to you.
Steve Schwartzman
http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com
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Thank you for the boost T. B. I just love your recent photograph of that burst of pigeons!
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Thank you very much for commenting. I am behind in reading your posts, but am gradually digesting each one. The combination of photos and text makes it an experience I remember. Now I am going to read about doing honour to those who depart this life.
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Oh Shelley, that’s both kind of you and wise. It is a mental medium which–once thought out–demands a kind of controlled boldness. If I’m too controlled, it’s blown. If I’m too bold, it’s blown. I often cannot paint unless I internally know I’m up for it. Thank you again for your comments today.
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Thank you very much for saying so. Your sketching brings many smiles to viewers’ faces!
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Thank You, the world is full of wonders. 🙂
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How sweet you are, Mags–and you have such interesting posts–from ghosts in the IGA to cloud formations to jokes to wildlife. I don’t know how you do what you do!
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Thank you for these kind comments, Selma. I was just now enjoying your post about the ‘red balloon’. It immediately brought to mind 1953, just coming out of the RKO Palace Theatre, after seeing “White Christmas” with my mother and it was snowing huge flakes. A balloon man was there and filled one just for me, and my mittens caused the string to slip and I watched it go straight up through all those tumbling snowflakes.
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Much appreciated Melanie, thank you for commenting.
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I imagine that you had good reason for choosing this paper. The 20 to 1 rule sounds very interesting… Thank you for sharing a bit about the process of your work.
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I love it! I hope life slows down a little for you.
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haha…! 20:1 sounds like my attempts at watercolour! Very true words! I love the horses here and their placement, also like the leading line from left corner, the trees work nicely too. Well done Lance!
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Hi,
OH NO, don’t you dare throw this painting out. I had a good look at the painting, and I could not see any flaws at all. I love the horses in the field of flowers, it does add to the overall look of the painting, but I also liked the painting originally before as well.
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I love that the horses are in a field of flowers. They look so happy there. Your painting is full of hope. The colours are gorgeous!
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Yes. I chose a black horse so they’d show up. It ain’t easy making them show up, beings they’re such little critters,you know. 😉 Thanks for checking them out.
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Why a sixth? Why would I ask. How silly. I know the feeling of not having it quite right in your own head. I do love this one, though. It has that feel about it like the rabbi one. The grass has only just stopped moving and the horses are greeting as if the dark one has just walked up. As I said, there is life here…movement…and that’s difficult to achieve. I especially smiled when I felt my eye directed toward the two horses. Much better than any fence! And so subtle too. This painting has taken on life, Lance. Now, don’t you lose it. 😉
A gallery showing for you? I missed something here. How exciting. Will you take photographs for us? I meant to say, “You WILL take photographs for us!”
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I am just as appreciative of your explorations into this creative world of watercolour. Thank you for these welcome comments today.
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Your orples characters are enjoying their own horseride!
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I don’t know anything about photography, nor writing poetry, but your spare words and selective frames are breathless.
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I am very happy that you do! Thank you for stopping in.
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I do like the composition, Lance, and the interaction between the horses looks so natural. The setting is really lovely, too. Bon courage!
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your words are like a balm. forgive my lapses in visiting–this has been quite the effort, akin to your wanting a very personal portrait of Rita. I could try, but without knowing her, how could it happen? this is my fifth attempt, and I know I have to go for a sixth. But you are giving me a much-needed boost dear george.
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Thank you very much nia–so sweet always, thank you.
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You bring us the most human of moments in the most human of places–your city, your community.
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You are so welcome! It was great to see your work again and I hope all has turned out well with your show preps! And the cheering comes very easily..your art is a huge inspiration to me. Thank you.
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Thank you so very much, Lorelei. I love your Warhol-inspired work. We’re all influenced by someone, and he was enormously gifted and creative. I appreciate your cheering comments today!
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Thank you for the encourgement–and you’re right about not throwing them out. I cut them up and make bookmarks. (smile)
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Maenamor, you are The Artist, not I!
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The horses look very nice, especially the darker one.
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Great principle… 20 to 1…
Thanks again for posting your art, for explaining the process and for sharing your experience with the paper.
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This is turning out beautifully. 🙂
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I don’t know a lot about painting, but I do know I like this.
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I love it!
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Oh, Lance! I cannot imagine a flaw here. There is even movement in the grass where the horse walked leading us along with him. There is nothing “static” about this painting. I have no idea how you do it, but you do. The result of the process is astounding.
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This is beautiful painting, dear Lance. I am glad to see you come back. Thank you, with my love, nia
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You are the hardest working man in watercolors! Beautiful painting!
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Welcome back! Hope all has been well and that your deadlines have been met and it all turned out well! So wonderful to see another of your works and a huge comfort to me to hear that an astounding talent like youself still has an inner critic and continues to develop as an artist daily. It is a beautiful work, thank you so much for sharing it with us.
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It is interesting to watch your concept develop. I really like the new setting–the overall composition and use of color really draw us into the main subject – the beautiful horses.
One of the joys and challenges of watercolor is the difficulty of making corrections, as you mention. I look at watercolor painting as a puzzle since I need to think of how to get where I want to go, with washes, details, etc., before I even start. I usually learn as I go and often start over with fresh ideas on how to proceed.
Thanks for sharing your work with us!
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No! Never throw out paintings…that is what gifting to friends is for! 🙂
I like the trees and summer flowers with the horses!
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wow….fantastic, I really wish painting was something I could do….looks awesome 🙂
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