And Now The Beginning Of The End Of Your Painting
Figures And Animals
Now For The Figures and Animals. You will now be eager to continue with your painting. Therefore getting to adding the Sky, And in addition drawing in the Figures and Horses.
Technique, The Art Of Movement
Above is my Painting of a Golden Eagle. Named “Lord Of The Skies” You will note that the position of his eye, gives the first feeling of movement. And I wish you my pupil to connect with him, there within his eye. As if you are in his thoughts with him. His head, beak, and eye. Has to portray to the viewer that he is about to take off into flight. And that he wishes to follow his mate. who is already well into flight in the Sky. His wings portray in their shape, that he is lifting his body on the wind. This is what I want you, my pupil to observe. Because I wish to teach you the feeling of movement. In future courses of learning to paint with a palette knife or with brushes. And by using all the colours of the rainbow.
“At The End Of The Day”
the name of the painting below
When you watch my first video below. Which I have kept short. Because I want you to digest the technique. And most Important, You will see. That I am working on the body of the Rider. You can watch my video many times to digest the technique, of projecting movement !!, even the slightest difference of the position of the body. Related to the arm, will give an impression of movement. Also paint it in, incorrectly, and it will remove the feeling of movement.
To know when you have got it right.!!
I use a feeling within me to gauge when I have got it right. I resemble it to when you hear a musical song that turns your attention. And you get that little feeling within, saying, HEY THAT’S A GOOD TUNE !! that’s what I want you to feel. When you think you have got the position right to create movement. Look at your painting again and again, and if you feel that its not quite there. change it, you can always change again.
Angle of Sunshine
It is important even at this early stage. To know where your sunshine is coming from. And as a result of that, I would like you to define your highlights. To depict your sunshine.
Colour Of The Riders Body
Note that I have now made the rider’s body darker. and just a little lighter, on the left-hand side. Because subsequently, that is where the sunshine is coming from. Therefore I want you to do the same. And enable yourself to make the highlights to shine brighter when you add them to the rider and painting.
The Brightest Colour In Your Palette
Above all this is most important. Titanium White mixed with your Indian Yellow, is your sunshine colour. The brightest colour in your palette. Your painting should always be darker than this white. For this painting, you should lean a little more to the white. To keep the highlights strong. and always remember, that you should try to avoid, putting white directly from the tube onto the canvas. Just add a little Paynes Grey to dull it down, (not too match) it will always still look white,
Scraping Technique by using the side of the Palette Knife
To shape the body or parts of your subject. Therefore to enhance the form. Use the scraping technique I am showing in my video. Most importantly, scrape gently !! with the side of the palette knife. you should try to perfect this action, with all your palette knives. Its a great help, when you wish to change a shape, or just get rid of a mistake.
Depicting Movement
Movement is important.!! Above all. You must always stand back and look at your rider. After that, even a little tweak to his riding position. Will give more feeling to movement.
Colours to define the Saddle, and The Horse
You are now entering a little darker colour to define the saddle, add a little Burnt Umber with just a little more Burnt Sienna to lighten, then add it to depict the saddle, just behind the rider. Now commence the beginning of the Horses rear. Which is painted in Burnt Umber.
Painting in the Horses, and the Blowing Dust
Painting the Horses
Always remember, that it’s an abstract painting. And your actions with the palette knife need to be loose, as you enter in the blowing dust. When you load the paint, be bold, don’t worry about perfection, as it will look good, especially if you lay the paint on with enjoyment.
The Horses Rears
The horses’ rears are laid in with Burnt Umber. Then add a little Burnt Sienna, to give form to the muscles. Subtle differences in colour, give the shape, and although the painting is of a rough genre, I would still like you to understand that we wish to avoid the painting looking flat. So try to change the colours a little on the Horses rear, to give them roundness.
The right hand horse
The horses ears and forehead
If you own a horse or ride, you will be able to identify with the following text. Although adding the ears look a simple task. You need to understand a little of the Horses anatomy. A horse’s ears are his defence to detect danger, as he will hear something behind him, long before he sees it. And the position you paint them in, will define his mood. Horses can turn their ears into amazing positions. And they are never still, always listening. Pointing forward he is alert and interested, pointing backwards, he is angry. And you have to be aware. !! If you paint them in too large, they will make him or her look like a Mule, so do try to understand, that his ears are the most important faculty he has. And they will make your painting. As most people who ride, or look after horses, are well aware of this, and can be very critical of your masterpiece. Also you will note the shape of his forehead in my video, its subtle, but again it shows which way the Horse is looking.
Highlights to the ears
Your highlights will certainly define which way the horse is looking. The forehead is entered in with Burnt Sienna. Just a touch, and try to be aware that again. Although small, it is an important part of the painting. As it will define the mood of the horse, as he has no rider. And he needs to look calm. Your highlights to the ears will define, which way the sunshine is coming from. And that his ears show that the horse is alert. As they are upright and pointing a little forward.
The lead rein attached to the Riders hand
First I would like you to complete the highlights to the side of the horse. As this creates more interest to you the Artist painting the picture, as it is now beginning to come together. You will note that in my final photograph of my painting. The reins look loose, as they are attached to a calm horse. And I would like you to paint them in looking loose. As if they are tight, as I first entered them, it would make the horse look stressed.
The left hand horse
The left hand horse, is quite simple. just a little Cadmium Yellow to depict the head and sunshine. And again a little Burnt Sienna to depict his forehead. Then its just laying paint on the horses where you think it would help your painting.
The Blowing Dust
It’s very important that you enter the dust when the horses’ rears are still wet paint. Mix a little Indian Yellow, with White, any White will suffice. Then add a little Paynes Grey. Then daub it on as I have shown in the video. Use the side of your palette knife to scrape the paint in, and it will mix with the paint on the horses’ rumps. To produce a hue, that will look like blowing dust to the viewer. Try to be bold with your strokes, and take the dust up the horse’s rump, to enable you to paint their tails in later.
The Final Flourish to the Completed Painting
The majority of this video below, is fine tuning. You will need to be observant, and look at the video a few times. First fine tune the dust to your satisfaction. Never forgetting that this is your painting. And definitely not a copy of mine. Its just a resemblance. And anything you wish to enter is ok by me. Then its onto the highlights, extending the horse legs to show through the dust, then entering the tails, with a bold sweep with your chosen knife. The colour can be of your choice. You can have a brown or black or grey tail or another colour as you wish. The bush can be a tree if you wish. And enjoy the highlights. I hope you have enjoyed the journey, of painting “The End Of The Day” with a Palette knife. And hope you will stay with me in the future, for my ensuing blogs of How To Paint.
‘AT THE END OF THE DAY’
Having Visited my site to learn how to use a palette knife. In painting with Oil Paint or Acrylic Paint. I would like to inform you that I am going to commence, with teaching all to paint with brushes as well as with palette knives. I began painting with brushes many years ago. And then progressed to working with a palette knife. But many of you have asked if I can teach you to use brushes, and so I have decided to write a blog on this subject, which will be coming soon. Along with video’s to support my Blog.
