KathyL
Posts:16
 |
| 01/17/2009 9:13 AM |
 Alert
|
Just joined this forum yesterday. Seems like a nice place....
I prefer portraiture/realism. I will introduce myself with this self portrait. Acrylic on gessoboard. I use an illustrators airbrush, highly reduced black, erasers and traditional brushes.
|
|
|
|
Jim
Posts:2748
|
| 01/18/2009 12:06 PM |
Alert
|
Hi Kathy,
This is amazing work! The distorted lens affect is brilliant!
Your affinity to detail work is quite apparent. Sorry you are not getting
many responses here. The volume of artist that use to ost here has dwindled considerably.
If you haven't yet, you should post on wet canvas. Tons of artists there with great skills and
very helpful. They even have an airbrush forum.
|
|
All the best,
Jim
www.paintingsbyjim.com |
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/18/2009 4:28 PM |
Alert
|
Thank you Jim. Much appreciated.
Yes I have been to Wet Canvas a few times. I am a member there but I didn't like the attitude of a couple 'former' members of the airbrush section of the forum whom tended to Lord over it and run people off in a not so nice way. Politics as usual.
I am a member at a couple airbrush forums but have thought I would branch out to a more general, less tool specific forum.
I would rather discuss the overall art, subject matter and color choices more than I would how to do 'true fire' and what stencil to use for wicked skulls.... 
Working an a really nice new piece, 24"x36"canvas . I shot the reference image last summer. Hummingbird moth sucking nectar from the bee balm plant in my flower garden. It is coming along nicely and I will post it up when finished.
Once again, thank you very much! 
|
|
|
|
halro
Posts:172
|
| 01/19/2009 11:49 AM |
Alert
|
Hi Kathy: Loved your self portrait, really nice work.I'm especially interested in the fact that you are using an airbrush. Many, many years ago, I did a lot of photo retouching with an air brush, but I haven't done any airbrush work in about 25 years. However, I just last year bought one to get back into the swing of using it on some of my art work. I find that the paints to use are different than when I was doing photo retouching and would very much appreciate your input on the type you use and any other tips you might have. Actually I haven't even loojked at the airbrush forum yet, but will be doing so, now that you inspired my interest again. Thank you. Will look forward to seeing your hummingbird moth picture. Glad to see that Jim liked your work too. He also does some nice work, but I don't know if he has ever used an air brush.
Welcome to the Network
Hal |
|
|
|
Kim
Posts:861
|
| 01/19/2009 12:54 PM |
Alert
|
This is amazing! I know NOTHING about an airbrush, but that aside, your skill and imagination are incredible. What a superb finished product. Keep 'em coming.  |
|
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ~ Picasso
www.nmdesertmoonstudio.blogspot.com |
|
Priti
Posts:700
|
| 01/19/2009 7:58 PM |
Alert
|
| Nice work Kathy. Are there any books that you liked when you began doing portraits? You are very good at this. |
|
Priti
http://priti-fine-art.blogspot.com/ |
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/19/2009 9:25 PM |
Alert
|
Thank you guys.
I picked up my first airbrush in 2000. Have always been a traditional acrylic person but once I picked up and airbrush, I was sold. It has become a comfortable extension of my hand and I scribble with it draw, sketch....
Probably the best books I have, I have many are Vero Radu's book "Airbrush, the Complete Studio Handbook" and this little book "The Pocket Guide to 300 Textures and Effects". No other tool has the ability of an airbrush as far as blending, fading, stippling.... Thats why I fell in love with it. It is a tool, not a style of art.
I am primarily self taught. I have worked for a couple people whom were successful, one at reproduction holiday art and one at high end automotive. I choose to do this.
My good friend David Naylor inspired me to try a portrait. When I saw his work, I had to try. We have since become good friends and I hope to visit he and his wife in Barcelona, Spain yet this year.
I taught myself at portraiture but Steve Driscoll has a video that was helpful when I first picked up an airbrush. I had decided one day to try it. With Davids help and tips, I tried. I break down my reference in small sections and paint what I see.
For this portrait I took my photo, the one you see as my avatar and edited it in a photo editing program, added random spheres/orbs and positioned them where I wanted and went from there to get my reference. This piece is 20"x30" and all done in transparent black at a 20:1 reduction so it is basically a sepia wash that is layered and layered, scratched and erased back here and there. Some fine detailing is done with pencils.
I use illustrators brushes, microns. I favor Olympos(not sold in US but can be found on Ebay) airbrushes and have 3 that I use. I have a friend in London that sells them and he ships worldwide. Harder Steenbeck makes a very affordable brush called the Infinity and it is the smallest detail brush on the market right now. It is German made and very well engineered.
I would be most happy to answer any questions. |
|
|
|
lynnemv
Posts:23
|
| 01/20/2009 7:08 AM |
Alert
|
Hi kathy,I love your portrait!.I know only one thing about airbrushing......its very difficult!i tried to get the knack of it years ago and decided it just wasnt for me.i cant wait to see the piece you are working on!
I'm fairly new to the forums myself....what i have on is on the pastel page,which is what i'm working on now. great job!!!!Lynne |
|
throw a pebble into a pond and see what the ripples bring |
|
Kassie
Posts:721
|
| 01/20/2009 9:23 PM |
Alert
|
| Hi Kathy, I know you spent a lot of time on this picture. I tried airbrush with gouche about 20 years ago. Had trouble with the masking. I found the overspray a pain to clean up. Your work is very good. What do you plan to accomplish with your air brush—fine art, illustration, your own pleasure? |
|
|
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/21/2009 7:34 AM |
Alert
|
As far as what I plan to accomplish...all of the above.
I am a nurse by trade and I paint for pleasure. I just went to my first art fair last summer and had a blast. I left 3 paintings there at a local gallery. Mostly went to get my name out locally. I hopefully will be doing some prints in the future.
I rarely use masking and overspray can be controlled. I spray at about 8 PSI so not alot of over spray. I work freehand for the most part because I HATE masking. Overspray can gently erased sometimes. Directing your spray pattern helps to control it. Always have a ventilation fan capturing the overspray as well. You don't want to breathe it. |
|
|
|
halro
Posts:172
|
| 01/21/2009 2:15 PM |
Alert
|
Hi Kathy: Thanks for the background info, and book suggestions. Will try to look for them.
I wonderd, Is this a drawing that you did and then used the airbrush to finish it and make your great smooth appearances on the face, etc? Or did you airbrush right on the photo that you used for reference, but that you had printed to a larger size. I think your answer will really throw me because you're going to say that it was all accomplished on the computer, which I would never be able to do. Excuse my ignorance of the use of computer photo editing. Sounds interesting but very technical.
Hal |
|
|
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/21/2009 3:26 PM |
Alert
|
Hal,
No, this IS the finished painting. It is only a photo of the painting. I use hardboard coated with about 8 coats of gesso and sand it plate smooth with a slight sheen so it ends up being very much like clayboard only whiter.
I took a digital photo of myself holding my camera in front of me. I uploaded the photo into my computer and edited the image to get my design, my reference that I worked from. I look at it then paint what I see. I use a projector to lay out the image on the large board. I use an 6H pencil to lightly draw landmarks, eye rims, nostrils, lip edges...then I just go at it with my paint, which is highly reduced and transparent....here is an example of another I did.
|
|
|
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/21/2009 3:35 PM |
Alert
|
First pic shows the painting about halfway finished. I have the original image clipped to my board to use as visual reference.
The next image shows early on in the process. Its all about layering the pigment to get the value correct and establish shape, texture...
Tha last shows the finished painting. |
|
|
|
halro
Posts:172
|
| 01/21/2009 9:34 PM |
Alert
|
Hi Kathy: All I can say is WOW !! and thanks for your patience in getting back to me. You are absolutely amazing and have the patience of Jobe. That whole system sounds so time consuming, but it sure works for you. Loved that last picture you showed. Are these done as commissions, and do you sell any of your stuff?
As a full time nurse, where do you get the time to do all this? I'm an old retired guy, and contrary to most people's idea of all the time you have when you retire, we, my wife and I, are busier now than we were when we were both working and had three kids at home. Go figure?
Love to see other work in the future.
Thanks again for taking time to educate me.
Hal |
|
|
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/22/2009 6:32 AM |
Alert
|
I give away/barter more than I sell. I do some commission work. Did 2 pieces for a family of 8. That was quite time consuming but it paid well. I even did them while wearing a neck brace(had a neck fusion in May), the brace didn't affect my hand!
I work 3 long days a week. I make time. Painting is important to me so I let other things slide.
Portraits are hard to place. My aim is commission work and just painting what pleases me.
I have a website(need to update it soon). You can see other works. http://www.kathyleib.com |
|
|
|
halro
Posts:172
|
| 01/22/2009 11:21 PM |
Alert
|
Hi Kathy: I took a look at your website, and your pictures are great, very life-like, and looking like photos. But I wondered why none of them have any color. Have you done any color work?
Hal |
|
|
|
KathyL
Posts:16
|
| 01/23/2009 6:49 AM |
Alert
|
Take a look again. There's a page of color pieces but not as many as my
main focus has been monochromatic portraiture. I have really started focusing on my artwork in the last 3 years mainly.
I prefer black and
white portraiture because I feel that it strips away everything to the
true core, gets to the main emotions. It's raw and more powerful than
color. I feel sometimes color gets in the way. Black and white is quite
dramatic and powerful, I just like it.
I just finished a very
vibrant painting of a man smoking a cigarette. Not on my site yet. This
was mostly done as a color exercise. I have yet to give it a protective
coat.
Here's another color piece in which I sat aside for now. Got
bored. Its a seascape but I changed the color pallet almost completely
just because I liked how it felt, looked.
Here are work in progress pictures of them both. |
|
|
|
klippie
Posts:1938
|
| 03/08/2009 6:50 AM |
Alert
|
wow really stunning work you have here.
Retha |
|
If at first you dont succeed.........don't ever give up! |
|
whallart
Posts:18
|
| 03/11/2009 1:53 AM |
Alert
|
Really gorgeous work, and descriptions. They make want to go out buy an airbrush just to try it.
|
|
www.whallart.com |
|
csekora14
Posts:5
|
| 07/27/2009 8:34 PM |
Alert
|
| WOW! I love your work. They look so real. Beautiful. |
|
|
|