Face Close Up

I'm getting close to finishing this painting. I worked on the face, etc. today, pushing some of the darks and adding color. Just wanted to share the progression.

"Mad Fox" still painting away

More in progress pictures. I began laying some layers down on the girl that's riding the fox today and pushed some other areas a bit more. Hoping to have this done in a week.

"Mad Fox" Hand Close Up 5" X 9" section

A little glare from the oil medium but it's a quick photo. I've been working on this hand for the last couple days, defining with warm and cool areas, attempting to keep it from looking like lifeless flesh. I've been experimenting a lot with sharpening edges and painting other areas with an out of focus appearance. In the end, I hope to have an atmospheric contrast in this painting as in my last couple pieces.

"Unification" - 22" x 3 0" acrylic & oil

I came across a story of a young women who was diagnosed last year with breast cancer. Her boyfriend and his friend decided to organize an art auction fundraiser http://beautifulgrim.org/info.html to help pay for her medical bills. Any left over proceeds will go to a cancer related charity. It hit me deep and I'm so grateful to be able to help by donating this piece. Although I'd like to make some minor adjustments to the painting, it's time to move on. I'd like to wish Cat, Daarken and Leif all the best. Also, I'd like to thank my friend Eric for his photography and my wife, Vicki, for being such a great model. Love to you all.

Close ups

Yesterday I worked out the underpainting of the foreground birds. It took me longer than I had intended to build the bird maquettes. They will eventually have an unfocused appearance. Here are some close ups of complete and incomplete areas. As soon as the piece feels finished I'll be able to give my eyes some rest and come back to refine sections, which is the best part of the entire process.

Two pieces still in progress

Some quick photos for you(nothing is finished). This is my first time painting oil over acrylic. So far I like it. I decided to use gesso to create a texture on the border. I worked on the face today. Some of the color variations get lost in the close up pic. I still have a long way to go before I frame this piece. I can't wait to donate it to the breast cancer fundraiser. http://beautifulgrim.org/info.html

I made a very ugly maquette of the Fox out of clay and an inexpensive stuffed puppy I purchased at a thrift store. Took some quick photos to post. It's good reference, mainly for how light affects the fur. The background and everything else is far from being done but it's getting there. I now have a one armed, creepy fox maquette in my studio? :)

Piece in progress 22" x 30"

After several sketches, many thoughts and a few days of drawing, I finally arrived at this point. This is gessoed illustration board. I'm planning on painting in acrylic or doing an acrylic under painting and finishing it with oil. The original will be donated to an art auction fundraiser for breast cancer in 2010. http://beautifulgrim.org/info.html The women's hair will be turning into the universe. There will be a few elements added in the painting process and I'm planning on making minor adjustments as far as any weird tangencies. I didn't plan on the inside border. It just happened and it feels right. I'd like to complete this by January and I'm looking forward to framing it. I really want to raise awareness and money for the cause. I'm still thinking of a title :)