Category Archives: Carrie Lewis

Aug 1 – Working on the Glass

August 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

I’m working on the etched glass yet again, and this piece will be rubbed out–so the image will be softly seen. I’m having so much fun doing this in collaboration with Ron Wood. He’s here today, literally rubbing out all those brush marks!

I’m OK with it, because it is his vision, and I’m benefiting from learning the vagaries of how etched glass behaves as the layers are assembled, as well as how much etching is required to produce the final image coloration. The next image is of the two pieces of glass with the light shining through them as they sit in the studio window. No way does a photo give up what happens to the viewer’s eye, as the camera cannot have the binocular vision of humans. That’s where the true visual excitement comes!

On other news, there really isn’t any! How about that? Just been so busy with the DVD and this glass project that nothing much exciting has been going on. This can be very good, too!

Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Do You Wanna See Something Marvelous?

June 15th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Undefeated Zenyatta remained undefeated by winning the Vanity Handicap over a tough St. Trinians on June 13.

After all that’s been written about this marvelous running mare, I don’t have much to add but take a look at the race for yourself.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

0 Comments

Original ACEO Landscapes June 14

June 14th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

No Image Available Flint Hills Thunderheads
3-1/2 x 2-1/2
Original Oil on 300 lb Watercolor Paper

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: ACEO, ATC, Flint Hills, landscape, miniature, oil painting, painting | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 9

June 10th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber, Dark Umber

This working session marks the tenth day for this colored pencil painting. That represents about fifteen hours worth of work.

I have a nearly finished under painting to show for all of that work. The horse still needs to be darkened, but I’m approaching that very fine line between ‘dark enough’ to ‘too dark’. I usually stop a little short of ‘dark enough’ to avoid getting the under painting too dark.

Today’s work began with a Light Umber pencil and the anchored front leg. It was previously the only leg to still be untouched, so I wanted to bring it up to at least the same level as the opposite front leg.

While working in that area, I also worked up through the chest into the shoulders and neck and backward into the body and rump.

With so much area to cover, I chose to use the side of the pencil to apply color and a piece of tissue paper (no lotion, thank you!) to blend the color layer. I observed the highlight areas, but also intend to emphasize them by picking them out of the color once the body value is correct.

I also did a little more work with the head, namely the eyes. For this work, I switched to a Dark Umber pencil to darken the value. Then I photographed the painting and set it aside.

At that point, I was beginning to think of the under painting as finished. Then I saw the image published with this post and realized the horse does need to be a little darker to stand out from the background. So it looks like at least one and possibly two or three more sessions before I can consider the under painting finished.

Color Used: PS Light Umber

My goal for this session was to finish the umber layer. Consequently, I worked throughout the horse, which is the only part remaining to be finished.

Work began with the back legs and moved up into the rump, then the body. The three legs that still needed work were darkened, with highlights and shadows emphasized a little more than in previous work.

The more subtle gradients between light and dark in the rump, body, shoulder and neck were also worked on. I had to lift color to reshape the rump but the end result was much nicer and much closer to the reference photo.

The session ended with some work on the cast shadow.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, horse, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, pencil, the painting process, umber layer, WIP | 0 Comments

Original Oil ACEO Landscapes June 7

June 8th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

No Image Available Flint Hills Thunderheads

3-1/2 x 2-1/2

Original Oil on 300 lb Watercolor Paper

When painters think of 300 pound watercolor paper, they aren’t usually thinking about oil painting. But that’s what I did this week.

Last week’s trials with Rising Stonehenge 90 pound paper prompted me to conduct another experiment this week. This time, it was with Arches 300 lb, cold pressed watercolor paper, scraps of which were left over from a painting class a few years ago. The experiment began with gessoing a scrap of this paper three times all the way around. I then cut it into cards and gessoed the edges again. The process began Monday morning and concluded Monday evening, with a fresh coat of gesso applied during breaks taken from other projects and activities.

No Image Available The Pond in the Distance

3-1/2 x 2-1/2

Original Oil on Rising Stonehenge Paper

This process alone was enough to tell me I like the handling of this paper much better, but it is quite a bit heavier than the Rising Stonehenge.

The texture is also very pleasing to sight and touch. The addition of gesso creates a beautifully textured and colored surface that should be a joy to paint on.

I ended up with two prepped art cards, both of which I painted on later in the week. The results were very pleasing. Paint seemed to dry a little faster on this support than on the paper or mat board. It was also a lot easier to handle, being more rigid than the Stonehenge and not as thick as the mat board.

After those two cards were used, I returned to the Rising Stonehenge for three more cards by the end of the day Friday. The last one of the day on Friday was not a Flint Hills subject, but that happened by accident. A stroke of greenish-gray intended to be the belly of a big cloud wanted to be a mountain instead. I painted my first mountains for the year and added a nice forest of pines for good measure.

Desert Mountains I & II

3-1/2 x 2-1/2

Original Colored Pencil

Work in Progress

I finished the painting week by working on a pair of ACEO landscapes in colored pencil. They began a week ago with a watercolor colored pencil experiment in which I layered color on 160 lb paper, then blended it with water, then repeated the process two or three times, letting the paper completely dry in between.

This past Thursday, I began dry color work and today I continued it. I had no particular design in mind for these two cards. I just wanted to see how dry color worked over wet. But as I worked with them today, mountains appeared in the distance, then a desert landscape in the foreground with scrub brush and gullies. I simply followed those inclinations and ended up with the image shown here. These are the uncut cards. The blue line that marks the cut line is still visible in much of the card.

The most interesting thing about this was that as I worked on it, scenes from a potential story began to take shape. I could see my lead character in this setting. That has never happened before. It added a new dimension to the work.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: ACEO, ATC, Flint Hills, landscape, miniature, miniature art, oil painting, painting | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 8

June 5th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber

I engaged in ‘fix-up’ work today.

The front hoof had been bothering me for some time, so the first thing I did when I got to work on this was to review the hoof and pastern as drawn, compare it to an enlarged digital reference image, then make the necessary corrections.

The first step in that process was removing as much color as possible from that area. A little bit of sticky stuff warmed and worked in my hand, then shaped into a small tip and the job was done.

Then I redrew the hoof and pastern until it was correct. That required a couple of cycles of lift and apply, but I did get it more correct. I also did a little bit of ‘farrier’ work by reshaping and resizing the hoof, which I’d drawn much too large.

After that, I used the same color to begin shading up into the rest of that leg and into the chest. Just for a break, I also did a little additional shading in the body, attempting to bring those two areas into completion at a uniform rate.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, horse, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, pencil, umber layer, WIP | 0 Comments

Belmont Picks

June 5th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

The post position draw for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes was today and the current favorite, Ice Box, drew the number six post. In a race as long as the Belmont (1-1/2 miles), I’m not sure post position is all that important to anyone but those who love process for the sake of process.

Most of the horses in the Belmont are new to the Triple Crown races. Only three members of the field started in the Derby (Ice Box (2nd), Make Music for Me (4th) and Stately Victor (8th)). Only one horse comes from the Preakness field (First Dude (2nd)).

So the Belmont comes with two automatic picks for me. Ice Box and First Dude, each of whom finished second in their respective Triple Crown race. A run for second is the closest thing to a Triple Crown we’ll have this year!

As for the rest of the field, let’s see who looks interesting.

Fly Down is a great-grandson of the great Seattle Slew (one of my personal all-time favorite race horses) through A.P. Indy on the top. On the mare side of the pedigree, Time for a Change appears as great-grandsire. While he’s not a personal favorite from the race track, I did have the opportunity to see and photograph him at Three Chimneys many years ago.

Drosselmeyer also features Seattle Slew, but one generation further back and on the bottom. Golden Ballet, dam of Drosselmeyer, is a great-granddaughter on her dam’s side.

The most interesting thing about Drosselmeyer, though, is the name on the top of his pedigree at the fifth level. There, you’ll find Native Dancer, that great gray whose only loss was in the Derby back when horses were great.

Game On Dude is a grandson of Deputy Minister, another favorite stallion. I also had the opportunity to watch video of his win in the Lone Star Derby just a few weeks ago. Very impressive.

So I come into the race with two picks from the two previous Triple Crown races and add three more from this field for a total of five.

Ice Box from the Derby
First Dude from the Preakness
Fly Down and Drosselmeyer, Seattle Slew connections
Game On Dude, Deputy Minister connections

For sentimental reasons, I’m going with Ice Box and First Dude to finish in the top three, preferably one-two in any order.

The complete field in order of post position follows. Asterisks mark my picks.

1. Dave In Dixie
2. Spangled Star
3. Uptowncharlybrown
4. Make Music for Me
5. Fly Down*
6. Ice Box*
7. Drosselmeyer*
8. Game On Dude*
9. Stately Victor
10. Stay Put
11. First Dude*
12. Interactif

Just because, I’ll make note of Mom’s picks, too. She usually picks numbers 2, 5 and 7 no matter who they are. I see from the list above that two of her picks also happen to be two of my picks so I may stand a chance.

What’s more likely to happen is that Spangled Star will stun everybody and reach the wire first.

But that’s what horse racing is all about!

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: horse racing | 0 Comments

Original Oil ACEO Landscapes May 31

June 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Distant Rain, Flint Hills
May 25, 2010
Oil
Rising Stonehenge paper

Last week, I mentioned beginning an experiment with Rising Stonehenge paper. As you may recall, I’d painted the last of the prepped mat board cards the week before and needed to find or buy something to paint on.

Before I could get to the frame shop for more mat board, I came across a strip of Rising Stonehenge. It was all that was left from a full sheet from which a larger project (probably Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil) had been cut from. I saved it because I save pretty much everything and because it was too big to throw away, but I had no idea at the time what I would be using it for.

Flint Hills Shadows
May 26, 2010
Oil
Rising Stonehenge paper

On Monday, as I was rummaging around for something else, I found that strip of paper.

“I wonder what would happen if I gessoed this and painted on it?” I thought. Why not find out?

So I put two or three coats of gesso on it that day, giving it lots of time to dry between layers. Then I cut it into cards (12 in all), set aside four and gave them more layers of gesso.

The following day, I began painting on them. Unsure what to expect, I decided the best test was to paint on them just like I do anything else. As it turned out, the only real difference was how I handled the paper while painting. Paint lay down was just as smooth and effortless as with any other gessoed surface and I couldn’t tell in looking at the painting afterward what the support was.

My biggest concern was whether or not the paper would buckle afterward, so I placed the first card or two on its back to dry. That proved to be an unwarranted concern, however, and the rest of them dried standing up. Just like all the others.

Flint Hills Light
May 29, 2010
Oil
Rising Stonehenge paper

I painted a total of five ACEO landscapes on gessoed Rising Stonehenge paper this week, including these three cards.

This one, Flint Hills Light, is my favorite one of the batch. It’s the best one I’ve painted so far this year and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it’s the best ACEO landscape I’ve ever painted.

Interestingly enough, it’s the second to last one. I painted it Saturday morning and liked the results so much, I tried to recreate it. Similar landscape, same palette, same brushes, same everything. The second painting is very nice and is better than most of what I turned out in 2007, but it’s not on a par with this one. This one is one of those instances in which I just happened to be the one holding the brush when God did something wonderful!

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: Flint Hills, landscape, miniature, miniature art, oil painting, painting | 0 Comments

Original Paintings on eBay

June 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Eleven original colored pencil paintings are currently on auction at eBay. This is the first time in some time that so many small format and medium format original works have been offered through eBay.

The current listings represent almost the entire collection of non-ACEO horse paintings available directly from the studio.

I will also be listing original oil paintings old and new in the next day or two.

The paintings can be seen at this link or may be found by searching the key word HorsePainter (without a space between the words).

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: colored pencil, eBay, for sale, horse, pencil | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 7

June 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber

It’s been a little over a week since the last work was done on this painting. A number of things got in the way, not the least of which was a back injury this past Monday. It’s now Friday and this is the first artwork I’ve done for myself. I still haven’t stood at an easel mostly because standing is painful, but also because the twisting and movement required by the painting process have also been painful.

But today, this painting began whispering my name. After lunch, I yielded.

It was uncomfortable to sit at the computer with the drawing panel propped my lap, though, so I retreated to a more comfortable arrangement and worked from a printed photograph.

What that meant was that I didn’t have the access to the details that helped me figure out the head in the last previous session, so work was limited to values and general color layers.

I started with the head and the shadows on the neck under the head, but worked throughout the horse. I don’t think any area was completely missed today!

But most of the work involved laying in color with the broad side of my pencil to lay down a broad, even ‘wash’ of color. To smooth out the roughness, I then used a folded piece of tissue (the kind without lotion) to blend and smooth the area. That also allowed me to drag color out of the darker areas and into the surrounding areas. There’s nothing like a piece of tissue for creating those exquisitely subtle gradations. (One of these days, I’d like to try an entire under painting with the tissue application technique.)

Work happened in fits and starts today. I can only sit in one position or location for long without suffering the consequences. I’d just as soon not due muscle spasms again, thank you very much, so I got up and walked around a little bit every now again.

It didn’t seem like I put much time into the painting, but progress was made and I could see it when I finished for the day .

I did find some problems, namely with the muzzle and the lifted front hoof, but didn’t do anything with them. That work and the detailed work is going to have to wait until I feel better.

With this work session, I engaged in ‘fix-up’ work.

The first step in that process was removing as much color as possible from that area. A little bit of sticky stuff warmed and worked in my hand, then shaped into a small tip and the job was done.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, umber layer, WIP | 0 Comments

New ACEO Landscapes

June 2nd, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

The sale of six original ACEO landscapes in oil sparked a flurry of painting energy. In addition to finishing a new portrait, I began painting new ACEO landscapes in oils and colored pencil, beginning with two brand new oil paintings on Wednesday alone.

ACEOs found their way into spare time between work sessions on other projects, into class time and even into those times when I didn’t know what else to do.

With all the larger works and long-term projects on my agenda the last several months, it’s a delight to be working on things I can finish in a single painting session. I recall that feeling from 2007, when I averaged a little over one new ACEO painting per painting day and finished the year with 315 of them in 313 working days.

Returning interest in small works has prompted me to not only begin painting art trading cards again, but prepping cards for oils, colored pencil and some mixed media pieces.

As of the end of the day Saturday, I’d finished a total of seven new ACEOs: one horse-related image in colored pencil, one landscape in colored pencil and five landscapes in oil, including a subject I haven’t tackled before: the Flint Hills at night.

All of the new ACEOs will soon be available on a new gallery page elsewhere on this blog.

I’ve also been having more fun in the studio than I’ve had in a long time and that’s the best news of all!

And today, I’m busily prepping 90 lb Rising Stonehenge paper with multiple coats of gesso to see if it’s a good support for oils. More on that experiment as it progresses!

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: ACEO, ATC, colored pencil, Flint Hills, for sale, landscape, miniature art, oil painting | 0 Comments

ACEO Landscapes 2008

May 19th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

	Landscape Study #1 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #2 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #3 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #4 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #5 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #6 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #7 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #8 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #9 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #10 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #11 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #12 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #13 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #14 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #15 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #16 2008 Study for for portrait of October Skies 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #17 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #18 2008 Silence 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #19 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #20 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #21 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #22 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard SOLD

	Landscape Study #23 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #24 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Unstretched Artfix Belgian Linen $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

	Landscape Study #25 2008 3-1/2″ by 2-1/2″ Original oil on Gessoed Archival Matboard $25 Unframed Contact the Artist to purchase this painting.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: ACEO, ATC, colored pencil, Flint Hills, for sale, landscape, miniature art | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 5

May 17th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: Dark Umber, Verithin

Beginning with the grounded hind leg, I started shading the horse, working from the top to the bottom of that leg, then working out the other hind leg and up into the body. I used the point of the pencil and very light pressure to establish the shadow areas, then to darken them. I wasn’t able to get the darkest values I need, but I’ll have to switch back to Prismacolor thick lead pencils for that. Those values will be placed after the entire horse has been finished at this stage.

For the broader areas like the rump, barrel and neck, I used the side of the pencil, making long, sweeping strokes or shorter strokes that follow the contours of the horse’s body, neck or whatever area I was working on. For the tail, mane and forelock, I used heavier pressure and the point of the pencil.

Here’s a look at the horse’s head and neck. Not much was done here, but this is the area that will most identify this unmarked horse, so it has to be right.

I began with the eye. The shape, angle and location are all vital to getting an accurate representation of the horse, so I forced myself to slow down and take a little more time with the eye before moving on to other parts of the head.

The horse still has a long way to go, but he is beginning to appear out of the composition. I worked for nearly an hour and a half in this session and finished up for the day with some easy work. I laid the t-square on the painting and shaded a single line at the bottom of each rail to establish a shadow. I used the edge of the pencil for this because I wanted a softer edge between the shadow and highlight on each plank and because I also wanted an edge that wasn’t ramrod straight an mechanical.

Color Used: Dark Umber, Verithin

I worked on the head again with Verithin Dark Umber, beginning with the muzzle. I used the pencil point for detail areas and the pencil side for broader applications.

I also worked a little Prismacolor Light Umber into those same areas to darken them up a little further. The forelock, mane and tail and the ears were also darkened and are now finished at least until the rest of the under painting is completed.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, horse, landscape, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, WIP | 0 Comments

And the Preakness Stakes Winner is….

May 17th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Well, what can I say. Moms rule!

At least my mom rules.

Lookin’ at Lucky, wearing the number 7 saddle cloth, held off very determined charges by First Dude, Jackson Bend and Yawanna Twist to win the 135th Preakness Stakes. The favorite in the Derby, in which he finished sixth, Lookin’ at Lucky had no problems in the Preakness.

There was a long gap back to the next group of finishers, where a tiring Super Saver labored across the finish line eighth.

My picks again pretty much had the field covered. First Dude and Jackson Bend finished second and third respectively (that’s the pattern … one of Mom’s horses first, mine later). Pleasant Prince finished twelfth and last.

Following is the complete order of finish. Asterisks indicate my picks.

Lookin’ at Lucky
First Dude*
Jackson Bend*
Yawanna Twist
Dublin*
Paddy O’Prado*
Caracortado*
Super Saver*
Schoolyard Dreams*
Aikenite
Pleasant Prince*

If you missed the race, you can see video of it and read all about it at the Blood-Horse.com.

The next stop with be the Belmont Stakes on June 5. While there is no hope for a Triple Crown this year, it should be a good race.

©Copyright 2010 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

Tagged in: horse racing, Preakness | 0 Comments

Preakness Picks

May 14th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

As every horse racing enthusiast knows, Thoroughbred Racing’s highest honor is the Triple Crown. A honor reserved for the three-year-old who can win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, all in the space of six weeks. The last horse to do that was Affirmed in 1978.

The Preakness Stakes at 1-3/16 miles is tomorrow, Saturday, May 15. The Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, headlines the field of twelve as I write this post.

I would love to see a Triple Crown this year. I always cheer for the Derby winner in the Preakness, whether he or she is ‘my horse’ or not. Super Saver has the added advantage (in my book) of being a grandson of the great Seattle Slew, who won the Triple Crown undefeated in 1977.

But there are other colts in tomorrow’s race that meet my qualifications.

The qualifications for Preakness Picks are the same as for any other big race. The name of a favorite horse in the pedigree; a filly in a race for colts or a horse with striking markings, appearance or color.

Some of my Derby picks are running back in the Preakness, so I’ll stick with them.

Super Saver (connections to Seattle Slew)
Pleasant Prince (connections to Seattle Slew)
Schoolyard Dreams (connections to Seattle Slew)
Paddy O’Prado (gray)

From the field of newcomers, I like

Jackson Bend (appearance)
Caracortado (connection to Terlingua)
First Dude (connection to Seattle Slew)
Dublin (appearance)

As usually happens, that gives me eight choices out of a field of twelve. I don’t think that’s very sporting. My cats could pick the winner with those odds.

So I’m going to further screen the possibles by using my mother’s method of picking horses. Whenever we watch races together, she always picks numbers 2, 5 and 7. I pick based on appearance or, failing that, numbers. Her picks do better than my picks most of the time.

So which horses break from post numbers 2, 5 and 7?

Schoolyard Dreams, Yawanna Twist and Lookin at Lucky.

Only one of them is already on my list. Schoolyard Dreams.

It would be great for Super Saver to win, then go on for the Triple Crown. If he hits the wire first, I will by no means be disappointed.

But since I don’t have a clear favorite for any reason, I’m going to stick with my ‘field’ choices. Given my success at picking winners, though, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to have Yawanna Twist or Lookin at Lucky win the race. Mother knows best, right?

Following is the field for the Preakness in order of post position.

1. Aikenite

2. Schoolyard Dreams

3. Pleasant Prince

4. Northern Giant

5. Yawanna Twist

6. Jackson Bend

7. Lookin At Lucky

8. Super Saver

9. Caracortado

10. Paddy O’ Prado

11. First Dude

12. Dublin

Tagged in: horse racing, Preakness | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 4

May 13th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber

I worked on the foliage and grass this afternoon, still using Light Umber, but focused more on smoothing the color layers and shaping the values than anything else. When I stopped work for the first session, it looked like this part of the background might be done. The fence still needs to be done and I haven’t done anything with the horse, but I can’t think of anything else to do with the foliage or grass that wouldn’t risk making those areas much darker than I want them.

The painting is on an easel near the telephone, so while I was talking with Mom on the telephone tonight, I worked on the drawing as it set on the easel. At first, I added color in horizontal strokes in an effort to even up the two sides. The left side is light and airy with lots of tree trunks and gradated values. The right side is dark, with few trees and more stark values.

That didn’t work, so I tried lifting color with the click eraser. That didn’t work, either, so after the call ended, I got out the sticky stuff and dabbled around with that. That lifted color very well if I kept it carefully kneaded. I was able to lift out some of the heavy darks just above the top rail in the background on the right and I liked that so well that I repeated the process on the left side. The result was very nice, so I think the first thing I’ll do tomorrow is lift additional color and see if I can create some tree trunks on the right with this method.

Later, I realized my background had gotten too dark, so I lifted color with sticky stuff (Handi-Tack, Blue-Tack, Poster Tack or whatever other brand names may apply.) To get a nicer, more even color layer, I rolled the sticky stuff into a roll the width of my palm (as though rolling out bread dough), then rolled it over the entire upper portion of the background. The result was very pleasing!

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, horse, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, WIP | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 3

May 11th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber

It was a perfect day to sit on the couch and ply colored pencils. The weather was gray and cool, down to the mid-fifties, after three or four days in the sixties. Just after noon, it began to rain and it rained slowly but steadily for most of the afternoon.

Work continues with the under painting. I’m still using only Light Umber in the Prismacolor line, but I have three or four pencils on the drawing table so I can have a couple with needle sharp points for detail work and one with a more blunt point for broad passages of shading. I like having multiples of the same color because I can sharpen them all the beginning of a session and thereby reduce the amount of time necessary for sharpening while painting.

The first thing I did was fix Lockkeeper’s ears. As suspected, the off side ear was too large, so I trimmed and reshaped it, then shaded the background around it to re-establish the proper shape and position.

Then I darkened the entire background, using primarily broad, vertical strokes applied with medium pressure and a slow, steady stroke. This is not easy! If I’m not careful, it’s all too easy to let strokes get quick and lazy, so every few minutes, I have to rein myself in and take back control.

In this session, which lasted about seventy minutes, I also checked the fence, which looked ‘bowed’. It wasn’t correct, so I started to fix it. Then I decided to get out a t-square and make the fence horizontal, instead of receding slightly. I set the t-square on the top edge of the fence, then used the side of a pencil to shade color up against the straight-edge, using the tool as a ‘bumper’ and establish the fence line without actually drawing a line.

After working all along the top edge, I moved the t-square and did the same thing with the bottom edge of the top rail. When that was finished, I moved it down again and shaded down to the top edge of the second rail.

For this last bit of work, I used lighter pressure and a looser stroke. This is the grassy verge between the paddock and the tree line, so it will be a light value than the heavily shadowed trees. I also wanted to create the look and feel of tall grass as quickly as possibly and a loose, vertical stroke serves that purpose very well.

Then, while I had the t-square out, I laid it against the bottom edge of the picture plane and shaded the grass at the bottom of the composition. When I finished with that, the painting had essentially been ‘framed’ by value, with the center portion and the horse still untouched. That’s where the lightest values will appear anything, so it was a good way to establish that pattern early.

At that point, it was time for a break and a cup of coffee!

Another session of nearly two hours this evening and I’d nearly finished the background. At least it looks close to completion at this stage.

I also roughed in the tail and the front hoof to bring those two areas forward out of the background. In addition, I used a dead pen to impress a few highlights into the tail and my signature into the lower left hand corner. Those touches will gradually appear as color builds throughout the painting process.

Tagged in: colored pencil, colored pencil lesson, Lockkeeper, michigan standardbreds, WIP | 0 Comments

Lockkeeper in Colored Pencil, Part 2

May 7th, 2010 | Posted by Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Color Used: PS Light Umber

Today, the first thing I did was layer color over the rest of the background. The entire painting should be built layer by layer as much as possible to avoid getting anything too dark too quickly.

So I used loose, vertical strokes to shade the rest of the background trees. Most of the strokes were applied with the side of the pencil rather than the point, but I did use the point to do the detail work around the horse, the fence and in smaller areas such as the opening between Lockkeeper’s neck and jaw.

I also outlined the ears, head, forelock and mane as I worked the background in those areas to preserve those areas and to begin establishing the horse’s presence in the painting. I also did a little shading in those areas, paying special attention to the horse’s eyes. That was the fun part with which I rewarded myself toward the end of the painting session.

After the entire background had been covered with one layer of color, I went back over it with a second layer. Again, I used light pressure and loose vertical strokes, but I worked over some of the areas I’d worked around last time and worked around some new areas to begin creating the sense of depth and of trees visible deeper within the stand.

Here is a detail of the head and the area around it. Even though there are very few ‘lines’ drawn, the edges are beginning to take shape.

This is the most meticulous work done to date, except for the drawing. I want soft edges where necessary, so that means proceeding carefully and thoughtfully as I continue building value in the background.

Some areas will need to be ‘lined’ in. The mane and forelock, for example. In those areas, I outline each detail area, then fill it in with equal value, but the goal is to create edges without drawing lines.

I see that the ears aren’t the same size in this image. That means the first thing I’ll have to do in the next session is determine whether the off side ear is too large (I think it is) or the near side ear is too small.

It was a short working day due to an evening commitment. About forty minutes were given to the painting. Even so, it was a good forty minutes and the painting made good progress. I am very pleased.

Tagged in: colored pencil, horse, landscape painting, Lockkeeper, WIP | 0 Comments

Category Archives: Carrie Lewis

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Original Colored Pencil

Rising Stonehenge Paper, 90 lb. Natural, 16″ x 20″

Introduction

Subscribe

Artist Posts

Tags

© All Rights Reserved

Archives

Links

Recently Posted

Recent Comments