Dog Portrait: Diesel

I would like you to meet Diesel, my most recent portrait commission. When I was asked to paint Diesel, I had no idea what he looked like but the minute I saw him, I knew he was going to be a fun painting project. Diesel gave me so much to work with. Long hair. Scruffiness. Personality. And eyes that see right through you.

Diesel 
10 x 8", Oil on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson (c) 2014

Stage 1: Sketching Diesel. With a thin mixture of Burnt Umber and mineral spirits, I used a #2 brush to capture Diesel's image. His head was slightly tilted so I had to make sure everything lined up correctly.

Stage 2: Blocking in the shapes. Working with three values, I applied a thin layer of paint for the underpainting, paying close attention to Diesel's features.

Stage 3: Painting the eyes.

Stage 4: Painting the nose.

Stage 5: Adding darker values.

Stage 6: Blocking in the background. I chose a warm orange as my underpainting for the background to compliment Diesel's hair color.

Stage 7: Completing the background.  To match the shine in Diesel's nose, using a coarse brush, I applied lots of thick, light blue paint which added drama to the background. I carefully allowed bits of the orange to show through as I placed wet paint onto wet paint.

Stage 8: Completing the painting. With a palette knife and brush I applied the the paint liberally to capture Diesel's magnificent hair which in turn added great texture and personality to an already charming face.

Commissioned Seascape

Going Home
16 x 20", Acrylic on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson (c) 2014

Some sunsets take your breath away. I like to think of them as beautiful gifts signaling the end of a day.

The reference photo for this sunset painting, taken during a family vacation in Mexico, suddenly became more than just a beautiful picture.  A deeper significance came with the loss of a beloved family member the following week. This image began to take on new layers of meaning...comfort, loss, grief, journey, a passing from this life to the next. Gentle, tender emotions seeking solace in the middle of the night.

I was honored to accept this commission. To put brush strokes to an image that will hold special meaning in the hearts of loved ones.

Stage 1: Preparing my canvas and loosely painting the image. I had two photographs to work from. One emphasized the dramatic water, the second focused on the sail boat and sunset. I created this composition from both of them. No sooner had I placed the boat where I thought I wanted it, I decided to move it just a bit lower. From there, I began with the sky.

 Stage 2: Painting the sky. Working with acrylics makes me paint fast and think quickly about what I want to do. Blending the clouds with softened edges was important.

Stage 3: Painting the boat. As much as it seems like the boat is one solid color/silhouette, it is not. I added slight variations of oranges and browns to keep it from appearing flat. It was tempting to paint in every single little line and detail with the masts but instead I will let the viewer's mind fill in the rest.

Stage 4: Painting the water.Working quickly so that I could blend my strokes, I painted less detail  near the horizon and then added more color, light and drama toward the bottom of the canvas with the water closer to the viewer. My goal was to add just enough detail and information.

Stage 5: Completing the painting. To complete this painting I went over it all adding touches of light, variations of color and more paint where I thought it was needed. 

Painting Of A Flower Angel

With all the chaos going on in the world, it was nice to lose myself in this painting of a flower angel. This delightfully unusual commission was an enjoyable challenge not only because of its size, 36 x 48", but also because I wanted to successfully depict in this painting a visual representation of what my client likes: irises and angels. And whimsy.

 

 

Flower Angel
36x48", acrylic on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson (c) 2013

Stage 1: Painting the background. This abstract background set the stage for the flower. Using a large brush I intentionally added drama by darkening the edges while using the colors (purples, greens and golds with lots of white) my client specifically requested.

Stage 2: Lightly painting in the lines of the angel, freehand. Using two previously drawn rough sketches that my client and her husband had approved, I combined what they liked from each drawing and created the beginning of the flower angel.

Stage 3: Painting in the image of the flower and angel.

Stage 4: Before adding the final details on the flower and angel, I had a private little painting party where I threw and dripped paint in reckless abandon. Not really. It was all quite intentional, but the splatters were a bit of a challenge to control. I like throwing paint.