Carrie L. Lewis | April 28, 2008
Once again, I finished work on Duncan today thinking it was very nearly finished.
And once again, after uploading the image and looking at it here, I see some things I missed!
It looks more and more like the computer’s biggest benefit to me is as an artwork proofing device. There sure is nothing like a digital [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 22, 2008
Back to work on Duncan.
The first thing I did tonight was take some backward steps. Duncan’s features have never quite lined up correctly, so I took some yesterday to examine the reference photo again and to make template drawing.
A template drawing is a tracing made directly from the reference photo, then enlarged to the actual [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 21, 2008
Today was the monthly computer fast day for April. As has become habit, I did not turn on the computer until 5 p.m. For the most part, I did not miss it today until about 4:30, although I did miss out on a great auction I was watching and which ended during the day.
A bout [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 19, 2008
It was not a good day for Katie.
Not a good day at all!
I didn’t get as much time to work on the painting today as I had hoped, but that’s probably for the best. Like yesterday, I spent more time wiping paint off than putting it on the canvas.
Unlike yesterday, I couldn’t see that I’d [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 18, 2008
This portrait features the much-loved pet of a couple residing at Kansas Christian Home here in Newton. He is the former custodian at First Christian Church where Neal and I attend and Katie was their companion for many years.
Upon learning that Katie had passed on, I offered to do a portrait for Gene and Becky [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 16, 2008
This portrait has now officially reached the “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” stage!
Although I could only manage about 40 minutes of painting last night, some progress was made.
But about half of that time involved removing paint, too. It was definitely one of those days.
The placement of facial features has been bothersome from the start [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 14, 2008
I made quite a bit of progress on Duncan today. I am still building detail over large blocks of color, but I also made some major changes.
The first of those changes was with Duncan’s nose. I had previously blocked it in with straight Burnt Umber. Upon consulting additional photographs, however, I discovered that his nose [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 11, 2008
With the completion of Sammie, I can now turn my attention to Duncan.
Duncan is scheduled for a mid-May delivery, so I will be changing methods.
Rather than doing a detailed under painting, then glazing color, I will use a more direct method that starts with basic color and adds detail into that.
The background has already been [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 10, 2008
The portrait of Sammie is now complete, pending client approval. I finished it this morning after working on it and realizing about all I was doing was picking at it. Quite often, picking can be productive, but there is a point beyond which it is pointless.
Having reached that point with Sammie, I put my signature [...]
Carrie L. Lewis | April 8, 2008
I was awakened just before 1 this morning by a crack of thunder and what sounded like steel ball bearings pelting the house. Hail!
Being from Michigan, where hail is a familiar thing, but is not frequent, I was awed by this storm, which arrived in waves. Four of them while I was still awake, [...]
I am a self-taught artist for the most part. Lots of trial and error in the past forty years! Formal art training consists of a couple of years of high school art, a painting class at a community college, one semester in the Fine Arts program at Abilene Christian University and a couple of local workshops.
I am always looking for ways to better my artistic skills, so I am a permanent student in the School of Trial and Error. I love reading and have been known to spend hours online researching materials and techniques. As a result, I've painted in several different styles, including the direct method (which goes straight for the color) and Classical methods (which involves underpaintings, layering and glazing).
I have exhibited paintings in locations such as Lone Star Park Race Track, Grand Prairie, Texas and Remington Park Race Track, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Since the early 90s, I've worked with the Michigan Harness Horseman's Association, donating custom portraits to their annual benefit auction.
In the course of maintaining a growing art business, I have taught myself web design (a skill that will no doubt prove to be a continual learning experience).
I also enjoy puttering around the yard, chasing trains with my husband, Neal, travel and, of course, looking at horses whenever they appear on my horizon.
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