Katlee Shank

Garden Trio – Finished hosta, a few more plants

Katlee — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:42:09 +0000

The hosta is my crowning achievement in this painting so far, I think. I’m ecstatic at how it turned out. I can see me doing more of them in the future. I’ve also put in a few of the lily plants with buds, just haven’t gotten very far on flowers for them. Throughout the rest of the garden are some either beginning greens for plants or just plain sketches for them.

Overall, I’m very happy with my progress, and am looking forward to starting on the dogs. I think they’ll look really good against this background.

Right now I’m debating on whether I take this with us to NY for our vacation. I hate to take it and not work on it at all, just seems like transporting it for no reason, but at the same time I hate to not take it. My mother’s back porch is really just the perfect place to do some painting and with this painting actually being for her of her garden, I think it would be awesome to work on it there where I can go see the garden in person.

For now, though, enjoy the painting.

Finished hosta and more plants started.

Hosta detail

Garden Trio – Garden plants

Katlee — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:46:08 +0000

I’ve gotten both the base of the tree into the garden as well as a few of the plants. There are still more to go, but I’m quite enjoying this step! The hosta wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be but, of course, I’m not quite done with it yet so there’s still time for it to annoy me. The mulch in the garden is still dark, but I want to get all the plants in before working on it as it’ll be easier than trying to actually shade under a done plant.

I’m not at all sure what half of the plants I’ll be painting are, which will make things a little difficult. heh But I’ve got pictures of flowers in my Mom and step Dad’s garden for a few years, so I’m trying to make a ‘through the years’ painting that way.

Nicely, with the hosta as far along as it actually is I might be able to get the rest of the plants and flowers in fairly quickly. None of the ones I’ve chosen are nearly as hard as the hosta.

So, enjoy these two pictures. One is an over all shot, and the other is a close up on the hosta and the flower next to it. Hard to keep the glare off it today, it’s a very sunny day out here.

Tree, hosta and flowers into the garden.

A little close up detail picture.

Garden Trio – Fence work

Katlee — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:55:06 +0000

Got some good work done on the fence today and I think it’s mostly done. Next is to start the tree and the garden right behind the dogs, as well as some plants directly along the fence to give a little extra depth. Just have a little bit of adjustments to do to the fence first, but since I’m losing light I figured I’d take a picture of it now.

A little bit of fence work.

Garden Trio – The beginning

Katlee — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:43:45 +0000

This is a painting for a wonderful woman way over due. There have been many problems with this painting, not the least of which is it sort of scared me. When you’re not at all sure what direction to go in a painting and you know it has to be ‘just right’… it’s a little hard to start.

Tonight, though, I had an inspiration. As I scrolled from picture to picture, sipping my fake daiquiri, it hit me, and I started to sketch. And it just landed on the surface just how it should be. Granted it’s not much to look at for most people at this point but, in my head, it’s now a painting. Now I just have to get the paint into the right shapes. And, really… it’s landscape and dogs. I’ve got this. I’m good at this. I won’t say it’s easy (nothing ever worthwhile is), but it is something I’m comfortable and confident in. And now I’m finally looking forward to it.

Enjoy the bare sketch and know that as you read this, I’m already putting more paint to surface and creating another work from my soul.

The beginning of another painting.

Mattie in the Wild – Final

Katlee — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:35:27 +0000

I didn’t have much to do on this one, but with company over the weekend I didn’t have any time to work on it. But she’s now finished! The client had some older pictures of Mattie she wanted me to look at because Mattie has, as all of us have, grayed with age. Now she looks like she’s actually remembered to and I think all is well.

Final painting

Baby Benny – Final

Katlee — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:45:36 +0000

I did a little tweaking last night and am pleased with the result. I think Benny’s parents will be very pleased with the painting, and I’m surprised that I was able to do it. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised that I’m unable to get a good picture of the portrait. Some pieces photograph beautifully, and some are just difficult to get right, even with trying to adjust the colors in photoshop.

I think it’s still a decent picture regardless, and the proof will be in the giving of the gift on Father’s Day (if Ann can wait till then after getting the painting, that is). But it’s signed and will be shipped out shortly. I hope he likes it, Ann!

Finished portrait

Baby Benny – Almost final

Katlee — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:54:04 +0000

Well, this is the last picture before the final (mostly because 1. I’d like the client to weigh in before I call it and 2. it’s getting late-ish and I’m running out of good light). I’m actually quite please with where this has come. I’ve actually got a little bit to do, I want to change the tone of his hair a little (it turned out a bit too reddish I think), and do a little more highlighting on his eyes. But those are really minor changes. This is pretty much the finished portrait, my first ever actual portrait.

I’m pleasantly surprised to be honest, but I feel I have a LOT of learning to do. I fought with myself a lot on this painting, and I need to overcome that and stop doing it. I have a lot to learn about highlighting and shading skin, as well as how to paint skin tones in general. I also have a lot to learn about hands, proportions, fabric, hair… just about everything. But I do thank Ann for sort of forcing my hand with this one. It’s been a good thing for me, just like my first paintings that included people of any kind (all commissioned by my best friend in the world, Lisa. Well, except for the one I did for her without her knowledge. heh). I have a long way to go to get where I want to be with them, but the journey doesn’t seem quiet so scary anymore.

Almost final Baby Benny portrait.

Baby Benny – Finalizing skin tones and shadows

Katlee — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:04:30 +0000

I’ve never done a lot of scumbling before (scrumbling is when you basically when you scrub a mostly dry brush on the canvas or whatever surface). My usual method of painting wasn’t working so well with the skin, though, so I was willing to try it to see how it worked.

My goodness! I will be using it in the future with portraits and likely if I start doing any floral paintings or anywhere else that real smooth blending needs to be done.

Benny’s portrait is about finished. I’m mostly working on highlights now and finalizing little bits and details. The last part will be his hair and eyebrows. Then it’s time to sign it! Will be done tomorrow, hoping to actually be done tonight (and before anyone things ‘You could be working on it right now’, I’m waiting for paint to dry completely so I don’t screw up with the next layer. heh). Won’t be able to take another picture tonight, even if I get done, so here’s something to keep y’all happy until the finally photo.

Finalizing skin tones and working on more details.

Baby Benny – Face work

Katlee — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:20:31 +0000

I’ve gotten some good smoothing and tone adjustments on Benny’s face and thought I’d share it. It’s still not quite where it should be, and somehow his face has acquired a bit of a grayish tint to it, but that will get fixed hopefully tonight. I’m not entirely thrilled with his mouth and tongue, but I’m trying to work at other parts to see if it really is a problem or not. Sometimes it’s that piece’s relationship to it’s surroundings more than a problem with that piece. I’ve learned this the hard way far too many times.

So enjoy the view of this adorable little one, and I’m going back to my easel. My dear hubby has given me the night off from cooking so I’ll be here all night. No more pictures, though. I had to take this outside to get a halfway decent picture, and it’s still not quite right.

A little bit of face work.

Baby Benny – Finished main shirt, hands, mouth in progress

Katlee — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:00:21 +0000

Well, the main shirt is to my liking and now it’s been on to hands. Because of they way they’re coming (and my own impatience), I’ve also been working on his mouth as well. It’s starting to look like more than just an open expanse.

The hands will take a little bit of work and adjustments, but I think I’m on the right track with them at least. They look like chubby little baby hands for the most part, so I must not be messing it up. heh

Finished main shirt, work on hand and mouth.