PA - Lesson #47 - White Swan

[Steve Weatherwax]

Pretty nice so far, Val!? I see you're using painter's tape. I tried that on one of my drawings. It worked pretty well. How do you like it?

[MaryAnne Long]

Looks great so far, Val.  Swan's face and beak are very well done.

aloha

mea

[Happychappy]

    Oh! My Word, Val, this is looking absolutely gorgeous so far. The face and beak as Mea stated, is absolutely magnificent.       Can't wait to see it finished. 


Patricia

[Val]

  Steve, have some fixing to do with the background before I'm done. Looks to uniform, too stripey. I shifted my swan back a bit further..... decided to give him a bit more room to swim! 

Yes I use the painters blue or green tape, whichever I can find. I take the strips and stick them on the upholstery to make them less tacky, works like a charm and saves on vacuuming! 
Plus it's less expensive than the artsy one! (which i can't get anyway)  Gotta watch those pennies! 

[Val]

  Mea! That's why I couldn't lend you my magnifier!     

[Val]

  Patricia, kind of looks like a half-baked baked Alaska!  Will look much better once i get the rest of the body shading in place.       

[Kathysutterlin]

  Your swan is looking very nice. I, too, love the face and bill. 

[Val]

Aw thanks Kathy 

[dennis]

Looking great so far, Val

[Val]

Thank you Dennis, I have found where my blending problem lies. Apparently with the pan pastels you need what is called 'colourless blender'. It is some kind of pastel used and applied the same as the regular pastels anywhere you want/need to blend/merge the colours together and achieve a soft/lost line.

It would have been nice if they had included one in the kit.... or at least put a notice on the box that I needed to add one! Well, I shall shoulder on regardless, what will be will be. My word, seems I always manage to get my foot caught in the thick of it!            

[dennis]

Coloured pencils also have a colourless blender for burnishing. I've never used pan pastels yet.

[Juan Carlos]

Looking great Val!! 

[Val]

    Still battling      I think I'll have to rework the body...yet again.  my own fault really, I get it so close to where I want it... and then it hits... the old 'if I just.... gets me every time!     So as penance, I put in a little island with reedy things.     Decided to leave the body for a bit and have a go at getting the reflection and water in. Still a way to go but I think  I'm on the right track. Here's where I am now. Any hints or suggestions are always appreciated.

Details

[Tousabella]

Coming along beautifully, Val.  Your background looks interesting already. You are doing a super job.
Look forward to the finish.

[Val]

Thank you Bella!     I'm hoping the background will improve once I figure out the ripply effect.    Back to the reflection for me!