Persephone

"Persephone" (pastel, 8x6 inches)

"Persephone", my newest addition to my Renaissance Portrait Series, has been accepted into the Austin Pastel Society's Juried exhibit. (She will also be going to IAPS  - the International Pastel Master's Circle Exhibit at the Convention in June!) That was my plan, one painting for two shows...

Actually, my original plan was a much larger painting with three figures but I ran out of time to complete, so Persephone was my Plan B.

You can see her and the other amazing paintings of the members of the Austin Pastel Society at the Chase Bank Building Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX, now through April 28, 2019.

Or peek at the show here, online!

Join us at the reception: Thursday, March 21 from 2 – 4 p.m.

Click here for directions and more show info.

Just for you! Some progress shots of Persephone:

Thanks for watching! Please share!

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The Girls - a Double Doggie Portrait

"The Girls" (pastel, 10x8 inches, from client photo) sold

Another favorite commission form the Holiday Season, these two little Schnauzers were a sweet combo! The client liked the reference photo pose just how it was, with the clingy Maya closer and braveheart Sasha more independent.

The gift recipient loves it and sent me a pic today:

And I got some good process shots of this one too:

 The first under-painting layers are my gold-colored primer (which is the Golden brand Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold fluid acrylic color mixed into Golden (brand) Fine Pumice Gel at about a 1/4 color/gel ratio.) and the Art Spectrum (brand) Pastel Primer in the terra cotta color. The terra cotta acts an my mid-tone.

On this painting I also used a higher-color mixture of some ultramarine blue (Golden brand) fluid acrylic color with the pumice gel to catch the darker values. I love how this blue mixture (being semi-transparent) remains bright over the gold color, but becomes quite deep over the terra cotta!

 My final under-painting step was to go back and tweak the light and mid-values with more gold and terra cotta where needed.

 Then, the pastel, starting on the darkest, and the lightest...

 ...then everything in between. When the under-painting has the image and values accurately, the pastel part is so much easier!

Thanks for watching! To commission a pet portrait for yourself or a loved one, visit my website ritakirkman.com. Feel free to share!

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