Santora Fine Art

The Art of Carol Santora
Capturing the spirit of animals in pastel

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MY ART EVERY DAY BLOG: March 2007

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Thursday, March 1, 2007

"Untitled Three Holsteins"
Step 1 - 12"x12"

I made some refinements to the three Holsteins I started Monday, February 26... and have a possible title Hey Girls, Look At Those! Inspired by my friend Pat!
I also started work on my next cow painting by blocking in the background in a preliminary layer and then a more finished layer before I began to block in the cows themselves. Comments

Friday, March 2, 2007

"Hey Girls, Look At Those!"
12"x12"

I moved the eyes up higher on the head of the cow in the back of Hey Girls, Look At Those! and it is done...
I also worked more on the next Holstien painting. I continued to block in the first layer of pastel over the cows, starting with the shadow areas in the lights, refining my edges as I went along. I worked on the faces and then started the legs and had to stop!
Later this afternoon I finished the piece and tried some different highlights and white patterns on the back cow, and refined some other areas. Comments

Sunday, March 4, 2007

"When Do We Eat?" soft pastel... finished. Comments

Monday, March 5, 2007

"Cow Looking Right"
drawing on gray sabretooth paper, 5"x7" "Center Cow"
drawing on tinted Wallis paper, 7"x6" "Cow with Tipped Head"
drawing on gray sabretooth paper, 5"x7"

I also started a triptych of small paintings of cows leaning on a fence. Here are the drawings with temporary titles... Comments

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

"Cow Looking Right"
drawing on Wallis paper, 5"x7" "Cow with Tipped Head"
drawing on Wallis paper, 5"x7"

I started painting the cows on the gray sabretooth paper and I didn't like how they were progressing... I just don't like that paper, so I traced the images and transferred them to my orange tinted Wallis museum grade paper.

"Cow Looking Right"
the bulk of both pastel layers applied, 5"x7" "Center Cow"
background blocked in, 7"x6" "Cow with Tipped Head"
most of the first pastel layer blocked in, 5"x7"

Here are the triptych pieces where I stopped for today. Each piece is at a different stage. As you can see, I started with the negative space/background on all 3, then I began putting in the first and second layers of values on the cow faces and bodies. My last step is to add the whites and fence... Comments

Thursday, March 8, 2007

"Kiss me Quick!"
5"x7" "Come Over Here and Say That!"
7"x6" "I Only Have Eyes for You!"
5"x7"

Today while my dog was being groomed I had a chance to finish the majority of the work in the three cow paintings above. They are completed except for some minor adjustments.
Saturday, March 17, I finally have titles for my second painting of the three Holsteins, and the three paintings in the 'Over the Fence' series. Comments

Sunday, March 11, 2007

"Come Over Here and Say That!" soft pastel... I made a minor adjustment to the bottom lip of the cow and the right side of his head. My only other concern is the blueness of the sky... What do you think? Comments

Monday, March 12, 2007

"Eye For Adventure"
original soft pastel painting, 2005
on Wallis paper, 16"x12" "Eye For Adventure"
Stage 1

Today I started to rework a painting I completed in 2005, Eye For Adventure. First I corrected some anatomical errors and then began adjusting the colors and stripes on the tiger. This is where I ended for today. I plan to work more on it tomorrow... Comments

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

"Eye For Adventure"
Stage 2

I worked a little more on the body, legs, face, eyes and ground. I hope to have it completed tomorrow... it's so much better already! Comments

Friday, March 16, 2007

"Eye For Adventure"
Stage 3

I worked primarily on the background areas, getting rid of the snow and changing it to dirt, and adjusting the front legs. it is getting there... Comments

Saturday, March 17, 2007

"Kiss Me Quick!"
5"x7" "Come Over Here and Say That!"
7"x6" "I Only Have Eyes for You!"
5"x7"

I slightly lightened the skies in this 'Over the Fence' series... Comments

"Coolin' Down - After"
Stage 4

I changed the foreground and background of this painting, putting the cat in ankle-deep water. I like it better, what do you think? I also changed the title to Coolin' Down. Comments

Sunday, March 18, 2007

"Coolin' Down"
18"x12" "Cool Drink"
18"x12"

This is the next painting I am going to re-work... and will also re-title. I started by dulling the reflection in the water and then restructuring the position of the head and leg of the tiger. Using several photos of this position as reference, I have started to rework the shoulder area and back. I also removed the branch in front of the cat... Comments

Monday, March 19, 2007

"Eye For Adventure - Before" "Coolin' Down"
16"x12" "Cool Drink"
18"x12"

Today was a very productive day... I made some fine adjustments to Coolin' Down, adding touches of green in the cat and finishing the whiskers. Then I worked on the tiger drinking. I added her tongue, adjusted the position of her head, and changed the coat pattern on her body. I also scrubbed out more of the leafy vegetation hanging over the cat, and added back in some green tones to give the impression of vegetation surrounding her as she was drinking. This piece is almost finished as well, and I will keep it in the studio for a while, and move on to other work.

"Fatal Attraction - Before"
18"x12" "Curiosity - After"
18"x12"

I started a reformation of this painting, also from 2005, titled Fatal Attraction. I softened and obliterated background details and scrubbed out the rock in front of the jaguar. I wanted more of the 18-month-old cub's head and shoulders in the painting. I think it is a much stronger composition now, and will only make minor changes to it at this point. I also changed the title, as this young male looks more curious... Comments

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

"Coolin' Down - Before"
18"x12" "Cool Drink - After"
18"x12"

"Backward Glance - Before"
21"x15" "Backward Glance - After"
21"x15"

I worked on the tiger drinking painting again today.... I was going to crop it and then I was very tempted to tear it up! But I decided to look for more reference photos of cats in that position and found 3. I re-worked the body and foreleg one more time. I changed the background as well and opened the cats eyes. I love it... I think it is a much stronger painting now. You can never tell how those paintings we struggle with can turn! Comments

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

"Sensing Trouble - Before"
12"x16" "Sensing Trouble - After"
12"x16"

Today I worked on 2 more paintings that needed help... Sensing Trouble, another tiger painting, and Bonding, an older belted Galloway cow pastel from 2004. The cow piece isn't working... Comments

Thursday, March 22, 2007

"Dozing Off - Before"
12"x16" "Dozing Off - After"
12"x16"

Another painting that needed a little help... Dozing off. I reworked the backgound and muted the tiger's coat, as well as did some restructuring of the cat's face, fur pattern, eyes and shape of the head. Comments

Saturday, March 24, 2007

"Kennebunk Fire Cat Painting Hung at the Brick Store"
"Carol and Fire Cat Painting"
at the Brick Store Museum opening reception

This morning I did some framing and went to the opening reception for the Brick Store Museum, where my Kennebunk Fire Cat painting is on exhibit.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

"Field Trip"
12"x18" "Field Trip II"
in progress, 12"x18"

Today I worked a little on a painting entitled Field Trip. Comments

Thursday, March 29, 2007

"Three Holsteins Drawing" 12"x12" "Scottish Highlander Drawing"
10"x8" "Highlander Calf Drawing"
6"x4"

"Three Belties Parade Drawing"
7"x14" "Lone Holstein Drawing"
7"x5" "Shy Cow Drawing"
5"x7"

I perused my cow photographs today and did some sketches for future paintings. I am really happy with most of them. A couple of them may need some editing. My favorite is the newest square piece with the 3 holsteins. I also chose a little different idea in the three beltie cows with bull's eye... it is more of a landscape piece. Comments

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