Naked Art » masking

starting new idea this weekend

Kevin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 01:20:21 +0000

In my list of potential concepts I have many based on fairy tales, fables, and even nursery rhymes. One I’ve had for a while is Goldilocks, but how to present was a mystery. When I had my photo shoot with model Krystal last week, we were going through the list and that one came up. Somewhere in that discussion, I got the vision of it, so I explained it to her, and she was up for it. We took a variety of poses and angles, but going through the set later, one captured all I wanted for it. With that done, it was a matter of designing the background elements. It was fairly simple stuff, so I didn’t spend too much time on it all, allowing myself freedom to work on-the-fly when I start painting.
Happy with the look and color palette, I drew the design on illustration paper…

model – Krystal

I masked out the image, leaving only the back ‘wall’ open. I mixed a dark red-brown acrylic and airbrushed the entire area. Next, I added some black to the mix, then airbrushed more toward the lower half of the area, giving it a subtle gradient. Once dry, I removed the masking around the bed’s backboard, and mixed a gray-brown acrylic, blocking in the entire backboard. I then dry-brushed a variety of darker and lighter browns, creating wood grain. I further detailed it using colored pencils.
I turned the entire board upside down for the next step, covering the painted area with paper, and then unmasking the sheet and pillow area. I mixed a very light beige acrylic, airbrushing the area flat at first, then going back to build up wrinkles and shading.

starting new piece this weekend

Kevin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:02:16 +0000

I got behind once again, so let me wrap up yesterday and today. I had this idea a few months ago, and presented it to a couple of my models when we shot last. I don’t do many duo images, so hiring two models at once is hardly worthwhile. Instead, I had the first one set the scene with her poses, leaving the 2nd model to fit her poses to that. With each giving me a variety of poses within those limitations, I was able to piece them both together as a single image. A little light work to simulate shadows, and hopefully it all looks like it was together from the start. With that part of the design completed, I worked next on the costume. The concept is Robin Hood and Maid Marion in an intimate moment; Marion was easy enough, using a dual-layered dress; Robin though, we had nothing that captured any of that outfit, so she posed in boots only, and left me to fill it in. I added green tights, then the iconic hat to complete the idea. I could add the remainder of either outfit on the floor near them, but felt it would just clutter the scene, so I’m leaving it as it is. Content with the design, I drew it on watercolor paper…

models – Kym, and Kneely

Today, I got to work on the background. I masked everything out (which was frustrating, as this paper’s texture doesn’t allow the masking to adhere very well), then used gouache in a light wash, I roughed in the stone wall. Adding some brown and green to a gray, I painted the mortar. I then airbrushed a light speckled layer of dark gray over the wall, adding some texture to the stone. Next, I airbrushed a flat near-black brown for the floor. Then I brushed lines of straw with ochre and sienna gouache. to further the texture, I used colored pencils for more straw, and also to enhance the stone wall more. Finally, I airbrushed black around the edge of the paper, creating a vignette-style look. This also softens some of the detail so it won’t detract later…

work progress – stage 1, the background

Kevin — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:37:44 +0000

Yesterday I masked out the image and began work on the background. First, I airbrushed it overall with a very light gray, darkening it toward the top. Then I used brushes to paint the forest, starting with a medium bristle and a dark gray-green gouache paint to scrub in the far trees. Next, I painted in a few hints of trunks and branches with the same paint, adding black and ultramarine. Then I mixed a gray-brown and painted the foreground tree and a few near little trees/branches. I also used this color with a near-dry brush for the grass sticking through the snow. With that all dry, I came back with a the bristle brush, this time using a thick white, scrubbing in the snow on the trees and branches. With all the brushwork done, I used the airbrush once again to soften and push it back into a haze using a medium gray acrylic…

starting new piece – phase one

Kevin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:12:21 +0000

Okay, I’m behind again in my posting. I was content with the design mentioned in the previous post earlier in the week, so I got it drawn on the illustration board…

model – Kym

Next, I masked it all, then airbrushed the background. I started with a very light yellow acrylic, covering and oval (or egg shape) in the bottom half. I followed that with a light red, then into the purple to fill out the rest of the board. By the top it was almost pure ultramarine, thinned so not to get too dark. I finished the background with a covering of pearl and red ‘sparkle’ acrylic…

work progress – a day of paint work

Kevin — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:50:16 +0000

Yesterday was a full day of paint. I started with the face, then blocked in the hair (later coming back to add layers and complete) and with the same colors painted the stool’s feet. Next, I mixed an amber acrylic paint and blocked in the dress. I slowly added brown to the mix, layering in darker and darker layers for shading. Then, I used a blue-gray gouache to lightly wash the white bonnet and dots on the dress. Adding more paint to the wash, I built up those shadows and creases. With the same color, but full opaque, I painted the spoon. After that, I painted her shoes with black gouache, followed by white for the highlights. I started to brush-paint the spider, but could see that I wouldn’t get the smooth gradient I wanted, so I masked it off and airbrushed it. Once dry, I painted the arms/legs, as well as the face and details.
To finish the day, I covered the flesh areas with a lightly tinted textured gesso, preparing it for today’s oil pastels…

starting new work for this week

Kevin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:53:55 +0000

After working on a few idea concepts, I decided to go back to an older design until I can find the right elements to complete the new ones. This one is from a shoot I did with model Mackenzie last year, and is a companion for her Bo Peep painting. This one is Miss Muffet, and the only thing that got me stuck before was the spider. I hate the creatures, and even though this one will be cartoon-y, I still hate ‘em. But at least now I could envision how I wanted it to look, so I was able to move forward on the design. With it completed, I drew it on the board yesterday…

model – Mackenzie

Next, I masked out the image, and began the many layers of airbrushing work. First, the background, a simple beige to help bring out the whites in the foreground later. I added some ochre to the mix to create a tan for the lower section, suggesting a floor. Then, I removed the masking from the rug only, then painted it with mixes of blue gouache (while I waited for it to dry, I used the excess blue to rough in the spider – it will get much more solid later). Once dry, I used a thin black acrylic and airbrushed the shadow. I let that completely dry before covering the rug again, and exposing the ‘tuffet’ to airbrush it with a range of purples, each layer darker to build up its shading and contour. Again, I waited for it to dry thoroughly (wouldn’t want the masking to pull up the paint later, it’s nearly impossible to patch airbrushed areas), then covered the tuffet again and exposed the stockings. For them, I mixed a very light gray-flesh (nearly matching the beige background, not that it was planned) and built up subtle contours of the stocking. They are one the lightest areas of the piece, but I still don’t want them to be pure white. I considered airbrushing the outfit, but with all the polka dots, it would be more work to mask them all out, so I’ll paint that later…

work progress – a full day of painting

Kevin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:44:51 +0000

I actually started this update last night, after the previous post. I masked out around the sheer portions of her outfit, then painted a wash of gray-pink gouache in the wrinkles and shadows. I followed that with airbrushing the whole area with a light pink, building up a deeper concentration as needed to create the contours.
Today, I finished the outfit by painting the trim with magenta gouache. Next, I painted the face and hair, followed by her shoe. then I spent quite a bit of time painting the bear. I used brown washes of gouache with an old round brush, stippling it to create the fur texture. I finished the bear by painting the nose, eyes and paws, then ended the day covering the flesh areas with textured gesso…

starting a new piece this week

Kevin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:22:59 +0000

I’m late again with posting, so this is what I did Monday-
I had shot a set with Cupid in mind a few months ago, so I figured now would be a good time to get to it. The design was fairly simple, starting with the pose (a composite of upper body and one leg, plus another leg from a different shot to give the look of floating/flying). I created a bow and wings, and I planned on a quiver for the arrows, but decided it would be awkward against the pose and wings, so instead she’s holding an arrow. A bit of streaming cloth completed the design, aside from color choices. Dual hearts may be a bit common, bit still fits the composition, so I went with it. With that completed, I drew it on watercolor paper…

model – Kneely

Later, I masked out the image, then airbrushed the background, first with a light pink acrylic, followed by a light red for the upper area. I finished the airbrushing with a coat of pearl and red ‘sparkles’. Once dry, I removed the masking from the hearts, mixed some medium pinks and painted both of them. With a little extra time, I began a little bit of the paint work as well…

work progress – getting the paint done

Kevin — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:13:35 +0000

I’m a little behind in posting, so here’s what I’ve done yesterday.
Using black gouache, I painted in the darkest wrinkles/shadows in the dress, then airbrushed a pure red on the brightest areas. I mixed in a bit of black and purple to the red and covered the remainder of the dress and hat. Adding more black, I worked into the shadows to complete the contouring.
I removed all the masking, then began the brush painting, starting with the face. With the eyes closed, the face didn’t take too long, and I was moving on to the hair. I used a sepia to start, then added black to deepen and define. To finish the hair, I used green colored pencils for the streaked highlights.
Next came the most time-consuming portion – the striped stockings. To begin, I used colored pencils to fill the white areas, using grays and beiges to simulate the skin barely showing through. Then I mixed a charcoal gray/black acrylic and slowly painted all the black stripes. I was surprised how much this ended up cramping up my hand (as noted in my previous painting, straight lines are not my first choice for challenges when I paint). I took a break, then this morning I painted the shoes, using a scarlet red gouache blocked in flat. I followed that with a crimson red, blending it in and creating the mid-tones. Next, I added black to the crimson and worked into the shaded areas. To create the sequin or jewel texture, I took a moist, clean brush and blotted across the surface, allowing the paint to re-wet and at times pull up, other times blend in. I finished the shoes with white gouache, also applied in a stippled fashion.
The broom was next, which I blocked in with a dark brown, followed by a variety of browns and ochres. The highlights were drawn on with tan and white colored pencils. I used similar colored to paint the broom bristles, and finished it off using colored pencils as well.
To complete the painting phase, I covered the skin areas first in flesh gouache, then the texture gesso…

new artwork started today

Kevin — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 02:11:23 +0000

this is another idea that was in mind when the photo set was shot, so the designing phase was pretty easy. I worked on the outfit a little, changed its color, then added a hat. The idea is a play on the Wicked Witch of the East from Wizard of Oz. With that in mind, at first I had changed the skin to green, but further research showed very few, if any, times when she’s ever depicted this way. Despite her being ‘wicked’, her complexion apparently didn’t suffer like the one from the West (this has been explained in the book and musical ‘Wicked’, though). I was relieved by this, as I recall having some trouble with green skin on another piece last year. So, with the color palette set, I worked on the background elements until the whole composition worked for me. I drew it on the board size I typically use (23×29″ in this case), but it wasn’t until I finished with it that I realized the details would be pretty small (the face most notably). I considered going forward at this scale and use colored pencils with no oil pastels, as this would give me the best chance at capturing those details. Then I remembered I had a couple large sheets of thick watercolor paper/board still. Working large is difficult at times, and clumsy often, so I avoid it most of the time, but I decided this one would benefit from it. So, I redrew the piece at the larger scale (now 30×38″). It looks much better, so I’m happy with the decision…

model – Mackenzie

With the remainder of the day I masked it all off, then airbrushed the background. I started with a light gray/green, covering the lower background (distant sky). I then added more gray, some black, and a bit of blue, covering the remainder of the sky, loosely moving around to create the cloud textures. I avoided the area around the tornado, and emphasized its edges with the dark mixture. With the sky done, I removed the masking from the house, then painted it using a gray/green wash of gouache for the siding. The windows, door, roof, and underneath were blocked in flat with a gray-black-brown mix of acrylics. Next, I mixed another gray acrylic, this time adding yellow to give it that sickly look that storms sometimes have. this I airbrushed along the tornado, blending into the house. I added some white to lighten the edges and pull it forward from the sky.
The end result is near black-and-white, which is intentional. Although storms are more or less gray anyway, I would normally enhance it with deep blues, green, and/or purples, but this time the gray works on multiple levels. First, it’ll pop out the main subject later, and second, it’s reminiscent of the Oz movie. I’m pleased the look so far, and hopefully the rest will work out so well…

Note: The masking is still on most of the subject, all but the dress and hat, because I plan to airbrush them tomorrow.