My Work Process for Commissioned Painting

I shall share some pics here from a big project I have been working on. It is a commissioned painting of the Ogden Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The painting is to be 36" x 24" oil painting on canvas. The client has given permission to post progress/process updates on social media. He wanted more representation of trees and flowers, especially purple pansies, than are found in photos available of the temple. He also requested a Autumn color palette.

I must confess it is taking more work than I realized with the amazing detail of this structure! It gives me a heap of respect for the architectural design! Designing the fairly recent (as in a few years ago) remodeling of this temple would have taken incredible skill!

The first step is a sketch in proportion to the canvas - which was a challenge to simplify while keeping the integrity of the temple design. It was then scanned and corrected in Photo Shop -

You cannot 'sort of' draw this type of building, it must be accurate. I then printed the drawing on two sheets of Canson Mi-Teintes Art paper. I am in process of adding values and color. Trees and flowers will be added to the foreground.

My studio drafting table - covered with fun fabric and clear vinyl for protection...

Colored pencil coloring in progress...The placement of foreground flowers & trees

is going to take some 'artistic license' to add.

When the colored drawing is complete, and after the client's approval the drawing will be transferred to the 36" x 24" canvas.

I will keep posting the progress - It is definitely going to take longer than anticipated.  The challenge will be to transfer all the lines of the temple onto canvas accurately -  However, the end desire is to have a artistic painterly painting with feeling, not an architectural rendering.

Thanks for stopping by - I welcome any comments.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Patricia
 

Fine Art or Illustration?

My formal art education was in advertising art.  All mediums were taught; watercolor, pastel, charcoal, pen and ink, oil, gouache, acrylic and mixed mediums. I loved most of them.  It has always been a dilemma for me to land on one preferred medium or style as we were taught to please the client.  I am uncertain whether some of my art would be considered fine art or illustration?  It does seem to me that leaning toward illustrative art is more fun!  Who cares?  I love a quote by Andy Warhol,

"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art."  

This week's Illustration Friday prompt is "Umbrella."  I have always loved umbrellas!  My favorite, covered with a Monet style painting, was purchased in an umbrella shop.  I loved that umbrella - but forgot it one rainy evening, after giving a demo to an art club in a nearby by town.  I did go back later to retrieve it, but it was gone.

I did this painting some time ago and is sold.  I will let you decide if it's good or bad, if you love it or hate it.  In the meantime I am making more art. (Of course I do hope you like it.) Prints are available at my Etsy Shop

"Autumn Rain ~ Yellow Umbrella"

A Story Behind a Painting

Many years ago when we resided in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, I took some young students for a plein air painting outing in an area they had requested.  They lived close by and were intrigued by and desired to paint a signal light at Brown's Point at the edge of the shoreline.  They called it a lighthouse.  However, it was not an actual lighthouse as I expected, but signal light mounted on a stand for sea-going vessels.  We sketched and painted a few hours until late afternoon.

When we turned to leave, I was astonished to see the most amazing scene behind us!  It was a stunning view of a collection of eclectic homes perched on a steep hill on the edge of the shore.  The warm late afternoon sun cast wonderful light and shadows.  The tide was out, exposing the shoreline.

I have sketched and painted this scene repeatedly both when the tide was in as well as out - using multiple mediums from soft pastels, pen & ink, watercolor and most recently oil.

"Brown's Point ~ Tide Is Out"

Patricia Lee Christensen

Oil on Wood Panel 12" x 9"

"Brown's Point"

Ink on Paper

Patricia Lee Christensen

Pastel in progress using pen & ink sketch as reference.

"Brown's Point Sunset"

Patricia Lee Christensen

Pastel on Ampersand Pastel Board

10" x 8"

"Brown's Point - Tide Is In"

Watercolor, Pen & Ink plus Gesso

Patricia Lee Christensen

I think the moral to this tale is to take a 360 degrees look around your surroundings!  You never know what you are missing!

I hope you see the amazing views around you today!
Patricia