90% Done! Saying that makes it sound like it will be over real easy … I wished … lots of little refinements to do before I get to sign it.
Well, I have made a lot of changes to the last update to the horses and rock face behind the horses. I like the horses much better now …. I am very satisfied so far with over all composition.
So, all thats left is just finishing up 
Heres the updated images
First a close up of the horses and rock face behind them …
Now an over all look at the painting
Well, man I almost forgot to update and even get pictures …. realized just in time I think! Well, we have made some progress … at this point I have the water at the lower level real close to complete though still lots of final tweaks that come later … but overall I am very satisfied.
Will be adding and making some tweaks to rocks in the foreground several design changes or better said additions coming.
But, what has been the most enjoyable is something I have been waiting for since I started this painting. The main subjects! Yea! Finally! I am here!!!!
I started in on my Cowboy and His horse … I have under colors of the rope which has alot of detail left to do in later layers … but is giving a good feel for where its going.
I also started laying in the saddle and blanket and various other rigging …. lots of detail still yet here, such as shadows, patters on blanket, more to the saddle that is not detail also the Hand that is on the Horn of the saddle is not painted in at all yet … I am trying to get everything around it first.
However, I do the have His left hand ( which is holding the rope ) I have the glove close to finish still some more layers yet and final detailing to do. But a nice under layer I think.
Well Here are a couple of details of where I am at … more to come …
Enjoy!
Here is a close up! Oh also, this is the first color layer for the horse itself ….
More details added and design additions to get us where we are.
Sorry for the delay in my update but I am also working on a design for my next painting which I will soon post here.
Till then Here is my update …
also a close up … Sorry but the images arent the best I will try to do better on the next …..
I am starting the falls now … I thought you might like an update … Oh, I am sorry I didnt do it step by step … I kind of got lost in the process … I will try to get more of the steps on the lower falls as I go along…
Well … here they are…
Here it is, the beginning of color! Here you will see a couple of close ups of the areas I have added color too. More layers to come with much more detail to foreground as I move forward. But I thought before I got much further you might would like to see this stage of the piece.
I haven’t got to the falls still yet but very soon.
Here is a close up detail ….. more to come
Here the the under painting is done …. much more detail to be added but will come later when I layer in the final layers of color.
Here I updated more on the falls and stream below …. also the rock face to the middle area of the canvas.
My next images will have color being layed in.
It has been a long time since I have posted. I am working on several endeavors but nothing has kept me from drawing and painting. I am working on several new ideas and have been taking a new direction in my art all together.
I have found a new zeal for my work and fresh ideas and I am so enjoying what is coming out of it. Since I have been gone for a while I have been very focused on study more than production, but now I am putting the efforts of that study to the test.
I want to present some new work to the site. Specifically my painting … I am really focused on Western Art …. something that has always been of great interest to me since my childhood.
I fell in love with the Old west style of art that on canvas would tell a story or somehow magically place you there so that you could almost smell, feel, and taste the west …..
Anyway, here is the begining of a step by step and I will post each step along the way.
The title of this piece is “The Young Stray”
I will begin with my main subject and then build an environment around them ….. I have done many thumbnail sketches to assist in getting my general direction for the piece … in fact I will post some of those later so you can see how arrived here.
I hope you enjoy and its good to be back …. OH a warning the image is large sorry … I will probably adjust the image sizes later
And here is the Underpainting …. I am now ready to begin to block in my color.
I wanted to do a quick study just to test out a few things I am working toward. Here is a 30 to 40 minute quick block in I did then smoothed out with a quick blend. I was shooting for likeness and just what I could do in a short period of time.
For a 30 to 40 minute grisaille, I am quite pleased, though I see a lot of room for refinement which I would do if this was more than just a quick study. A little more refinement then I would let the paint dry then come back and lay in a nice layer of liquin, then I would let that dry over night then begin to glaze in color layers.
Well anyway, I have a few more studies I am working on over the next few days I will try and get them posted. Oh, please excuse the can I painted to the left, it was just a warm up nothing more.
Just wanted to take a break from drawing and get my paints out. Here is a quick oil study. It is on a simple canvas pad. Step 1, I first toned the pad with a thin tonal wash of Ivory Black thinned with turp. Then after it dried which took just a few minutes I proceeded to draw my partial face with a cap on. For the drawing I used Ivory Black thinned with liquin.
Step 2, after drying over night, I glazed in some color. The color I used was Cad Red Light again thinned with liquin then glazed in the flesh area. After I had the flesh glazed in I glazed the stocking cap with Ultramarine Deep thinned with liquin. Step 3, I let it dry then glazed the colors again as I did in step 2. Then added a background just to bring out the colors more.
Truthfully, at this point it is ready for additional opaque layers to be added. But, then this is not a serious piece just a study of which I was testing an idea I have. Anyway, I hope you like it. P.S. I like the intensity of the eye.
Mark Branscum
Latest Update. I feel I have the pitcher done or at least very close, there still may be a few tweaks yet but I am getting close to being satisfied. I should be able to move along a little quicker now.
