NaMoPaiMo Midpoint

       Today is the midpoint of NaMoPaiMo. And I am a little bit scared about my progress. I had struggles at the beginning and had to do some waiting (hard), some sanding (also kind of hard), some re-basecoating (easier) and then I had no time. And then it was snowing every time I had time. This year it has been hard for me to get into my painting. I LOVE working with pigments and Barnaby is going to be done in eyeshadow, for the most part. But boy does building up color for a gray take a LONG time. 

    It seemed like I worked for a good long while with the lighter gray and had to seal several times to finally see a noticeable difference. Things got easier to see as I went to the darker grays, though I had a very grainy, ugly look to the finish, which likely was in part because of the gesso I put on after I sanded my horse to save it. 

      While it has not been the easiest thing to do, I did lighten the horse's face after I first darkened it. It takes time, for sure, but it is working. And I do like how it is coming along. I should have done the dapples with an eraser, which is the way most people do them, but I was not able to build the colors I needed and wanted without sealing in between the (many, many) layers. So I will have to try them another way and hope for the best. 

     My reference is super dapply, and I may need the rest of the month to work on him. I am thinking it is likely time to get out my prismacolor pencils and see how that works. All of it is new to me. All of it is an experiment of sorts. All of it is an adventure. I am definitely stretching myself with this piece. At this very second I can't tell for sure if I am going to be able to finish him or not, but I am going to give it a really good try. Wish me luck.