New Amish Painting Continued…

Well, I figured I’d show you how far I’ve gotten on this new Amish pastel painting, and even though it’s come along way…there’s still a lot to go.  I figured it would be kind of cool for you all to see the painting come alive through the different stages. I am very happy with it so far and it’s just how I imagined it in my head.  I still need to add board separations to the barn behind her, some pine needle boughs hanging above her head to the left with snow added to the sill of the barn window and snow flakes on her hair, coat, etc.  I want this to look like a perfect winter painting, as I will use this for my December painting in the calendar I want to create next. Hope you like how it looks so far…back to the drawing board!

The face painted in, and it seems to have a life now. The barn window is positioned and the white, barn wall is started.

The face and hair further detailed. When I get the eyes the way I want them, it’s on it’s way!

She’s holding her firewood and a part of her green dress shows just above her winter coat. That green will also be used in the pine branches I will draw to the upper left, snow covered of course. I still have a lot of detail work to finish…so there’s more to go!

Natalynn and Jack

I almost forgot to post these two portraits I finished of my nephew’s children.  I’m trying to see if I can finish doing all of the children in the family, just to do it and say I did it.  Hey, it’s great practice,too!

I do love the way these two came out.  I’ll never understand it, but I always get to a point in a painting where I feel like it’s just not working. I’ll just keep at it, change things, add color, erase things, add shading…..  and then suddenly it transforms into a beautiful finished piece. I still look at pieces I’ve done from long ago and wonder how I ever did them. I didn’t have all the access to instructional videos then, or anything! It was just library books, then!

But anyway, here they are..Natalynn and Jack…two pastel portraits.

Natalynn

Jack

Natalie’s reference photo

Jack’t reference photo

“Walking The Calf” An Amish Watercolor Painting

Helloooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally finished my painting, and I am pleased with it.  I finally found a good reference for a calf and I believe it worked out perfectly. I hope you all like it.

As always, I liked the white background, but wanted to add more detail. I just didn’t want to add so much to the background to take away from the figures themselves. I finally found a way to add just enough at the bottom and sides to depict the foliage and hills in the distance and tree branches above to make a sort of frame surrounding the figures. I must say I was so excited when I figured out how to do this! Now I also have some space to place a small inspirational quote if I like. I am happy with this and can’t wait to start another…but this took way too long!

Anyway, I have also just placed this on my Etsy Shop if you are interested.  If you like the print and do not place an order online, please email me at mcprop@cox.net and we can work something out. Have a great day!

Walking The Calf by Cheryl McNulty

Pastel Portrait of Kenzie

This is a new portrait I just completed of my niece’s daughter, Kenzie.  The reference photo used was when she was much younger, so I had to add little changes like more hair and wisps of hair behind her neck. Believe it or not, this portrait took me awhile because of the bow on her head!  That was the most difficult part.

Anyway, it was all good.  I dropped it off to the happy parents and wouldn’t you know, as small as Kenzie is, she kept staring at the reference photo and the pastel portrait that they had placed on a shelf, and her eyes kept darting back and forth like she knew it was her. She was smiling too, and that makes it all worth it!  Another one done! Next!!!

Portrait with reference photo

The completed portrait

Amish Watercolor Finally Started (whew!)

Here is a glimpse of the amish watercolor I am working on right now….with several other projects, of course.  Sometimes I am so excited with all the new ideas I have in my head, I don’t know which one to start off with.  Now I am in the middle of too many! I can’t seem to win.

Anyway, the reason this painting has held me up some, is because I can’t seem to find the perfect reference of a baby calf’s behind!  Sounds funny, doesn’t it. I have tons of books and so many pic s on the internet, but I really wanted a picture of a baby calf walking away with part of his head to the side (so you could see it was a calf)…but do you think I could find one! This is driving me crazy!  I’m sure I could improvise, even a little bit, but I can’t seem to find what I am looking for.  So I just started to paint the girl…at least it’s a start.  I want it to look like the little amish girl is walking alongside this calf in a field.  Just a quiet, serene picture. Hopefully finished soon… and if I can’t find a calf…who knows what I can substitute. Let’s just say…I want to find a calf!  I will post as soon as I have more, or am finished.  Take care and talk soon

The Amish girl started

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House Flag Design Samples

I have always been interested in submitting my best designs to  house flag manufacturing companies, and since my old portfolio page is now being moved to a new site, there is no real place to showcase my art right now. For this reason, I am setting this page up to display my art pieces that I think are best suited for that market. I can also add any borders and text if needed. I hope you like what you see here.

Please feel free to contact me at mcprop@cox.net if you have any questions. Thank you.  Cheryl McNulty

An Amish Watercolor Finished!

Hello!  I finally finished my watercolor of the Amish girl. I am so sorry it took so long, but I was actually afraid to paint this picture, as I know that once watercolor goes on paper, you can’t really correct it.  What you see is basically what you get. I am not used to that at all!  I also am not used to all the layering it takes to get vibrancy in a painting, as when you use pastel, it’s usually vibrant on your first stroke!

Anyway, I was very cautious and did make a few mistakes that I did correct in my own way, but I’ll just leave it at that. I also wasn’t planning on a whole background scene for the girl either.  I was just going to add light colors around her and leave it, but that didn’t happen…as you can see! But I really wanted the focus on her face and I think I achieved that anyway!

Phew!!! Am I glad it’s over…until the next one…”gulp”.

Hope you like it.  Cheryl

Two Little Cuties Portrait Painting

I just recently painted this pastel painting of two adorable, little boys that are grandsons to an ex-coworker of my husband, John. He lives in South Carolina, and so I mailed it to him and his wife. It was kind of a surprise.
These are the two reference photos I used for the painting. The little boy with the glasses is older now, so I had to change a few things to make him look older than this reference photo. It was a joy to do both of them and even happier that they loved it.  Makes me happy!

Reference photo

Reference photo

The Finished Portrait

A New Challenge-An AmishWatercolor Portrait

So I decided I would just try something I never thought I could  do, and that was to capture a realistic face with shadows and details (that were usually easily captured in pastels) in watercolor. Watercolor is different from pastels in the fact that you basically can’t erase mistakes in watercolor. What’s usually done is done, but I was willing to give it a try  anyway.

So I took a reference photograph of a little girls face, added an amish cap and dress and just proceeded to paint. I told myself I was doing this for fun, and see where this takes us. I just wanted the paint and creativity to flow, and if it turned out bad, I wasn’t going to get angry. I would just start the next one and be done with it.

Well, after I painted her face, I just couldn’t go any farther.  I was kind of amazed at how I seemed to capture this beautiful face the way that I intended. I couldn’t believe it. Actually, I had already applied the masking fluid on her cap and hair ready to paint even farther, but my husband said that he liked the look that the painting had with just her face done.

So, at any rate, I am putting it out there and would love to know what you think. Should I leave this girl the way she is here, or go a little farther with it? If I do, I am not doing too much, but a little color here and there.  I would love to know your thoughts.  In the meantime, I think I will try some more!

Amish Watercolor Portrait

Mason, Another Pastel Portrait

This is Mason (again).  I had done him before but I found this picture as a reference when he was younger that was just too perfect, I had to try it. The lighting, the way his face was so clear in the photo, made it  that much easier to get all the little details and shadows down.This was done more for practice…and fun…so I sent it to his grandmother as a gift in the mail(with prints so his Mom could have a copy). So happy the way this came out.

The portrait painting of Mason

 

The portrait painting of Mason