The commission house is complete

All done

I finished the last commission and it has arrived in its new home.  I neglected to take a final, final photo for some reason.  I guess I just forgot in the attempt to get it out and now it is too late.  This is pretty close though.  I had added more depth to the shadows and a bit more color to the landscaping and the little squirrel.  I forgot to add some color to his tail and just saw it.   My photography never looks as good as the real thing which is why I always hesitate to send the client much more than pencil previews.  Besides, that would ruin the wow factor I hope for when the package is opened.

Up next is Peiper the dog’s house mate Kurt, the cat.  The client liked the first pet portrait so much, he decided that Kurt needed his own.  He was described ans fat and surly, so I hope I can capture that.

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Inked commission

Inked house

After 2+ days, I’ve finished the inking.  There is some nice landscaping to add color and a red door and shutters to pop the beige facade.  It will take a few extra days for the watercolors because of the size of the drawing, but it should go out this week in plenty of time for the celebration.

New commission pencil up

pencil up

Just as I was finishing up the Greencastle streetscape, got a new commission.  This will be a gift from two daughters to their parents of the house they grew up in and is now sold.  She asked me to add a wheelbarrow planter to the yard, a pumpkin on the stairs, and a squirrel to the yard.  All easily done, even though my personal history with squirrels is pretty shaky.  LOL This is a horizontal siding house with asphalt shingles.  The landscaping and window treatments  will make it quite pleasing to the eye.  It’s bigger than my last few at 14″ x 9″.  Gift giving season has started for me.  I have a pet portrait in the wings.

Green castle inked

Green castle inked

It took a while, but I finished inking the Greencastle storefronts.  This has a nice mix of brick and stone with wooden accents around the doors and windows.  That detail under the overhang took quite a long time to ink, but it sure adds to the buildings’ character.  So many colors to paint there.  I’m glad that I wasn’t the one who had to  get up under the eaves and do it.  So unique to small towns, don’t you think?

Jasper Watercolors

Watercolored

I finished the watercolors for this Jasper streetscape.  The storefronts in this rural Indiana town are to die for.  You don’t see architecture like this being built anymore and I love to find it thriving here.

I enjoyed all of the patterned brickwork on the second story, although it was not the easiest thing in the world to paint.  It’s amazing how my eye (and hand) kept jumping around when all I wanted to do was alternate the colors in a small area.  I made a couple of mistakes, but fortunately I could easily fix them as I progressed.  All of the layers helped too.  This is the last interesting shop front in this town square, so I will have to be looking around for a new one.  I need some inspiration.

Almost inked storefront

Inked shop front

The inking has almost been finished on the Jasper store front.  I just have the signage and the left background to do.  I am looking forward to using the watercolors on this one.  It has red brick with white brick patterned in across the top and under the windows.  Once again, the trim will be a light green and yellow but a band of painted brick also carries across the top.  I wonder if the shops here got together and coordinated the color schemes.

All of these details will be harder to paint, but it will make this shop streetscape unique.  Once it’s done, it will go into my etsy store.  Two of my Jasper drawings have been sold, so it appears that some townspeople appreciate their lovely town square as much as I do.

The last one done

watercolored

The triplex finished and off to its new home.  Since this was pretty monochromatic, I added color in the landscaping with the flowers, echoing the yellow doors.  I added some reds and mauves in the shrubs and trees as well as the shadows.  For a simple structure, it came put pretty well.

I think I am going to use my acrylics next and paint some small fruit pieces.  After seven weeks of architectural commission work, I need a change of pace.  I’ll put them into my etsy store when I’m finished.  I haven’t added anything new since well before Christmas due to the portrait work (not that I am complaining) and I need to.