Cow painting video part 10

In episode 10 of the cows in Devon landscape painting, the cow lying down in the sun gets a similar treatment to the two cows in shadow. Continuing with the idea of complementary colour pairs i.e. dark blue and orangey brown used previously, the left hand cow now gets some pale blue and a brighter orange brown layer added. The brighter coloured acrylics both add to the sense of sunshine and help to make this cow the focus of the painting.

Cow painting video part 9

In episode 9 of the cows in landscape painting, I begin by further working on the shadows of the two right hand cows using pure blue. Then I add an orangey brown to each cow and, having sprayed the painting with water, make use of the blending properties of the Atelier interactive acrylics to create some interesting effects. Next, I work on the face of the middle cow using some lighter blues and titanium white.

Cow painting video part 8

In episode 8 of the cow painting, I refine the line work on the middle and right-hand cows. My style of painting is iterative in nature, I typically work by putting down some quick lines, then block in, then add tone and colour. This is then followed by adjustments to any and / or all of the above. This little video is a good example of me going back over work already done in order to refine the image. In particular, I adjust the shapes of the cow heads and the lines of their backs with ultramarine blue. These adjustments have the added benefit of hiding the lower part of the tree which is a little too light at the moment.

Cow Painting Video part 7

In episode 7 of the cow painting, I add some shadows to the cow on the left and redefine the line of its back as my initial mark had become lost under the layer of green paint. Because this animal is lying down in the sun, my plan is to have a higher level of contrast and range of colours on this cow compared to the others. Then, I place some cast shadows under the middle cow and darken certain areas next to the cattle.

Cow painting video part 6

In episode 6 of the cows in Devon landscape painting, I begin by using a mix of magenta and white on the brush to introduce some blossoms on the tree. To do this, I change the angle and orientation of the brush each time I paint a blossom to create the illusion of light striking the flowers in a different way. Then I use blue to enhance the shadows on the central and right-hand cow.

Cow painting video part 5

In episode 5 of the cows in landscape painting video, I begin by using a large frayed brush to depict a tree in the foreground on the right of the painting. Next, I use a reddish brown to create some shadows on the cow on the right, then do the same thing for the middle cow. This step starts to bring the cows to life as the begin to look like 3D objects with light beaming down on them. Finally, the cow lying down on the grass also gets some shadow work done.

Cow painting video part 4

In episode 4 of the cow painting video, I continue to work on the impressionist landscape in the background of the picture. First, I use a flat brush to introduce a field on the left of the painting, then, using a mix of colours on the brush, I roll the brush across the paper to create the impression of a line of trees.

Cow painting video part 3

In episode 3 of the cow painting series, I use a mix of blue and white in varying proportions to block in the sky and then use multiple colours on one brush to produce a variety of marks in order to create the impression of some distant trees and a hill.

Cow painting video part 2

In episode 2 of the cow painting videos, I put down a colour beginning. This is a fun technique that allows you to quickly cover the paper in a range of colours in a haphazard manner. This provides an array of random colours and textures, some of which may show through in the final painting. In general, I use colours that will suit the final stages e.g. blue for distant landscape, blues, yellows and greens for the grass. However, sometimes I will use an apparently inappropriate colour for a subject. Here, this is done with the sky, where I put yellow ochre down, to be over-painted later in blue. The idea is to allow some of the ochre to peak through here and there, or show through a semi-transparent over-layer to provide a sense of warmth to the sky.

Cow painting video part 1

Cow painting episode 1: If you're interested in how to paint a cow then this series of videos will be worth a look. In this first episode, I use blue acrylic paint to put down some quick lines describing three cows in the Devon countryside. These cows were encountered on a walk along the canal in Exeter, occupying a field next to the Turf Locks pub. Two of the cows are standing in the shelter of a tree while the third lies on the ground basking in the sun. Please remember to subscribe to the channel.