Butterfly/Borboleta Painting Completed - Heliconius ethilla narcaea

It has been a rather productive weekend for KHarvill ART. I completed the butterfly painting, working very detailed to contrast with the more loose and abstract background. I found that I only had to make a few adjustments to the background. Please leave your comments and let me know what you think !
This makes #5 in the series. I hope to have 12 before the end of the year for a calendar.

Background for Butterfly Painting

The background for this painting has become a little more complicated than I anticipated. I was happily painting along, really enjoying the process, when I realized I had become a little too involved with my fantasy fern-like shapes. So, I went back in with some dark washes in an effort to unify the piece. I plan for the butterfly itself to be rather detailed, so I don't want the background to compete with it, either in terms of busyness, or in the level of detail. I feel it's at a good point now to stop and have a fresh look tomorrow, and work on the butterfly shapes before I go back into the background. I'm quite sure with the butterfly painted, the background will more or less indicate any further work it may need. My goal with this painting, and many of my paintings that focus on a specific subject such as this butterfly, its to leave the background somewhat abstract and painterly while bringing realistic detail to the subject itself. We'll see what the next painting session brings !

New Painting & Museum Exhibit

It's been a busy week at KHarvill ART. I've prepared 17 of my paintings for transport to the Customs House Museum in Clarksville, TN, my hometown. The exhibit "The Passion of Kitty Harvill" will be on display from Nov 2 - Jan 14, 2013. If you are in the middle Tennessee area, please stop by and visit the museum. The curator Terri Jordan has created a stunning banner for the event. 

 
Meanwhile, I've been busy continuing with my Butterfly/borboleta series. I've begun #5 in the series, having completed the pencil drawing and initial background washes.

 

 

I hope to make progress with this painting this weekend, it's off to a good start !

And, of course, I've been busy with my Zazzle store, creating more products for dog lovers and mug and teapot sets featuring my nature art - water lily, fern, Ruby-spotted swallowtail butterfly and Brazilian hummingbird. Please visit my store at http://www.zazzle.com/kharvillart.

Welcome to 52 Weeks of ART !

Welcome to 52 Weeks of ART ! Inspired by my experience in 2009 of drawing or painting each day of the year, that's right 365 days. Modifying the artist Harley Brown's oath to draw from life for 30 minutes a day for the rest of your life, I worked not only from life but my own photography of my wildlife and nature subjects. Nothing has improved my artwork as much as this experience, and few things have been as demanding - every day, whether sick, traveling, it didn't matter, I was drawing or painting every single day of that year.
It keeps one accountable, and although I may take a day off here and there, I plan to post several days a week with photos of my work in progress. This will also give insight into my technique and working process. I invite you to be a part of my visual diary.