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Art?

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Art?
Posted by Penny Trains on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 8:33 PM

I decided to give fine art a try.

Since I've never done watercolor before, I did this test to see how it would go:

It was going well enough that I didn't bother finishing it before moving on.

Still experimenting, but improving I think.  So I moved up to a full locomotive.

This one taught me that I needed better tools so I went shopping before moving on to the next project.

I learned a lot with this one, most importantly the neccessity of having as many photos as possible of every detail to be painted.  Which is why I decided to focus on locomotives in museums or in excursion service where many people will photograph them and post on the net.  Makes life a lot easier that way!

On the drawing board:

So.  Is it art?

Becky

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Penny Trains on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 8:35 PM

By the way, they take me about a week.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by JamesP on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 8:46 PM
Penny, those are outstanding! I have always admired those who have the skill, talent and perseverance to do this level of drawing/painting. - James
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Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 11:17 PM

Penny,

Bow  I really like your work. You have artistic skills in so many areas. When can we start placing orders?  Big Smile

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Posted by fifedog on Thursday, September 22, 2016 5:48 AM

Definitely art.

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Posted by Bob Keller on Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:24 AM

Very cool, indeed!

 

Bob Keller

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Posted by Rene Schweitzer on Thursday, September 22, 2016 11:49 AM

Oh yes, it certainly is art! Well done!

I admire those (like you) who can not only draw, but can draw the technical aspects correctly. There is a local restaurant in town that is located in the old depot. Their logo is a locomotive that is drawn by someone who doesn't know locomotives. (Perhaps they need to get in touch with you, LOL)

Rene Schweitzer

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Posted by Carl Swanson on Thursday, September 22, 2016 2:37 PM

Beautiful work Penny! It's definitely art in my book!

___________

Carl Swanson, editor

MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, September 22, 2016 6:12 PM

Let us know when you start taking commissions!

Hey, Howard Fogg and Gil Reid have gone to the "Great Roundhouse In The Sky," SOMEBODY'S  got to pick up the ball and run with it!

This could be opportunity knocking for you.

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Posted by robmcc on Thursday, September 22, 2016 7:07 PM
Nice work, Becky! It looks like Angela Trotta Thomas has some competition!! ;)
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Posted by cheapclassics on Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:21 PM

Good evening all,

Art is not a good enough word.  Masterpiece...now you are talking.  Great work, Becky!

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Friday, September 23, 2016 6:57 AM

Definitely Art!

Here's a photo that is now hard to find.

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Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Friday, September 23, 2016 7:24 AM

WOW

Beautiful!!!!!

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Posted by cnw1995 on Friday, September 23, 2016 2:47 PM

I agree - what an eye! Great work!

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, September 23, 2016 3:25 PM

Very nice Becky! A great talent to have. Yes

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Penny Trains on Friday, September 23, 2016 6:56 PM

robmcc
Nice work, Becky! It looks like Angela Trotta Thomas has some competition!! ;)
 

Thanks!  But I'm not so good at drawing people.  She'll always have me beat there!  Big Smile

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Firesteel on Friday, September 23, 2016 9:48 PM

Very impressive! I have noticed that many artists tend to omit details on complex subjects such as steam locomotives, but as Rene mentioned above, you included the technical details in your work. 

Karl

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, September 24, 2016 9:33 AM

Penny Trains
 
robmcc
Nice work, Becky! It looks like Angela Trotta Thomas has some competition!! ;)
 

 

 

Thanks!  But I'm not so good at drawing people.  She'll always have me beat there!  Big Smile

 

A bit of advice, for what it's worth, from someone who's no artist.

Save the attention to detail for the mechanicals, but make your human figures whimsical.  If your avatar's any indication you've got that licked.

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Monday, September 26, 2016 9:24 AM

Becky - definitely art! Thumbs Up

Regards, Roy

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Posted by mersenne6 on Monday, September 26, 2016 9:39 AM

 Nice work.  Given your chosen medium you might want to take a look at some of Ted Rose's paintings.  There is a book of his paintings "In the Traces" which you could probably get through inter-library loan.  What I've always admired about his work was that he was able (in my opinion) to strike a balance between technical detail and art. When you look at his work you are left with the impression that there is more detail than is actually present. 

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Posted by overall on Friday, September 30, 2016 7:03 AM

I don't know if you sell copies or not, but I would like to have one to hang up in my train room. Let us know if you decide to sell some.

George

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Posted by Penny Trains on Friday, September 30, 2016 6:23 PM

That is what I'm hoping this will blossom into as soon as I have my portfolio built up a bit.  But at this point I don't have many clues as to how to go about getting them printed and finding a distributor.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by phrankenstign on Friday, September 30, 2016 11:18 PM

That's amazing stuff!  I wish I had that kind of talent.  I do have one question.  What is that in the first picture?

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, October 1, 2016 11:06 AM

Penny Trains

That is what I'm hoping this will blossom into as soon as I have my portfolio built up a bit.  But at this point I don't have many clues as to how to go about getting them printed and finding a distributor.

 

I know what you could try.  Do a number of "For Sale" paintings, figure out what you're into them for, i.e. time, labor, materials, and so forth, come up with what you think is a fair mark-up, then buy some exhibit space at a local train show, put them out for sale and see what happens.

You never know, and it might lead to something.

Oh, and Phrankensteyn, it's a switch stand.  Interesting study, don't you think? 

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Posted by rlbarnard on Saturday, October 1, 2016 11:15 AM

Hi,

I recommend contacting Sterling Edwards (sterlingedwards.com) for advice on getting your art printed and distributed. He is an excellent watercolorist. He seems to be a very friendly and knowledgable person. I like him very much and have many of his instructional videos.

Take care,

Dick

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Posted by rlbarnard on Saturday, October 1, 2016 11:49 AM

Me again,

Also look at "wetcanvas.com". It is a tremendous source of information for painters.

Take care,

Dick

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Posted by Penny Trains on Saturday, October 1, 2016 6:52 PM

Firelock76
it's a switch stand. Interesting study

One of the most surprising things I noted while working on that was how the dark brown I was using had a tendancy to shade toward the purple when I added water.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by Penny Trains on Thursday, October 6, 2016 6:32 PM

Just a quick peek.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

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Posted by rtraincollector on Thursday, October 6, 2016 11:39 PM

More great work by you. Again read my post in time is running out. You have so much talent. It's a pleasure to see it. 

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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