Greg and Tamara’s First Dance, Part 2
Greg and Tamara’s First Dance, Part 2
So we are continuing on with Greg and Tamara’s First Dance wedding oil painting. They were married in 2018 at the Harvest Moon Pond venue in Poynette, Wisconsin. You can see the start of the painting in Part 1 HERE.
This is where we left off earlier. The upper beams, guests in the loft, two chandeliers, and some of the background and guests on the floor level are all painted in.
Next, I paint the floor in the lower left part of the painting.
Using combinations of cadmium red medium and light, cadmium yellow, and ultramarine blue, I mix up an array of rich colors of burnt siennas for the wood floor.
Next, I paint the background and guests on the right side of the painting.
Using the same mix of colors I used on the lower left floor, I paint in the floor on the lower right. Only this time, I add a blue gray and more yellow for highlights and reflections.
Next, I paint the groom’s suit using a combination of ultramarine blue and cadmium red medium to mix a dark blue color. Then I switch to brushes to paint his face and capture the adoring expression as he looks at his bride.
Then I paint the bride’s face and hair with a halo of light. Mixing up skin tones with combinations of cadmium red medium, cadmium yellow light, magenta red, a touch of ultramarine blue, and titanium white, I paint her arm and back.
So, at this point, I had a repairman in the studio and he asked, “Why did you paint the gown red?” I got a kick out of that. I tried to explain that I start with a tinted panel and I just had not painted the white gown yet. He had a hard time understanding why I would paint a white gown over a relatively dark red.
But, the oil paint is, generally, opaque and nicely covers the ground color. And I don’t have to worry about specks of white shining through a painting. Many times, I make a point of letting the red specks sparkle through to give the painting a certain vibrancy.
Another reason I use a red tint on the panel is so that when I paint a dark value or a light value it will pop off the surface. The red is actually a middle value.
One color that is not opaque is the magenta red or alizarin crimson red. That color is transparent unless mixed with another opaque color.
Next up is the wedding gown.
While I love painting the wedding gown, it can be the most nerve wracking. The bride and gown are always a focal point of the painting so they need to be magnificent. The different fabrics and textures of the gown: lace, satin, ruffles, layers, transparencies, organza, embroideries — always present a new, exciting challenge with every wedding painting.
For Tamara’s gown, I used mixtures of cadmium red medium and ultramarine blue and titanium white. The front of the gown reflects the blues on the groom’s suit. On the backside, I use more warm pinks. I first paint in the darker values of the folds with a gray blue-red-violet mix. Then I paint in the highlights with lighter brighter pinks, blues, and violets. The lace patterns and motifs are added last.
Final Painting
The painting was signed in the lower left hand corner when the paint was wet, back when I painted that part of the floor.
Framed Painting
The painting is framed in an antique black with gold trim, closed corner, museum frame that is 3.5″ wide. The over all finished size of the painting is 31″ h x 25″ w. Whenever I do a wedding painting, the couple has their choice of finishes including the antique black with a gold lip, an antique black with a silver lip, a silver frame, or a gold frame. You can see the choices of frames on the Wedding Painting page.
Thanks so much for following along! I really appreciate YOU!
Happy trails,
Charlene
P.S. If you want to learn more about having a wedding painting created for yourself or as a gift, please visit my Wedding Paintings page.
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