Hello Everyone..Before we had a thread like this and I have decided to restart it. Ok the object of the thread is for people to find their own gold leaf victorian era teacup and join me on this work in progress. you can search the web for one or see if there are any family heirlooms you can photograph and do your own. ( You just can't use mine..LOL) The purpose of the thread is for us to participate together, give each other advice, and basically help others in area's where you think they may need help in. All mediums are welcome. If someone doesn't know how to use a particular medium, what a BETTER way to learn!!! The idea is to show your work from start to finish for those who are going to participate.

Here I have started with a reference photo that I took of my own (please no using, I am using it as a demonstration for my WIP only). It is of a Victorian teacup owned by my bestfriend. I thought it was beautiful all by itself and have decided I will do the background kind of plain-ish with colors that will complement the cup of a darker value. I am using Coloursoft Colored Pencils on 9 by 12 Stonehenge paper.
I haven't yet come up with my color pallette, but that is my next move, once I decide on the background and ground for the tea pot. I have decided I will call it "Victorian Tea Time".

Sorry, I didn't clarify my reasonings as to why I don't want my particular picture used. I am doing this particular picture to enter into a CPSA Exhibit and the references we use have to be our own personal pictures we have taken ourselves. They cannot be anyone else's, hence the reason I put a coptrighted mark on my reference photo. Sorry, if there is any misunderstandings in the thread. The different medium societies that they have out there for people to join are getting very particular about reference materials people use as there are alot of members of the Colored Pencil Society that are members of various websites that offer free reference images and many duplicate pictures being entered into art competitons and causing a lot of havic between members about reference images being free of use. Hope everyone understands.

So do I have this right .. we are NOT to use the picture of the tea cup ?

Hello Venus,
good luck on the CPSA Exhibit

Love kaly

Thanks Kaly!! I really appreciate it.

Ok here is my first update..I started at the center of the tea cup with the rose and leaves. So far just to do this area it has taken me 2 hours..I can't believe how time consuming such small areas can be.

very nice so far hun .. I am sure you will do fine

Thanks Kim!! I hope so, its definately challenging.

Wow... That's just.... Wow.... I'm speechless.... Those two hours sure paid off

Dang Siks, you have me blushing for real. I don't feel it's wow, but I don't think it looks too bad, either. Flowers are pretty easy for me though so lets see how the actual lights and darks and curves of the cup go and the gold coloring...LOL.

Here is my second update, and another hour or so of work last night.

Here is another update. I have basically pretty much finished up the front and side on the right of the cup. So far I am pretty happy with it but feel free to make any suggestions or critique...though this scan only part of the handle is done, need to rescan what I have recently done..LOL.

Also, this is an open thread!! All you have to do is find a tea cup picture or take one and join me. Anyone is welcome...

I am so impressed with your work ...this is turning out very well ....you have such a gift for doing flowers .

I agree WOW That is really good. The flowers are outstanding and the gold trim looks as if the light is just bouncing off of it .

Thank you, Kim. I really appreciate hearing that from another great artist. I am working really hard on this one, let's hope I get it done...LOL.

Here is my newest update and probably the last one for tonight as it is really late. I worked on the handle and the inside of the cup a little, leaving just the viewer's left side to finish before I tackle the back ground. Thats the part I am dreading most..eeekkkks.

Beautiful work Venus!!

I just love the delicacy of the flowers - what colour are you using for the gold?? It is delightful as is the way you are capturing the light.

Hi Venus! Cup is looking wonderful! Any chance in seeing a larger higher resolution photo with your next update? I would love to see the detail up close.
I assume your background will be made up?

Ty, Sue and Airscapes!!

Sue, I am using my gold cp, a little ginger, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, and cream for the gold. The gold itself looks more brown than gold metallic so the other colors bring it out. Plus, we can't forget the good old white.

Airscapes, I will try to make my next scan bigger. When I upload my pictures from the scanner and before I got cable the only way I could post an image was to use my kodak software and resize my pictures to best for the web which makes them all about the same size. I haven't really tried anyhting different and out of habbit do the same everytime. I will try a different percentage next time and see how big it is.

Beautiful work so far Venus. The flower pattern is lovely. I'm not a flower person. I have flower fear. I know I CAN do them, but boy I sure hate doing them.

I do have some quite old teacups at home that were my grandmothers, so I may dig them out and see what I can come up with. Challenge myself to do flowers!

Boy, Venus, that's gorgeous. All the edges look so crisp and clean! I just don't know how you do it.

Jeanette, go dig them out!! I would love for you to join in on the thread, ty for the compliment also.

Ernest thanks. I do a lot of burnishing with light colored pencils, like white and cream. I really hate to see any white of the paper so I make sure I get all of the tooth out.

Airscapes, just for you after I scanned this last update, I made it in three different sizes. Though my scanner sucks and makes the cup more white than it is, becuase I have a lot of beige and cream tones on the inside.

Ok, Miss Jeanette, it was suggested over on Wetcanvas that I just leave the background white and do the cast shadows of the cup, BUT, I would really like to do the upper part of the background darker and the bottom the color of the doily. That and I am unsure of colors for the darker upper part of the background any suggestions?

Thanks Venus! It turely is beautiful!!
On you background, since this picuture is a very close up of the cup, how about something out of focus, like you would have if this was a photo. The depth of field woudl be very large and you background would just be very blurred. Not sure if I am explaining myself very good..
If you have other cups or a tea pot with the same patter, set them up behind your cup and imagin them all out of focus or even attmept to take a photo of them with a slow shutters speed, no flash and move the camera as you take the picture.. just an idea

Here is an example.. still looking for more
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/st...n.php?id=225401

Venus, I may suggest similar to Wetcanvas people here too. The background of this particular image is fairly nondescript and doesn't enhance the cup a lot.

You could get away with the doily and the cast shadows or, as airscapes has suggested, create your own background or use some muted colours to give a soft background. I see blues and purples and greys in the current background.

Thanks Jeanette!! I really appreciate the advice and did just that and went from the colors in the cup and did my own, at least for the top half. I kinda of like it. The bottom will be next...

Airscapes it sounds like a great idea, but I am aiming for simple here...Plus, I want the cup to remain the main focus and not blurred. I'm not really comforable even attempting it at this pint..thank you for the input though, I did debate it for a while.

you just keep on impressing me hun with your work ...very well done .

Venus you have really outdone yourself on this piece, can't offer any advice on finishing it, other than taking your time . It would be nice to have a matching saucer. I have enjoyed watching this one.

Ty, Kim...I appreciate the compliment.

Nancy, ty too. Yes, a saucer would have been nice but the cup didn't have one. Or else I would have added it to the picture.

My tea cup. If any one wants to use it feel free. If you want a higher kb version let me know.
[attachmentid=8934]
I am trying something a bit new(for me). I am using black paper and putting down an underpainting of white.
Unfortunately, I didn't remember to take the underpainting picture... so the saucer on the third picture shows the underpainting.
[attachmentid=8935]
[attachmentid=8936]

I am going to finish this, but I can already tell that I took on too detailed a picture for my first underpainting.
My patience, therefore detail is lacking. I also think this paper is not the best. Well time will tell.

you are moving so fast with that .. awsome job .. I love the cup .

Ok I have been working on this all day and here is my first pic of the day, its kinda slipped outta hand and now I am having difficulties with the background and foreground with the shadowing. I am sure I will beable to pull it off but right now it is really ticking me off!!

Soo please any advice or critiques are more than happily welcome!!

I think your doing a beauitful job .. try not to second guess your ideas

Put the pencil down and step away from the drawing board!
Do not look at the drawing or touch a pencil or any other art related items tomorrow or tomorrow night!
Do something that you have not done for a while, even if that is clean out a closet! Do something that will be fun or give you the feeling of accomplishment and completion (small non art related project).
Hope this help, it is hard to do, but it sounds like you are doing a "Doug" and obsessing to the point of destruction! You need to regroup before you make a mistake!

I might have to try this one again
It certainly won't be going to my Mother in Law for a birthday present, like I was thinking when I started.
[attachmentid=8944] [attachmentid=8945]

Paulette, besides sharpening the edges so that they are more accurately shaped I think it looks pretty good.

Airscapes, I wish I could of followed your advice but other than a little tweaking and adding a little more shadows and stuff, I am pretty much done. I personally am almost happy with it.

Sooo, here is my next scan...partially finished..

awsome job hun ...I am sure you will place with that drawing ...love all the detail ..your wood grain is very nice .

Venus, my jaw is dropping at that wood; it's amazing!

Now, I'm going to be really presumptuous and give you a little advice. I want you to think hard before you take it, though; don't take my word for it.

I think the "feet" are getting lost a little now in the tablecloth. They would look better if they were grounded by some real shadows around them. Likewise the bottom edge of the bowl is a little indistinct against the very similar colors of the tablecloth, and a little more shadow there would help define it.

Now, like I said, this has to come from you. If you blindly followed my advice and then didn't like how it looked, I'd be terribly sad.

Ernest, thank you I totally understand and see what you are talking about and I will "bring" them back out.

I did however, make some more changes darkened here, fixed there, a little this and that. Here is my final Teacup....

and I did not think you could make this any better .. I was wrong .. beautiful job hun .. your hard work is paying off

Beautiful work Venus! I enjoyed watching the process, and find it inspiring.

Marilyn

As a famous cooking guy would say BAM! Looks outstanding!

Venus,

Beautiful tea cup and I enjoy watching the way you are drawing.

lily

WOW!!! You all have me blushing here...Thank you all for the compliments. I guess its true when they say if you enjoy the subject it always comes out showing it, and I did enjoy (minues the under shadows...LOL..and table cloth) the subject I drew.

Absolutely gorgeous!!!

Oh, Venue, this is really lovely. I so enjoyed watching the progess you made. Your colored pencil work is so smooth and flawless. How many layers did you put on the background? I love the blending on it. Do you always keep your pencils very sharp? I try so hard to go slow, but then lose patience. My leads are always breaking off in my sharpener, which is rather new. I use mostly Prisma and coloursoft. Any tips for me?

Judyvan

You've done a fabulous job on this one Venus. You should be proud. Your work over time has really paid off. I can see the leap forward you've taken in the time I've been here. Keep it up!

Thank you, Judy and Jeanette!! It's really nice to hear compliments.

Judy, what type of sharpener are you using? I use Multipoint Professional manual sharpener and it has a lead setting and does bigger pencils. I have never had a problem with any of my leads breaking in it and I believe CheapJoes.com has it there. Its red and black in color. I think I used five or six layers on the background and then used my colorless blender. I always make sure my points on the lead are sharp unless I am going really light then I like it not so sharp so that I can evenly cover a big area. I, too, am one for not a lot of patience when working but lately I have been trying to break the habit and forcing myself to take occational breaks and go slow.

Jeanette, I really want to thank you for your compliment. You are soo good with your work it really means a lot to me and helps me to get even better.

Venus, I think I am using an Exacto electric sharpener, but will check out your multi-point on Cheap Joe's. I am so impressed with your work and am going to really try hard to be patient.

Blessings,

Judyvan

Wow that is awesome! Is it color pencil or what are you using?

Jimmers, its a 100% artist grade colored pencils. I have become addicted to them over the past year and rarely use anything else other than a regular #2 pencil to do my rough sketches.

It looks fantastic! Great job.