Kotinga Layers 1 - 3

 

 

Every one of my 5 previous NaMoPaiMo horses has had its special glories and challenges, but they've all been in the middle stages or late in the game.  Kotinga's have both been very nearly right off the bat.  I've been so heavily warned and expecting of the 'ugly stage,' somewhere around Layers 4 or 5, that I couldn't quite believe it when he manifested a nasty sealant wrinkling on Layer 2.  (After all, it was 24 degrees in the spraying shed.)  "What, boy," I said plaintively, "so early in the game?"  But it is impossible to overstate how blase I felt.  I can barely explain it, but his wrinkle challenges did not worry me in the slightest.

 Three places with nasty wrinkles, never before seen!  (Offside neck, near shoulder and under the off elbow.)  I was pretty sure I'd oversprayed.  Using an aerosol can is something I only do rarely.  (To be honest, only during NaMo.  As I'm sure I've said many times, it's been three years.)  But some things return.  Perhaps it's muscle memory.  Or perhaps I choose pastels because they were so similar to leather dyeing, and I do my dyeing with many sweepy little strokings and it's the same motion.

 Layer 1 went fantastic.  Everything was prepared:  fresh waxed paper to stand on (because if he fell over on the old stuff he'd pick up white paint);  backup sealant can waiting in case my current can, the same one I've used all along (that's at least 8 years) conked out;  and memories of 30 minutes drying in the shed followed by an hour in the house warming up.  It all worked.  I felt the swell of success.

Kotinga Layer 1

Kotinga Layer 2

Layer 2 threw me wrenches, it is true, despite its overall success.  But I buckled down and tackled the wrinkles once he was dry.  Step 1:  buff with a piece of fleece.  Step 2:  find the 320 sandpaper and have a go. 

Sanding revealed the most amazing tiny network of what looked like capillaries.  They were blue-ish.  I had got down to the plastic!  Step 3:  find the Gesso and fix those tiny networks.  Step 4:  Realize all that's needed is many thin coats of Gesso over the now-smooth patch, because you can pastel over all of it later.  And that's what happened. 

 I won't tell you how dismayed I am that my hand sometimes trembles something awful,... fortunately I can still paint something like this,...

Layer 3 was completed on Day 1, a record for me.  Not only did his white Gesso patches disappear, this layer was the first of the darker muscle-line enhancements.  Each layer is also giving him a dose of PearlEx Brilliant Or.  I know from experience it takes time for that metallicism to show up, so I'm not worried about that either.  Layer 3 really gave me a thrill.  This horse is so slab-sided, rich in real estate without muscling, that I'd known all along his special challenge was going to be emphasizing 3-D shapes with 2-D.  Without having been taught Trompe-L'oeil I still think I can get away with it.  

Kotinga Layer 3

 Day 2 will surely not have any painting time.  Mondays usually don't and this one is unusually booked.  But I am so confident now.  I will be happy with 5 layers this week.  Oh Kotinga, when my friend Bobbie said, "I look forward to seeing your golden Saddlebred," you came to life.

May everyone's confidence and hopes be rewarded.