Swirling Colors or Making Mud

Ever get that feeling you're just pushing paint around?  That's how I feel about Smittyn right now.  She looks like a hot mess.  I'm hoping this is just one of those ugly stages all pieces go though.  I also hope that I'll be able to figure out how to get her out of this ugly stage. 

Wet oils do not photograph well.  Hmph.

It might be getting cold...

But things are warming up here!  I finally decided to pull out my oils and get some real color on Smittyn and the CM Dainty Darcy.  They got their acrylic basecoats a while ago and because of the limited number of acrylic colors I have, they both ended up pretty blah. 

Now they pop!  As fickle as oils can be, I really do looooove the richness of thier colors.  This was something I could never get in pastels.  Maybe if I had tried pure pigments.  Hmmm....  Ack no! Distracted!

Photo time!

Darcy/Simba actually needs to be toned down again.  The real horse is not quite this bright.

Smittyn meanwhile is not quite accurate to my ref, but she is so luscious now.  Next I have to figure out how to make her actually look like a dapple grey and not just a pretty gradient.

Tomorrow maybe VL will get another coat of color.  : )