Illustration of house in acrylic

This house was a commissioned piece by the owner who built the traditional home in Oakville, Ontario and then sold and downsized. Such illustration gives the home more personality and feeling than a photograph. Working from a photograph of the house and then doing a pencil drawing straight onto the canvas is the first step. This way you can make sure you have everything in that is needed and it is easily to fix if needed. With a flat brush, my acrylics and palette, I start with the lightest colours and the most general area to cover is the exterior walls of the home. I mix the colours to match as close as possible. This image was only 11" x 14" so a small flat brush of 1/2" in diameter was used. I then work on the roof, paint in the shadows and then the garage. All highlights and details are done with a fine tip brush and steady hand. Once the driveway is painted I then go in with blocking out the colour for the trees in the background and then come in with the highlights and add detail in the leaves etc. All the leaves and plants in the foreground are done last. Basically it is a layered effect.

After the painting is dry I use a clear medium gell to protect it. Overall this painting took about 8 hours but depending on size and detail they take much longer.