Watercolor of a Kitten

"Meeka"

8" x 11"

watercolor on Arches

Watercolor is NOT my forte - but I have decided 

I need to change my feelings about it.

Yes, it is a 

'put it down and there is NO correcting it' 

kind of medium

and I think that is what gets to me about it.

With oil and pastel and even acrylic - 

the 'correction gods' are forgiving.

However, I have lots of paper, 

lots of paint, 

just need the patience to 

keep on painting and not worrying

that it doesn't turn out

exactly like I want.

This one I am satisfied with...the end of the nose

didn't come out exactly like she looks

but it's close!

I have been collecting ideas on Pinterest

on making 'smash journals' - 

you can check it out by googling that one.

Made myself an "inspiration journal"

in which I can collect ideas, sketch,

paint, plan, doodle. It's kind of 

a personalized sketchbook at least

that's how I will use it.

I will share it soon.  

It has been fun ~ sort of 

breaking away from the norm with making this journal

for the last few days.

A New Pastel for Today

"Lobster on a Plate"

8" x 12"

pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes paper

My friends often allow me to copy their photos for use 

in my art. This artwork's inspiration comes
from Rich,  my friend of about 30 years.

Thanks!

A Still Life with Yellow Roses

"Valentine Roses"

16" x 20"

oil on wrapped canvas

Painted around the edges - no need to frame.

SO...

I decided to share the process on this one...
as I captured it at different intervals.

Scroll down and start at the bottom.

Fourth, I have realigned the placement of the objects

so that there is harmony in the space on the canvas, 

the pitcher is needing some help with it's shape

...the framed picture on the wall

has this great ornate detail that 

I wanted to just 'suggest'.

The roses were taller 'stemmed'

in the source photo I used (thanks T!)

but the way I set the placement and size of 

it all, I had to trim them down.

The source photo shows the great light coming from above.

I have been 'sitting' at the easel and realize I need to stand up

as this is a more involved - larger canvas

than I have been doing since the ravens.

Maybe my 'lines' would be more perpendicular.

I'm trying not to squash a nearby kitten

as I back up - that is what I am really doing..ha!

Third, I decided to get the roses in, as I was filling up the area pretty heavy with paint.

Second, I worked some on the shadows on the light colored surfaces...

I attempted to get some warmer color going.

First, I sketched with pencil, then I started with 

identifying the darkest dark areas with a mixture of ultramarine blue, 

cad yellow medium and a touch of alizarin crimson.

 These process photos are taken quickly with my iPhone.

New Pastel

"Sun Bee"

pastel on Canson pastel board

8" x 10"

.

Have been trying this pastel board made by Canson (it's not new, but I have 

a big pile of it to use).  I love their Mi-Tientes paper!

However, I use the wrong side of the paper, 

the side without much

'tooth' - the thing you need in a pastel surface to pull off the pastel and make it sit down

on the that surface.  Pastel hardly ever works on a slick, smooth surface.

This board utilizes the tooth that is found on the right side of that

familiar paper - a little too much tooth for me.

If you click on the photo, you will see what I 

am talking about.

I know that a surface definitely shows it's done in pastel

by virtue of seeing some of the tooth, but

I don't like that look. That's why anymore, I prefer

sanded pastel paper or board.

So I scumbled and scumbled this painting.

It had to come to an end.

I was even using a brush with

Gamsol on it, to brush the 

pastel down into the teeth

but still didn't achieve what I was after.

Live and learn - maybe I will use all that board

for trying colors and mixing colors up against

each other...my 'try it' board.

Cattle Drive in Pastel

"Safe Passage"

11" x 12"

pastel on Art Spectrum

In between this one and the ravens there was a large 

18" x 24" painting

that I spent days and days on - 

only to leave it - some just don't make it.

It didn't - but glad this one did!

It was tricky making that horse back leg look like it's in movement, but

I think I did it. 

This was done from a photo of the Stock Show

Parade in Denver..borrowed from a friend, but I took out

the other cowboys, and the city buildings - added a prairie

background..and removed some of the cattle.

There was such a jumble of them, I got lost on all

those legs...and made this a 'cattle drive' on the 

prairie instead.

I won't be blogging tomorrow I don't think, so Happy Valentines Day

one day early!

Pet Portraits

Push PLAY on this window and you will be taken to Smilebox to view this slideshow once it loads - just trying it out...

This slideshow personalized with Smilebox

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An Oil Painting of Ravens (Corvus Corax)

"Conspiracy"

15" x 30"

oil on wrapped canvas

Done with this one - I love the way it came out.

Ravens are the coolest birds - so much

lore and literature follow them.

I painted the continuation of my three ravens

around the edges.

 No need for a frame.

(Will let this dry a little before I list it for sale.)  

If you like ravens, perhaps you are interested.

Comments are always welcome.

WOOHOO - # 1000 in my posts!!

Work in Progress - Third DAY

Working on middle raven today...

color in.

LOTS of work to do on background, foreground - 

mucho details to be done on biggest guy on the right.

You get the idea..

Time for Bigger Paintings ~ Life After 30 in 30

I thought that when the 30 in 30 was over, 

(loved every minute of the 30 in 30, but itching soooo much

to do some work that took extra time, planning and blood, sweat and tears)

I would get going on our taxes for 2013 - looks like something much bigger got in the way - 

Sitting in my 'pile' for some time now has been this idea - of RAVENS.

So I got out a BIGGER canvas, 15 x 30...

wrapped around the edges for more painting space,

(no need for a frame)

and began..by sketching (would show you that, but my iPhone won't cooperate 

with my email right now)

Then I dove right into and started that large guy on the right...

and the next day to the guy on the left...

Now I need to do some research to make sure 

the wrap around tail on this one is correct.

Crows and ravens are different in the tail and beak area.

I want to make sure these are RAVENS, not CROWS.

For today I work on the middle raven - I love the background color.

Don't know where it's going, or if it will change.

I am letting the muse direct me on this one.

Check back soon!

FYI

A LONG One

Sometimes it's hard to know where they begin 

and end when they are cuddled up like this.

They know when and how to hunker down.

So cold and crummy right now.

More snow on the agenda.

I am on to bigger and better paintings.

A larger one is begun!

Stay tuned!