News from the World of Goose, and a Few Starts on Krystie ...

I left the flock here ...

Today, I went over the background with an alizarin crimson wash, followed by an indanthrone blue one. 

Then I went over the background geese with the dark blue ...

... and darkened their eyes and bills, and put a bit of direct shadow on the foreground geese's legs.  I apologize for the changing colors of the photos. These I have posted are the closest I can get with the iPhoto application.

... I like this one 

I call this "the look of love".

I'm not sure about this one. It needs more work.  K. looks almost sulky here.  And Bruno the critic was here ... I took my sketchbook out to the field yesterday evening to work, as it was so muggy inside, and the Big Guy was mouthing the paper. We're getting a mild heat wave in B.C.

I thank you for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!

The Geese Are Taking Off ...

The feet are there, and I am slowly giving form and depth to their bodies. The colors are quin. burnt orange, quin. coral, a lavender, cobalt blue and brown madder. I'm using warm, less intense colors to keep them light and fluffy.

I've darkened the inside of the shed ...

... and added a bit of a ground, which I'll touch up later. Apologies - the colors are brighter in the original. I think the dark blues and bright oranges are vying for the edit function's  attention.

Thank you for dropping by. Your comments are always welcome. 

When Is a Painting like a Good Book???

... when you are enjoying it so much, you never want it to end, but you want to know how it will finish. That's how I feel about this painting.

I've done  thin wash of indanthrone blue on everything inside the shed.  The colors I am using for the geese are quin. sienna, quin. burnt orange, quin. coral, brown madder, cobalt blue and ultramarine violet [I think - can't read the label].

I am keeping the brighter colors for the geese in the foreground.

Here I've painted w/w with indanthrone, quin. burnt orange and brown madder to suggest old wooden boards ... 

... and gone over it with indanthrone.

I've done some soft shadowing of the geese inside, and a w/w wash of the outside boards of the shed, using cobalt blue and quin. burnt orange. Thankfully,  there are many more hours of play-time left with this painting.  :)

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!

One Done and Some on the Go ...

I think I finally have this "quick" painting done. The shadows look credible. I just have to decide how to crop it - 6 x 8 inches or 6 x 6 inches, and then mount and varnish it. I thank you all who commented and offered advice - it was a help, and I appreciate it! 

Yes, another goose painting. They are all screaming out of their barn, happy to be outside. The above is the drawing I have put on the watercolor paper. I am doing a lot of color swatches, and will get to a value sketch today. 

One of the swatches ...

This is Kristie. Several months ago, I offered to do an animal portrait for a fund-raiser for the Pacific Riding for the Disabled. The portrait of Buddy was put on display as an example of my work. Yesterday, I got a call from the owner. I went over that afternoon, and had a lovely visit with both of them.  Many photos were taken, and I have some of the owner's photos as well, so now to get a great drawing done. Kristie is a beautiful American Cocker Spaniel, with the most incredibly deep, intelligent eyes.

This is it in my corner of the art world. I thank you for dropping by, and always welcome your comments!

Just Some Finishing Up This Week ...

SInce the last post, I have scrumbled and intensified the background, brightened the soles, and darkened some of the shadows around the laces. It looks stronger, but nothing like the drama-queen spike heels, but for these old beaters, it's a suitable finish.

I started a small painting of this clematis, think ing I would be done in a day. 

Four days later, the flower does not stand out like the photo. Maybe another round of glazing the background, and deepening the shadows on the flower???

And just because I needed to work on something, I did this quick sketch of a pit bull puppy with meltingly sweet eyes.
That's about it in my part of the art world. Have to move - working in the office today. Hopefully, I'll get some chicken, lamb and goat photos and sketches up later this week ...

Thank you for dropping by! Your comments are always a pleasure to read. 

I Think I Can Live with This ... Cushy Shoes Done

I have added a ground of quin. sienna, and the cast shadow [permanent rose, aureolin and indanthrone].

Just some more detail work, mostly on the laces and their shadows.

I have intensified the cast shadow, put in some form shadows, and done some more detailing. I also glazed the soles with cobalt blue. This one will be varnished, too, so I don't think the wubble in the shadow at the far right will show. With these shoes, I did not want a dramatic background - they are just good, old worn-out runners, and needed a good, old, worn-looking background.

Addendum - just got back from visiting my aunt in Vancouver. She is my best critic. Her first comment was "Are you finished yet?" I guess NOT!!! :)

This is the reference photo for my next project. I sometimes to remember to take my camera when I go out for an evening walk, and this is one of the scenes I find quietly attractive.

Thank you for dropping by. Your comments are always welcome!

You KNOW I Couldn't Leave It at one Go ... Round #2 for the Old Shoes

I had to start again. The last version had too dark a background, and was the wrong color. I tried to give it a shower, but too much brown remained, so ...

My colors are phthalo blue [green shade] for the bright blues,  and a variety of grays - aureolin and permanent rose, with either cobalt blue or indanthrone. The mesh was not that hard. I wet the area, and dropped in some of the lighter gray. It formed lovely spots suggestive of mesh.

I am happily fussing with details, but wondering what to do with the background. Any suggestions?

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are most welcome!

A Visit to Hycroft House

Porte cochere/ main entrance to Hycroft.

My beautiful niece/model in one of the gorgeous sun rooms.

It is lovely and cozy, with a fantastic view.

One of the larger rooms for entertaining.

Another warm sitting room.

Paulina is checking out the books in the library.

Beautiful stained- glass leaded windows 

An Italian garden 

Back of the house, leading to the gardens

A few days ago, I received an invitation from my friend and fabulous watercolor painter, Leslie Redhead. She is having an exhibition of her work at Hycroft manor. I thought Paulina [my niece] would like to go with me. She loved it, and wants to do more things like this. [My auntie's heart is thrilled!] We viewed Leslie's great landscape paintings, chatted with Leslie and some of her students and painters, and then went off exploring. These are some of the photos I took. I could easily spend a week there, photographing and sketching - it is GORGEOUS!!!
A bit of history ... The house was commissioned by a Vancouver businessman, Alexander Duncan McRae. The architect was Thomas Hooper. The home was completed in 1911, and was apparently well-known for its balls and parties. The McRae family sold the property to the federal government for $1.00, to be used by the federal department of veterans' affairs. The University Women's Club purchased the property in the early 60's, and restored it superbly. That is its story to date.
I am posting a link to Leslie's blog - I know you will enjoy the visit!
http://www.leslieredheadart.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for dropping by, and your comments are most welcome!

The Cushy Shoes ... Holes and All

These are my favorite, most comfortable shoes. They have seen a lot of wear, and sadly we may have to part soon.

I've had to mask, using Pebeo this time.
I have done one graded wash of aureolin, and two of quin. burnt orange.

Another graded wash of quin. burnt orange and quin. violet.

Yet another - this time orange, violet and indanthrone, with some thicker mixture dropped in for the shadows.

I've done several washes of the orange, violet and indanthrone, and the last two were of violet and indanthrone only, to get really dark.

Now, I am starting on a road map of the shoes. With all the mesh of the shoe material, and the laces, it is quite complicated. I am also trying to come up with a drawing for a narrow street scene - my version of a landscape.

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!

The Evolution of Sludge ... or ... Why I Don't like Painting Landscapes

The reference photo was a lovely, brooding, foggy scene of Verona by the old Roman bridge. I have tried to maintain the misty look. I am using suitably subdued mixtures of aureolin, brown madder and indanthrone blue.

This is as far as I'll probably go with this painting. I could darken the bridge, and lift some spots to be more precise about the reflections but the latest pair of shoes is grabbing my attention.

Thank you for visiting. Your comments are always welcome!