Works-in-Progress - Sunflowers, and Bruno's Dental Appointment ... a Very Mixed Bag!

First gradated washes on this painting - aureolin and quin. burnt orange ...

... followed by many more gradated washes of quin. burnt orange mixed with phthalo green [blue shade]. For some reason [a different paper, an unusual paint mixture?] I had some trouble getting the really smooth washes I like. I finally resorted to spraying the paper with water, not applying water with brush, and then applying the pigment very gently.

This is an earlier stage of the painting. You can see some of the streakiness here, as well as the faint imprint of  a leatherjacket bug. NO BUGS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS PAINTING!!! I gently coaxed it off, and took it outside. My work area is a small alcove in my bedroom, and as I almost always have the window open at this time of year, the bugs are everywhere in the painting area. 

This is the other sunflower painting. I am at this point right now - working on the flower, and soon, the leaves.
The background is primarily a mixture of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone. The flower is aureolin, with shadows of quin. sienna and cobalt blue.

Here we are waiting for the vet. Looks like he just arrived, judging from Bruno's ears cocked back to listen.

My vet used much less tranquillizer this time. I was really impressed with Bruno's behaviour. You can see in this and the photo below, his eyes are completely calm. If anything, he is concerned only that I get his good side in the photo!!!

It looks a bit like bondage or something, but the halters and braces holding his head steady are comfortable, almost loose. And of course, the metal bracket in Bruno's mouth keeps his jaws apart, and the soft tissues of the oral cavity out of harm's way, so the vet can readily access the molars at the back. Just some odd info - horses have six molars in each quadrant of the mouth; we humans have two in each quadrant [or three, if you have wisdom teeth]. 

I took these next few shots today, after I rode the lad.
He is quietly enjoying some hay, while the "garden gnomes" and I are out in the field area watering the vegetable garden, and doing a few other chores.

Here's Scruffy, with her partially-done home hair-cut. I work on her bit by bit, as she is not a patient girl.

And here's Maggie, looking for excitement. She is turning out to be such a bright and loving dog.

So that's life for now, on our little rented piece of Heaven.
Thank you for dropping by!

Finishing What I Started ...

Reference

There are a lot of "mistakes" in this one that I can't repair, but I've taken it to a decent conclusion.

I was going to leave this here, but glancing at it before I went to work yesterday, I thought to myself - there is no pattern, cohesion - try playing with the shadows. 

So I did ...

... and also glazed some of the leaves.

I have a habit, and I'm sure we all do this to varying degrees, of starting a new project with great enthusiasm, and then getting bogged down in frustration and disgust. I appreciate that my painting is technically OK, but often lacks a sense of unity and completion. That must be my impatient side! I'd also like very much to bring a bit more 'meaning' and emotional depth  into my work. This should keep me busy for a few years. :)

As always, your comments are most welcome!