It's Not Perfect, But ...

Indian woman
8.5 x 9 inches

   As I say, it is not perfect, but I am pleased. I did the painting quickly and efficiently in one day. I did not religiously follow a photograph. It is much looser than my usual style. It was good to try something different. PLEASE feel free to criticize; that's the only way I will improve. Thank you.

So Far This Morning ...

LOVE the face

   So far today, I have NOT cleaned the chinchilla cage. I have NOT cleaned the cat litter box [one of my least favorite chores; I think I'd rather muck out a stall with my bare hands] But I HAVE been painting, as it is once again too wet to ride outside.
   I fell in love with a photo that a friend took while in India. The woman's face is so strong. And I am really trying to loosen my style of painting. I quite dislike how I have come to almost slavishly follow a photograph. Call me a perfectionist and a purist, but I cannot honestly, from my heart, accept such work as a fully creative piece of art. I know I may offend some people, and I am putting my derriere on the line, but so it goes.

Prelim. sketch

1st washes - cobalt blue, burnt orange & violet
Still wet

Building structure with my favorite color combinations

More refinement in glazes.
Quite a way to go yet.

   In this, I would thank Peggi Habets, whose portraits inspire me.

Just a Quickie ...

   A friend was over yesterday, showing photos of his recent tour in India. He works as a tour guide all over the world; next week he's off to Greece ... lucky hot-dog! His Indian pictures were fabulous, almost a visual overload; I can't imagine what it would be to experience the country for real. There were some very good shots of the most intriguing-looking people - you could see the strength in their faces, and the pain and joy in their eyes. I was quite taken by the photo at top, and have done a quick sketch. I think I'll try a painting of her as well.

A Feast for the Eyes [and Some Inspiration, Too]

   Like all artists, I am constantly seeking to improve my art. As a result, I frequently [as time permits] search the internet for "how-to's",  and other artists' sites. Very recently, upon googling "Asian watercolors", I discovered the work of Myoe Win Aung. He is an artist from Myanmar, born in 1972, and shows his work mostly in Rangoon and Singapore. [The Singapore Watercolor Society is also an interesting site] Unfortunately, I found no web site, so I have collected some of his work here to show you. Pleas let me know what you all think of his art.

A Brief Update

The BrunZ

At a suggestion from a "follower"

I had originally thought to do a study on white only. At the suggestion of a "follower", Nil Catalano, I added a soft and natural-looking background for a horse. I think it improves the overall appearance. I must admit to being a quite impatient person, and as a result, I do not take a painting to anywhere near its conclusion. I thank you, Nil, for your advice. And for my readers, a visit to Nil's blog is definitely time well spent. He creates the most wonderful sketches and beautiful, fluid watercolors! His site is www.nilcatalano.blogspot.com

I think this is as far as I will go with this.
Bruno: a study    7 x 7 inches

Great Weather ... GREAT Day!

Japonica in bloom, in front of the pond

The two willows at far side of pond

Bruno, enjoying a munch of fresh grass

My home-made covered kitty-litter box

Daffodils in full bloom

My dear land-lady, Pat, trying to get Buddy to "smile" for a photo

Bruno, on the lower back lawn, in front of riding ring and barn

Wild violets in bloom

I didn't even know I had "paper-whites" in my garden.
They have such a beautiful perfume.

Very odd-looking photo of Bruno reaching, mouth agape, to scratch himself. 

Fruit trees in blossom. As I was taking this, Bruno
was taste-testing lower branches 

Grande Finale - burning off the old, inedible hay

Fire Marshall Bruno

     FINALLY ... we are getting some spring-like weather here on the "Wet" coast. It wasn't a particularly cold winter, but SOOOOO long.

   With the bright, almost-warm weather, I got a lot done the last two days. From the top of the page downwards ... I made a covered litter box for Miss Pumpkin, who is most zealous when she uses the facilities. I took one of the plastic storage bins from the barn, cleaned it up, and, after measuring Pumpkin, cut an opening in one of the narrow ends. She loves it, and I don't have litter and other bits all over the bathroom.

   I took some photos of Buddy, in an attempt to get some references for a portrait. Pat [owner] adores him, and he worships her, so I'd very much like to do a painting that reflects that love.

   I rode the lad. It had been over three months, what between wet, soggy conditions, and me getting over a few infirmities. But yesterday, my trainer/friend, Rhonda,  came over to help. She suggested I use my old dressage saddle with a fleece half-pad underneath. It seemed to fit and work well, [Bruno will let us know if he finds it uncomfortable over time] and I was very happy to be using that saddle. I've been riding him with an equitation saddle, and when one is used to a dressage saddle, it's like riding with no saddle. The dressage one is like a big, comfy easy-chair. And Bruno went very well, much more attentive and willing to communicate. I think he's liking his role as a saddle horse.

   At the end of the day, I decided to finish off burning the old inedible hay. Here in the country, one is allowed to purchase a burning permit, valid for a month. This is done in April and September, when it is still quite wet, and there is no chance of a fire spreading out of control. So at 8 PM, I started cleaning out one of the hay storage areas, and hauling the old hay out to burn. I finally finished around 11 PM, and under the watchful eye of Fire Marshall Bruno, I made sure the fire was out.

      

Welcome to Venus - Ray Bradbury style

The BrunZ

Placed shadows 1st, then my fave animal colors - quin. burnt orange, and quin. violet

Keep building up with same pigments

Almost looking like a horse

More modelling

I just added the mane/forelock.
Looks like it needs more depth

Some quick sketches I did from photos on a friend's site
Peter, these are your birds. I tried for over an hour to find out what that big-footed bird is - I still don't know.

   I have only done a bit of playing around with pencil and brush today. The study of Bruno is on a 9 x 10.5 inch piece of Arches 140 lb. CP. I wanted to try putting down the dark cast shadows first, and then work the painting from there. It seemed to do well, but I felt very constricted working on something that small. I don't think I would make a very good "daily painter".
   The birds are based on photos from a friend's blog. He was out in "his" park the other day, where there is actually spring weather happening, and took some great photos.
   That brings me to Ray Bradbury and Venus. He wrote a superb book, "The Illustrated Man" [which was also made into a credible movie] The book was comprised of several short stories based on the tattoos on a man's body. One of the tales was about three  astronauts  trapped on Venus. This Venus had a breathable atmosphere, but it was CONSTANTLY raining so heavily that if you were outside without protective gear, you would more than likely go mad. OK, weird and extreme. [I loved it; I lived on science fiction when I was younger] To make a long story even longer, our weather here on the "Wet Coast"  definitely reminds me of that story.
   Cheers! And I hope you are having better weather wherever you are. Thank you for dropping by!!!