Looking Forward to Monday ...

1st quick sketch

More depth

Loose washes, eyes and glasses masked 

Crawling along

Still crawling along

Mask removed, start eyes

   I finished the sketch about a week ago, put it on Arches 140 lb. CP, and started painting. If left to my own devices, I paint very slowly, using thin glazes; most of the time I get where I want to be but .... SLOWLY. I have just lately trained myself to always use the largest possible brush. So I am really looking forward to a portrait class offered by Lalita Hamill of the Federation of Canadian Artists. She is an absolutely delightful young woman, and a great artist. I took one of her classes years ago.

   There are a few things I am hoping to gain from the course. I would dearly love to create much more emotional depth in my painting. I would like to paint faster, and looser at times, be less tentative. And I would like to improve my compositional skills. I'm sure there's more, but those are the big ones.

  So I will leave you all for now, and probably post late Monday, after the class. I thank you for dropping by.

The Experiment Is Done ... "Backlit"

This is where I left off

Worked on the leaves with aureolin, quin. gold, quin. burnt orange and phthalo green [YS]

More leaf color, and some spots of new gamboge
7 x 6.5 in.

Original photo

   I think, as an experiment in technique, this small painting is a success; it gives me another tool to interpret light. As a painting, I think the background is somewhat too dark over all, but that is a matter of taste. As you know, all criticisms are welcome, so please do let me know what you feel about it.
   And now, on to more experimenting ...

OK, OK, It's Not Finished, but ....

MANY glazes of background later

  
   I have been an admirer of Jacqueline Gnott's work for as long as I've had a computer [about 3 years] She paints the most phenomenal watercolors and oils of flowers and still-lifes. As is my way, I try to figure out what is being done by studying a painting, and then experimenting. I think I finally have found a way to create the effect of light filtering through leaves. What do you think???

Bruno's Gardening Day ... or ... Yes, I Pamper My Horse

Munching at the top of the rise

Looking down to Bruno's paddock/ring & to field beyond

Standing by a spot where I grow lupines, lilies, irises, calendula and others

Really getting into his work

Some serious trimming at the fence-line

Taking a short, thoughtful break

   Brunz has had 3 or 4 days of good, solid work; our riding sessions have been short and sweet, [pretty much] and he has been attentive. As I like to say, he's been wearing his "listening ears"! So I thought a bit of grazing on the back lawn would be nice - the grass IS greener on the other side of the fence.  

Lenny's Cousin "Blu"

   I'd like to introduce another member of Lenny's family, Blu. Apparently the blue American lobster numbers one out of two million lobsters.

I started very wet, with aureolin, quin. burnt orange and a bit of quin.  pink.

I had to mask the entire form before I did another wet "drop in the pigment" wash of burnt orange,  quin. violet and a touch of indanthrone blue.

Masking off. Wet-in-wet with quin. pink [very thin] and cobalt blue.

More w/w with cobalt blue and indanthrone blue.

I did a bit of lifting to suggest light source form right, painted the antennae, did some detail work, and I think I will call it "Done".  The framable size is 11 x 9 in. or 27 x 23 cm.

... and Now for Something Completely Different ... Lenny

Loose blurps of aureolin and phthlalo blue

More blue, and some quin. siena

More of the earlier colors, plus some new gamboge
This is when I decided he needed a name.  

I think he looks so cute, in a lobster-ish sort of way!
11 x 9 in. / 28 x 23 cm.

   I really needed something very bright and different  to work on while I was finishing Carmella. I have NO idea why I decided on lobsters, but they are quite alien-looking [yes, I am a devoted science fiction fan] So I did a bit of research on the computer, found some good photos, and did a sketch. This particular lobster is an American yellow lobster - VERY rare, one in thirty million. 

   I have two more on the board to paint, and can hardly wait to let the paint fly! It feels great to get away form my usual controlled style of painting. I hope you like Lenny as much as I do. Let me know what you think!

Hmmm, I May Have Gotten Carried Away [or, don't paint when you're upset]

Washes of aureolin and quin. burnt orange/ I think I should have left it here

Washes of quin. burnt orange and alizarin crimson

Washes of quin. burnt orange and quin. violet

Wash of cobalt blue, to try to subdue some of the purple

   My emotions are showing; I'm upset about lack of work as a dental hygienist. As my sharpest critic [my aunt] always tells me "Don't paint when you're upset".

   Anyway, I'm committed to the darks. I may do another wash of cobalt blue, in the hopes of toning down the purples yet more. And I see that I must add some more depth and warmth to the dog. As always, comments and criticisms are welcome [including "fund-raising" ideas]

   Thank you for dropping by!!!