Bun Done and Horse to Go ...

Smokey is done.  I wanted to get him finished to take to Laara at work tomorrow.

Poor Maddy looks like she has some weird skin condition, but her form is starting to come through.

I Am in FULL Nit-picking Mode ...

Madelaine, waiting for her time in the ring
She did exceptionally well last summer at some big shows.

Reference photo

Started another one last night, leaving background white

Slowly and carefully adding glazes here and there


When I looked at the painting this morning, I thought, "HAH ... a piece of cake!" Now, not so cakey. I thought to go in, and just flood colors in, but we all know that doesn't happen in real life. RATS! I know I am finding it slow and a bit frustrating because I keep getting up to diddle on the computer. WHAT did we do before computers?????

Note to Self ...

I HAD to post this - it completely cracked me up when I saw it!!!!

Himself and me.
The first note to self today was to buy a new riding bra. There is nothing worse for a rider than cruising along at a beautiful, even pace - the horse is giving his all - and your bra strap has decided to migrate south! 

Herself - Miss Maddy

First washes of aureolin and quin. burnt orange

A glaze of cobalt blue, to tone down the previous washes 

Getting into the quin. violet and more quin. burnt orange
The paint was flying at this point, and I managed to get a fine spray of burnt orange on her face. Considering that will be one of my primary colors on her face, I don't think it will be noticeable. The second note to self is to buy some good masking fluid, and try using masking film!

More quin. violet, and indanthrone blue.
I am not sure if I haven't gone too dark and too brown. I may start again, and leave the background white.
As ever, please feel free to leave comments!

Before I Hit the Proverbial Sack ...

I think the was the last version posted ... 

I've done a lot of darkening. It still needs a bit more, as well as some judicious lifting in the fur.

A new sketch I am working on, of a beautiful mare called "Madelaine".
And yes, I am very keen to paint her!

Unbelievably, the dwarf sweet peas are still valiantly blooming!
I took this photo this morning.



 

The Tale of the Haunting Bunny ... the One Haunting Me!

Cute rabbit reference photo

Reasonable sketch

Light glazes on B., using cobalt blue
I used staining colors for background , and it looked much too intense, so I scrubbed with sponge to lighten

Darkening B., using aureolin, quin. pink and indanthrone blue

Re-working background, using viridian [I've never used it before]
I am hoping it tones things down, and adds a more gentle green

Viridian worked well, I think.
Added some shadow around B. and leaves.

I've got a light glaze of the darker grey on his face, and I am starting to think there may be hope for the rabbit.


I am being haunted by the ghost of Smokey. He was a friend's pet for years, and for her birthday [in May] I thought I would paint Smokey. The only photos she could find were less than helpful, so I found some reference photos, and set out from there. The first attempt was OK, but Laara said he was darker. When I glazed to darken, I lost all definition; it looked like a grey Schmoo. For those of you who are younger, there once was a cartoon called L'il Abner. One of the characters, actually there were tons of them, was called a schmoo. Essentially, they were little, slightly elongated blobs, with faces. [My sister has a schmoo; she insists it is a pug]
I really like to be able to do a good job in whatever I do, so I am finding myself somewhat frustrated by this painting, hence the HAUNTING!
As always, please feel free to leave any comments! [back to the schmoo] 

Fun with Fungi ... or ... the Mushrooms Are Done

I think I left off here ...

More detail, and glazing overall

More of the same

Added some shadows to the mushrooms, as they were looking very flat.

Next project


I think the mushrooms are all right. They don't thrill me to bits, but I would certainly like to do more of that runny wash with staining colors. It's a bit difficult, as they run so quickly, but the effect is so beautiful. Next time, I'll use masking fluid, and do several washes to get more depth.
The bottom sketch is what I am working on now. I wasn't pleased with the last one; it lost too much detail in the fur with the last glaze. It just was not a happy bunny!
As always, feel free to leave comments - I love them!









  

I Thought Mushrooms Would Be Easy ...

A photo I took while out walking recently

Working sketch

First [and scrapped] wash

Second time better

MANY more glazes on the shroomers


Initially, I was going to do a soft tree-ish background, but decided it would be too overwhelming for the simplicity of the mushrooms.  I did a very w/w wash of phthalo green mixed with quin. burnt orange, and added drops of aureolin. It was a bit hard to "control", but I think it turned out. The rest of the painting is, and will continue to be,  very thin glazes softened to almost nothing.  I lost all track of time this evening, so this is it for tonight. As ALWAYS, please leave a note if you have a question or comment.