S ... L ... O ... W ...

I can hardly see ant difference, but I have been putting some shading on the leaf tips in purple. I suppose it is hard to see, when I've been using a brush the size of 5 eyelashes!!!

When I'd reached my limit with the above painting, I moved to the hibiscus, and worked on the leaves.

As always, please feel free to leave comments or questions.

I am off to Vancouver this evening. My handsome, brilliant, wonderful [do I sound biased?] nephew, Julian, is turning 18 today.

Slowly .... Steadily ... Creeping On ...

This is generally where I am heading ...

Format size is about 10 x 12 inches.
I have almost all of the local leaf color down; now the FUN part.


This is going to be a long, slow haul. Almost of the painting is being  done w/w, using small to tiny brushes. It does make a difference to the quality of depth and the 3-D effect, so I will continue with it.

The Perfectionist Strikes Again ... or Once More with the Aeonium

To cover up the wubbles and lack of sizing, I had to go very dark, and didn't like it. So ... 

I started again. I masked all the leaves, and started glazing the background.

... and glazing

... and more glazing

... and yet more glazing, till I was satisfied I had a rich and noticeably-graded background.

I started the foliage last night [a midnight oil-burner]

And I am still getting the colors down on all the leaves.
I am sure they will need at least 2 more glazes.

I Hope I Am Learning from My Mistakes, because I Am Making a LOT of Them!

Nice subject - I was having fun, puddling in w/w.

Still having wet fun, but the reds may be too dark, too fast.

More work on the leaves.

Here's where it went wrong. I decided to mask all the leaves, and try to get a graded wash of several hues.
The edges, after 2 -3 washes, started leaving oozy marks from the stapled areas, leaking onto the painting area. I tried a desperate rescue attempt. I used a large, flat, soft brush to remove all the background I had done. It was removed reasonably well, but so was the sizing! I tried [no choice, really] to go very dark, and I did, but I don't like it. I will try again, changing the format a bit, making it narrower, and apply the lesson learned - MASK FIRST.    

I tried several washes of alizarin crimson and phthalo blue, but , to my eye, it does not look at all appealing.
Back to the proverbial drawing board!

Still Cold ... Still Snowy ... Still Painting ...

The view outside my front door this morning

"Hens and Chicks"
A photo I took at Western Gardens 2 years ago

This should keep me busy for a while

Another one from Western Gardens

I may pay for not masking completely, with slightly uneven washes, but the background is going to be very dark, so I might be all right.


I really needed something  warm and summery to paint, and a break from working with all the blacks and darks in Buddy's portrait. So I dug into my photo library, and came out with 2 photos I took [of many] at a local nursery.
Ahhhh, I can feel the heat!!!
As always, please feel most welcome to leave a comment!

WHO TURNED OFF THE HEAT?!!!!!

I'm making sure the birds are well fed.

There's Bruno inside, having his hay.

The pond is frozen solid.

The lad is staying warm, with 2 padded blankets, and lots of hay.

I thought I'd try a painting of this, NOT that I like the snow, but the grasses do make an interesting and complex composition.

My favorite tree [yes, I have a favorite tree!] in the park.

Out for a quick walk with the dog. WOW, was it cold!!!


Our weather has suddenly become most un-Vancouver-like.  Out in the countryside, we've had temperatures down to -7C at night, and it feels much colder ... you know, the sort of cold that freezes the inside of your nose. And we've had a fair bit of snow over the past 3 days, about 8 inches. So that means no riding, just stuffing Bruno full of hay, and making sure he has warm water [carried from the house]. If horses do not have potable water, they could develop an impaction in the colon, colic, and possibly die - serious business!
All this means I am also getting on with Buddy's portrait. And I am going through my photo reference to find some flowers with HOT colors! 

I've finished "mapping" the colors of his face, and am starting in with the blacks. As always, all your comments are so very welcome!

The Ballade of Buddy ... or ... Buddy the VI

I really liked the head, especially the eyes and nose.
Pat, Buddy's owner, wanted a background, of which I made a supreme mess, so onto the next rendition. 

I started with the tan on his face, and then went into the shadows of his scarf. 

Got a "bit" too intense too soon ...

A "collage" of the good head on the bad painting, for color reference.

I am here now, working on ANOTHER version. To my eye, it seems to be going well.


The ballade of Buddy Graham continues. Stay tuned if you dare! And please feel free to leave  comments, questions, good jokes ...  I love to hear from you!!!