Hmmmmm ... This Is Going to Take Longer than I Thought ...

I have mapped out the shadows and colors for the blue parrot ...

... and have started the black parrot, to get an idea of how dark I must go ...

Ack!!! I don't know why this image has come out so light!
However, seeing the darks of the black parrot, I know I will have to get more intense with colors on the lighter, blue tulip.
I am painting both tulips using w/w washes, dropping in colors to the water. For the blue parrot tulip, I am painting with mixtures of aureolin [very little], quin. pink and cobalt blue. On the bottom shaded petal, I have glazed with alizarin crimson, then indanthrone blue. For the black tulip, I am using alizarin crimson, quin. violet, and a mixture of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone for the black. The stamen in the middle is aureolin, quin. burnt orange and indanthrone. My plan is to use the violet for the petals in direct light [cooler] and crimson in the richer, darker areas. The black parrot will need a lot of glazing, and I find I am having to use an extremely delicate touch when adding the pigments.
That's it for life in tulip land. I am still working on the tug boat painting, and will post the final result. Now it's off to the land of horse ...

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!

EXOTICA: Parrot Tulips

It took me a while to decide on a format and composition for the tulips. My aunt had given me a frame to work with, and it offered a 15 x 9 inch window, so this is what I came up with. The top tulip is a Black Parrot, and the bottom is a Blue Parrot. I may call it "Parrots: Black and Blue" 

I completely masked the flowers, and started the washes - first a thin aureolin to tone down the eventual violet , then several quin. pink washes  ...

... gradated wash of phthalo blue ....

... and on and on, switching to alizarin crimson in lieu of the pink, to get more depth and darkness.

I finally have the background as dark as I want, though it would have been better if I could have achieved more of a difference between top and bottom.
I have just started the lower, lighter tulip today. So far, I am using a touch of aureolin, with quin. pink and cobalt blue, making the mixture warmer or cooler by adding cobalt blue to the lavender.
Drove into to Vancouver yesterday. Met one of my sisters at her house, and then we drove to Granville Island to drop off three paintings that were adjudicated into a show at the Federation of Canadian Artists, and did some quick shopping at the Farmers Market.  I am planning to enter several shows this year, hopefully to achieve my AFCA status. [Right now I am only an active member.]
Then we drove to the hospital to visit my aunt, who has been in there for a week.

I thank you for dropping by, and welcome your comments!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ... and AHOY, Welcome Aboard the Seaspan Pat

Here she is so far, the "Seaspan Pat". Seaspan is the company that runs a lot of the tugs in B.C. , so I thought it an appropriate name for a painting of tugs cruising the fog along the B.C. coast. And Pat is my friend's name. We both fell in love with a seascape painting last summer, and I promised to do one for her. I THINK I've finished the background and the foreground water, but I will reserve the right to touch up. :) I'll just have to see what it looks like after the tugs are finished.

This is my sister's card finished. She is coming out for a visit today, so I can give it to her then.

Well, all the seasonal madness [my view of this time of year] is over, and we all can start afresh in this New Year. For some reason, I feel quite hopeful and excited about the coming year. Maybe it was the riding lesson I had yesterday, nudging Bruno out of his state of mental and physical inactivity. Horses tend to get a bit lazy and inattentive when not exercised regularly and properly. I got the sense he was telling me "Kath, why don't we just stand around here, and you feed me lots of carrots and apples." Ummm ... NO!
Anyway, I thought I would quickly post this before heading down to the barn to play with the lad.
I wish you all the very best this coming year - a year of Joy and Peace and Creativity!!!

Back to Painting What I LOVE

FUN in the snow

All the family dogs had a good Christmas, too

Sketch I am getting ready for one of my sister's birthday - Denise, the Boxer lover
Her birthday is Dec. 30.

First washes of a new painting I have started - tug boats on the foggy B.C. coast.
Started with some cobalt blue, and w/w washes of grey. 

After several more washes, I finally have the mask off, and have started the tugs.

Well, it's been a month of changes - all good. My winter/pre-Christmas gloom lifted around mid-December. I swear I notice the days getting longer already, and I am noticing buds opening!!! I decided to leave the cooperative gallery. I had initially thought to give the enterprise six months, till Christmas. Time came up, and I was not happy there [for several reasons]. It must be the right decision for me because I feel great! I entered three paintings in one of the Federation of Canadian Artists juried shows, and all three were accepted. And I had a wonderful Christmas Day with my family.
It is teeming rain today - back to normal Vancouver winter weather, and even that is welcome. I'll pack up Twilight [the dog I am sitting for a friend] and head into Vancouver to pick up my things from the gallery, and do some family visiting.

Thank you for dropping by!

Christmas Cards and a Lovely Dog Rescue Story

I haven't started anything new for a while, after finishing the dog portrait. She will be delivered this week, in time for Christmas.

The owner told me the story of how they got her. The story brought tears to my eyes. Her son works for a local rehabilitation program. The pup was well cared for, and had been living in a homeless man's back-pack. The man wanted to enter a drug rehabilitation program, but no dogs were permitted in the rehab. house. So the son asked his parents [the artist I know] if they could keep her for a while. They brought her home, and she instantly wandered over to the husband, and leaned into his leg for support and comfort. The two have been inseparable since then.

Roxie, finished! If I touch this any more, I will ruin it. :)

Thank you for dropping by!!! Your comments are always welcome. 

Miss Roxie

Since the last post, I added some more shadow to her face ...

 ... then darkened the entire background with a thin black mixture, to make her stand out. I found I had to glaze her all over several times with the quin. burnt orange to get the proper depth to her coat. And then I worked on the details of her face. All that is left is to show her to her owner for approval.

If you or any one you know would love a portrait of their pet, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for dropping by, and all your comments are most welcome! 

Roxie Is Off and Running ... but ... She May Be Walking Soon ...

Another drawing/pose I did

Background was painted w/w with aureolin and quin. burnt orange

Then I got into some scrumbling with the orange, and mixtures of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone.
I used all those same colors for her as well.

I added more shadowing with a dark brown mixture applied thinly, and  I will continue that way till I achieve the proper depth.

When I started this portrait, I thought it would hum along smoothly. But I am finding that getting the correct colors for shadows is a bit difficult. Still, I hope to finish this week, and that Roxie's mom likes it. She is more of a cool/blue type of person. I'm the one who likes warm. But I think the dog demanded warm colors, so ...

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome.