So ... What Did I DO This Week???

... finished the Three Muses - I THINK. I'll leave them for a few days, and then take a critical look.

... am trying to hatch a robin's egg - don't know how successful I'll be using a hot water bottle

... for what it's worth, received my award for a painting

... groomed Bruno innumerable times ...

...I could stuff a pillow with what I have taken off this week ...

looking somewhat scruffy

...did a bit of work on the veggie garden

... left my lunge line and whip outside every time I used it

... cleaned out the flower gardens a bit

... and stopped to admire the tulip!
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Two Down and Three to Go - The Paper Mache Menagerie

This Dynamic Duo is DONE!

Awesome Possum

The texture of the dried paper mache sometimes works very much in one's favor. It worked like a charm creating the possum's shaggy coat.

Basset Hound

And, of course, sometimes the texture works against you when you are trying to do fine detail painting.

The lowly beginning of the possum ...

... and the Basset Hound.

I forced myself to sit down and work on the animals today. After painting with watercolors for the past few days, it feels like painting with sludge. However, two of the commissions are completed. I think I will tackle the owl next ...

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Making Fair Headway with My Feathered Friends ...

I spent most of my painting time today on the background.  My intention is to create something of a nebulous, mysterious foil for the Graces. 

 ... and still more scrumbling. I used a dark violet consisting of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone. 

This is where I am right now. I have gone back to the geese -  adding more color, detail and shadow.
... to be continued ...

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Gaggling Along with the Geese ... Feathers, Beaks and Orange Feet

I started with some feathering and shadows on the geese, using a mixture of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone. The feet I painted with quin. sienna. 

More work on the feathers, using a warmer version of the orange/violet/blue mix.

They are starting to look somewhat like geese. I have done more shadowing and feathering, and placed a thin wash of indanthrone on the bills. I wanted to get color on the birds/muses before I returned to the background. My thought is to have the geese appear to be emerging from darkened mists. We shall see ...
Meanwhile, I just heard a loud neigh from the paddock - His Highness wants to play!

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Just the Beginning ...

My reference photo, taken two years ago

The sketch

First wash - I painted a wet-in-wet wash over the entire paper, and then did some gentle lifting on the geese.

I would like to create a soft, nebulous background for this, so I am using three colors here - quin. burnt orange, permanent rose and cobalt blue - applying them in a scrumbled manner.

I have always enjoyed Greek mythology and ancient history, so I think this idea was simmering in my head before I realized it. I wanted to create more paintings of geese, so I was going through my reference photos, and this one leapt out at me, along with the title. I am calling it "The Three Muses". They are Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia, minor goddesses who celebrate the beauty, joy and richness of life.
To be continued ...

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Slowly but Surely with the Paper Mache

I did some painting last night and this morning on the possum and Basset hound. As with watercolor, they went through a very ugly stage, when the paint was flat and had no texture. But the more I work with the acrylics, alternating thinner and thicker glazes, the better they look. Being a fussy watercolor painter, I find the acrylics to be somewhat like painting with mud, but it's coming ... I'm learning ...

These two still need a lot of detail work and facial features, and the other three figures are waiting their turn. But, first, it is a GLORIOUS day, and I am going out to play with Bruno. :)

WHY?????

WHY does the cat insist on drinking water from the toilet and puddles outside??? She has fresh, clean water in her bowl daily.

Froggie - after several glazes with a plaster gesso, and an initial glaze of shriek yellow.

Owl - glazed with a red/yellow/blue mixture of acrylic.

Basset hound - first glaze

Mr. Przewalski 

and Awesome Possum

The paper mache figures have been much more work than I anticipated - fun, learning process, but a lot of work. They were all glazed several times, and sanded between glazes, with a home-made gesso consisting of plaster of Paris, white glue, water and vinegar. And now they have had a base- coat glaze with a heavy-body acrylic thinned with water. Next, the real painting begins. Here's hoping they look better when finished!!!

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