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Morning Buck 16"x20" Canvas Acrylic Had this one in waiting, partially completed, either thought it was too hard or just lost interest partially through.  In an effort to complete the partially complete paintings just sitting around, here is my final version of a Buck in the morning light.  As is usual there are things I like and much I don't, but will continue on to see if I can keep being involved at a high level throughout the whole picture.  Feel free to tell me what you like and what needs to improve as your comments are important to me.

Wishing all my followers and any who pass through this site a very Merry Christmas with your family and friends and a Healthy, Happy New Year 2012! I hope we can continue our journey during the next year and paint paint paint - wouldn't that make the world a better place. PS - thank you Renate for the idea of posting a card.

Bookworm 9"x12" Collage, marker, colored pencil Ok wanted to do something fun and lighthearted. So here is my bookworm.  Both the apple and bookworm are marker base with color pencil overlay then buffed the apple with chamois which gave it a nice shine.  Cut them out of bristol board and mounted on another board with collage page from magazine.

Broken Heart Size: 9"x12" Media:  Acrylic on paper This is my rendition for the PADT challenge.  Everyone who participated saw this as a very sad painting.  I changed the color of the rose to red to bring love more into play.  Enjoyed doing this but already see things I don't like about it - ah well NOT going to redo but move on.  Some times I think the paintings look better in pictures I post, but this time I like the original version the best.  Am glad I got myself back into the challenge and need to continue to do it as I learn something from each picture. In the night I dreamed a new picture again trying something new so will see if I can bring it to the paper.  A step into trying to create something from scratch rather than use other photos as inspiration.  If successful may be next week's post.

ACEO #2 - Elephant Size 2.5"x3.5" (Mini) Medium: Marker w/graphite Here is my second tiny picture.  This is one of my first experiments of putting down art marker to lay in the base color and then doing graphite work on top of it.  You probably recognize this picture from the larger version.  This mini, of course much smaller, came together very fast because of the memory of putting the larger piece together.  I was happy with this and am going to continue to work in this small format because it is quite a challenge to put together something in so small a space.  Also, the real reason is if I don't like it I haven't put a lot of time into it.  Second real reason is I can work on this at night after work and sit in my easy chair.

Media:  Graphite on paper Size 11"x6" Well it is back to drawing basics here and thought I'd try to capture the rough texture and wrinkled skin of this elephant.  Going to work with graphite and characoal for a bit and try some different techniques that might translate into my pastel work.  Also think I'll try to work with graphite glazed with marker or colored pencil and see if I can get that soft color without getting muddy.

Title:  NOSEY Medium: Acrylic Size:  9"x12" Well, wanted to start to stretch my imagination and work on composition and design, not just replicate the image someone else took.  So browsed a bit on Paint my Photo and made this nosey duo above from two different cow photos and then fenced them in with a rock wall so we wouldn't have to look at their knobby knees. Looks different here than in real life (don't see that all green).  Learned some things as well about rocks, worked with shades of green but need to learn to accept more contrast in real life to get it on the photo.  Like the modeling on the cows and wanted to make it appear that the cow on the left was leaning forward and reaching their nose out to you, while the other is aware but not quite as nosey.  It was a risk putting the solid horizontal wall in front but think it doesn't block you out and that your eye still moves about the picture. Still trying to wor...

Acrylic:  9"x12" on paper This is the result of a new challenge group, Paint My Picture.  This was a good challenge, fun, but making you think as you could only use two colors and black and white.  Being me, I never would have set up to do something like this, so this really hits my buttons on why I wanted to do challenges.  I used burnt sienna and yellow ochre as my two main colors plus the white and black (might have cheated a bit as I don't have black on my pallet and create it out of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue).  Happy with the result of different values, not so happy with the perspective, definitely something I have to address. Thanks to Renate who found this challenge first and seeing her picture made me want to go for it. Already have learned some things just reading their blog and the photo references are spectacular.  More good things to come from this connection I am sure.

Size:  9"x12" Media:  Acrylic on paper Well this is September's Draw and Paint Together challenege and it was a challenge.  About half way through I knew I couldn't get the grain and had the shadows too dark and just didn't like what was coming.  But kept seeing the postings from the group members and how great they were and knew you don't learn anything by quitting a painting. So guts it rhough and while not exatly what I was looking for, got this one in before we leave for a week in the mountains.  Vacation and 25th wedding anniversay!!!

This is from Virtual Paintout Challenge, August, in Fairbanks, Alaska, on Highway 6, view off of a bridge down the river's bend.  What drew me to this was the mountain and the water together, my absolute favorites, and trying to make the gravel banks and shallow water.   Not sure I achieved this picture but it was worth the try.

Well it's been about a month since I strated implementing steps in my art plan to grow, improve and produce consistently.  Who knew there was such a whole world of passionate folks doing what I love. I want to thank those special people who have reached and out participated in my journey:  Terri, Alexander, Renate, Viviane, Nancy, Margarite, and Mary - you are much appreciated.   Each of you have taken your time and shown interest in what I am doing, provided feedback, support and comments.  I am learning so much already from each of you and am impressed with your fearless creativity (may I get some of that) and ability to produce so many paintings in such a short time. I look forward to getting to know you all better, enjoying your art and watching you grow for a long time to come.

Size 11"x14" Media:  Pencil on paper On vacation and sitting on the porch and decided to try this portrait.  This is off drawspace.com and gets me back into portraits.  Took quite a few hours to build it up but am happy with the results.  Paulie likes it too!!!!

Challenge:  Paint and Draw Together Media:   Arylic on Paper Size:  9"x12" Loved the drama of this piece and all the textures.  Trying to make those peaches look fuzzy and the pot ceramic.  Lela came up with quite the challenge this month.  Love the different interplay of colors.

Media:  Pastel Size:  16"x20

Media:  Pencil Size:  9"x12" This was my first submission for idrawandpaint challenge.

Size:  9"x12" Media:  Acrylic This is my first challenge entry and posting.  Into a new world.  Since most of my paintings have been in pastel I wanted to work with brushes and paint. 

This is a study of an Egret getting his morning breakfast