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                                                                      Golden Girl                                                                          9"x12"                                                                          Pastel In 2011 I joined a drawing challenge group, one that I have participated in on and off over the years.  I started because I thought it would:  1)  help  make me be more productive, 2) make me try to paint subjects I wouldn't normally gravitate to, 3) help me meet other artists, and 4) enjoy seeing others interpret the same picture.  Lela has stayed constant in her monthly posting of super subject matter and artists have come and gone but you can follow definite growth patterns as confidence grows in this group.  I was thinking about participating again in this challenge and when I saw that for May Lela has posted a picture of Mimi, her sister, I just couldn't refuse.  Also I needed a break from the battle I am having with ano

                                                                         Timeless                                                                             2'x3'                                                                          Acrylic Timeless is the largest picture on canvas that I have done.  It seemed like it has taken timeless hours to complete but I think it is finally done except for the sides.  That however isn't the inspiration for the title.   Always when I am at the beach I am struck by  the waves that come in with such consistency and rhythm, they go on 24/7 so I thought it would be an appropriate title.   Many thanks to Margaret Battye at PMP for the use of this gorgeous shot. I have been working on this for a couple of weeks now and always at the end it is hard not to get impatient.  Firsts for this picture was:  1) working on canvas, might I say a BIG canvas (initially all that white was intimidating),   2) used the new interactive acrylics (t

                                                                           M&Ms                                                                      9"x12" Acrylic                                                                     Birchwood Panel Figured I would start the week off with a sweet treat offering and am glad I had a reference picture or I would have eaten the props!! This was one of my last week projects that I finally got to the "I'm finished stage"  I have been working on two pictures changing off each day while I let the other one percolate in my mind.  The other is quite a large picture as well so it is taking it's time.  This experiment is acrylic on a birchwood panel support and also an experiment in trying to create glass.  I met an artist on one of the 30 day challenges who did such beautiful animals on the wood that I wanted to give it a shot.  I really like how the grain of the wood shows through. I did learn however that

                                                                              Serenity                                                                               12"x16"                                                                      Pastel/Copper Leaf Today is Friday and I wanted to have a play day.  Thought I needed a breather after finishing Hang 10 and before starting on another water seascape.  Actually thought I would work on them both together, but started with my trusty pastel and just kept on until complete.  This is one of the ladies in a Japanese magazine photo shoot from Judith Jay Jearms of PMP.  She has several shots that I have already used as I have been drawn to the colorful kimonos.  Actually started out thinking I would take this head pose and put it on another shot of her full-length body shot as I really liked the curve of her neck and the way she is holding the fan.  But then decided to do a close crop and add some copper leaf to the picture

                                                                          Hang 10                                                                           14"x11"                                                                           Acrylic Well this should sit for a while so I can mull it over, but am thinking it's pretty much done.  I could drib and dab forever trying to get this water more structured.  But right now think I am pretty happy with it as a first effort.  Although I didn't end up with a hard and fast water technique - just sort of ended up going with the flow of the moment - am really glad about glazing.   I think there will be many more water pictures in my future as they are really quite intriguing.  It really is all about pattern and tone placement.  I am actually glad I did a color chart for this picture and am going to try to incorporate it going forward.  Will title, date and save for use in other pictures.  (Does this smack of organizat

Well I am slowly progressing on this wave picture.  Finally came up with a name for it, maybe have to look up surfing terms.  Can anyone suggest something better? Anyway there is sure a lot of color in this wave and it is so churned up that it is difficult to not have it all dots.  Guess I should have been doing this in a pointillism format. As you can see I was finally smart on this picture in that I put together a color chart the first day I started working on it so when I pick it up now I can mix the same colors - or close.  I read all these great things on setting up the picture but can't seem to make myself consistently put it into effect as the pros do.  I still have a lot of the base work to do on the left-hand side and then I really do need to see if I can put some type of structure into the right-hand corner. I definitely wanted the wave to break the horizon plane and it is going to do that with all the froth and water droplets. Thanks for stopping by and hope yo

Well this week has found me in the midst of a couple of pictures with nothing completed.  Top one is as I have recently heard called a "Frankenstein" since it is a composite of several pictures.  With Friendly Advice I am going down the fairy route again and utilizing lots of layers and techniques to try to get the background filled but not distracting.  It is a continuation of my series of story telling where I present the elements and you figure out the story.   As you can tell there is still a lot of work to be done on this picture and many more layers to come. As you can see I can't stay on just one so yesterday I started a new water picture.  The title of the photographer, pixelbloke( I just did his portrait as Marlboro Man), was "Bet you can't you do this"?  So I took the challenge and said can I actually do this water/wave picture and make it believable.  Of course I couldn't start out with anything simple, NOOOOOOO.  As I have read and hear