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Not exactly sure why, but this horse is tiny, 4"3.5".  So it was a bit of a challenge to get some of the features in - but boy this guy had some ears and I got all of them I guess.  Anyway the background is pan pastels - oh I just love them for the even backgrounds and smooth gradations.  It did take an additional layer though at the end to add a bit more depth to the color and also clean up the edges of the horse.  Most of the horse is done with pastel pencil and the bridle is done with color pencil so I could get a bit more control. Since today is the day that we did all the parades (yes I was doing this on 1/2, I always try to be ahead any more then  I can miss and still post if needed)  I just wasn't in the mood to do anything this morning, but I persevered and so do have another day in the bag for when I want a break or to be lazy farther into the challenge. Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look, much appreciated.

                                                           Red-Throated Conure                                                                          4"x4"                                                               Color Pencil/Pastel Well I am a firm believer that you just got to try it.  And conveniently that is what is great about doing the 30 paintings in 30 day challenge - you stretch, you can experiment and win or goof and not feel too bad about it.  When I write my memoirs, when ...

                                                            Metamorphosis - Avery                                                                     24"x19"                                                                      Pastel Avery is the daughter of a friend of mine.  Many thanks to Carey and her friend, the photographer who took several wonderful shots of Avery.  Carey was kind enough to allow me to try to capture her.  I changed up the photo a bit by reversing the image...

Today is a tree study as I work on the other larger paintings.  I don't know why but I seems fixed on winter scenes.  Since I am trying to improve my landscapes it seemed right that I should study the anatomy of trees.  Right now I am getting them without the leaves, and that will be the next step to do believable leaves without doing individual leaves. Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

                                                                 Motherly Love                                                                       9"x12"                              ...

                                                                                                         Bella - The Second Time Around                                                                          Pastel     ...

                                                              The Venetian Violinist                                                                          9"x12"                            ...

Well here is today's update on my hawk which is slowly coming along because I have been watching golf on tv and reading a Jefferson Bass book.  I keep adding more layers of pencil and frankly am amazed that the mat board just continues to take them.  When I think the feather work gets too dark I hit it with a bit of white pastel and work it all over again.  Since this one is being a bit tedious for me I as I often do in these slumps I start to read and study a lot and look at other people's work and techniques (thank God for WetCanvas).  Also I am finally getting into the summer time routine, porch in the morning (getting lesser each day) and then board yourself up in the afternoon as it is HOT HOT HOT. So reading about I get all these new ideas and start to try other techniques and just had to start a wolf head portrait piece that I already did in oil, but am now going to try to do it in acrylic.  I will try to work on that a bit more tomorrow hoping to fin...

Normally I am not the biggest fan of backgrounds, but felt that I needed to get this one in so I could overlap the feather work where needed and also get some more color in to judge the color of the hawk itself.  Once I got it in I got excited as I felt it start to snap a bit and pull together outlining where I think I am going. So before I mowed the grass I got that background in fairly quickly, using five shades of pastel.  And then, because I didn't melt at 94 degrees, this afternoon I started to work under the beak and finished around the eye.  I will now work from left to right trying to protect and not disturb that pastel.  I might get brave and try to fix it since I am not really concerned that I keep the actual colors (if it changes it darker I don't think that would be a problem).    I know the mat board won't take many more layers and I will probably need hit it again to keep it from getting that flat look.  So a light spray of workable ...

I am working this Orang on 9"x12" sanded paper and doing him in pastels.  Still working on Mike the LSU mascot trying to get him finished up this week.  This Mike is taking longer because his reference shot was in the shade and he is sitting in shrubs, so I have to find other reference pics to rebuild his back haunch and his huge paws. This subject, Orangutans, is one that Paul and I have many pictures of because the National Zoo in Washingon has a large group of Orangs.  They are such unusually colored, strangely proportioned and quite unique animals, very humanoid, again being threatened with extinction in the wild.  On the ground they walk upright but their proportions look so odd, however, get them in the trees or air and their long arms make them quite graceful and they put on quite a show as they cross the walk - natural entertainers.  The Zoo has built an Orang walk that is 4-5 stories high above the sidewalk, built of cables, and goes between two bui...

Here is a just fun piece, wanted to just let loose today and do a pastel as I have been spending so much time working on learning oil.  Just get dusty!! So here is Long Way Down, 9"x12", pastel, on terracotta color sanded paper.  I saw on PMP an artist who used a similar vivid background around a cow and it gave me the idea to try this - really added a bunch of life to the subject and drew your eye.  I wanted to make you feel the hot African day.  When we were at the Birmingham zoo I took a photo of a baby giraffe who was bending down like this, never thought about how difficult and creative they have to be to just get a drink.  I am using a couple of additional reference photos from PMP, Kathryn Hansen has the best spot work photo.  The big challenges in this piece will be getting the intricate pattern on the coat and also trying to get the glaze of the water in the mud - plus I wanted to see if that "red hot" sky could work.  I am thinking this...