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                                                                               Wolf                                                                               9"x12"                                                                            Pan Pastel Well apparently it doesn't take much to keep me entertained.  We are in a really rainy pattern right now and that means I can take some time not in the...

                                                                     Hunter's Moon                                                                          14"x11"                                                                           Pastel This week's project is a combination of photos from PMP, so thank you to Rvanunen and Freda Austin Nichols.  I think I am going to try to do a series with the big moon as I have a couple more ideas of ...

                                                                         Gray Wolf      8"x10"     Acrylic  Well here is the final version of my gray wolf in acrylic, also included the first time I painted this in oil - which do you prefer?  I am still trying to figure out how to do the fur technique.  In this case this wolf is very salt and peppered black and white and I also wanted to get a feet for more individual hair but also create greater depth.  I am hoping that you see some improvement between the two.  Think I did these about 3 months apart.   ...

Well am continuing to work on the wolf and have gotten the head in pretty good shape I think.  I am happier with the coloring and only have under the left eye to finish up and then it will move on to finishing the body.   The hairs on the body are both medium short with longer tufting around the scruff of the neck.   It does seem easier to work over and in layers with the acrylic than it does with the water mixable oils, as they seem to get gummy.    I will be interested when I post them together if you can determine a different in the finish between the oils and acrylics. I have tried several application techniques on this piece and seem to end up doing a lot of dry brushing and then some glazing to get the colors and texture that I am looking for.   I am still using the #1 flat brush and a small filbert that I got for $1 at Cheap Joes in Boone, NC.  I bought all they had and wish they had a few more as I find them indispensable brushes -...

Well finally, we have had some rain (been in the doughnut hole with rain all around us, but none for us) so thankful as it has dropped the temperature and we don't have to water today.  Been almost 3 weeks in the mid 90's and with little or no rain and it has taken its toll on the garden and lawn.  We are right at peak for tiger day lillie blooms and they are turning yellow and had much fewer blooms this year due to lack of water.  Looks like at least a couple of days back to normal, high 80's.  So it is PORCH TIME!!!  Here is my progress on the wolf and as always I see things in this picture I don't see when I am working the piece.  So I see some things to soften and correct.  Yes, I am working this wolf slightly darker than the actual reference photo coloration as I want to do several wolves at night in my next picture "The Call" which is a sequel to "Heeding The Call".  I wish I could figure out a technique, but appears I am just repeating ...

Ok, here is the wolf, whose portrait I have already done in oil, and I am now trying to do in acrylic.  So many folks are doing such marvelous paintings with acrylic alone or in combination with other media that I thought I'd try again to see if I can get that individual hair look. I started with one liner brush and acrylic slower, then tried varnish and gloss medium to thin and liquefy the acrylic but didn't like the chopped off hair look.  So now I changed to a #1 flat bristle and am working dry brush in layers trying to get the variegated colors that comprise this wolf's coat.  He has a lot of areas that are variegated white and black, not gray, but individualized white and black flecked fur.  Not sure this is the best color photo but couldn't get outside as it is thundering, of course raining somewhere else, just not here.  But just shot this indoors and don't think it is all that good.  Lots more to do here and will keep working over it, that is the...

                                                                Heeding the Call                                                                       16"x20"                              ...

Well another rainy dreary day and then 5 whole days of sun - believe it when I see it.  But the good news is that it gives me the excuse to take a day off and play in the art room.  So am going to work on a couple of projects.  First is working some more on the wolves.  Got to tell you I am still not sure about why everyone goes gaga over the oil.  I guess it does give you the opportunity to smush it around and maybe get softer blends.  It definitely gives texture, but I think you could do that as well with the acrylic.  I guess I am going to try to do another animal piece but in acrylic and then make a comparison, might decide that oil is the absolute best thing. Does anyone notice anything that is a major problem?  I see something that I did wrong when I painted in the background and it is a major issue, especially for the front wolf. Thanks much for stopping by and have a great week.

These young wolves are from a beautiful reference shot by Angeline of PMP.   I am thinking of doing this in a larger version in two different ways.  I also have a shot of two other wolves that are howling and am thinking of putting them together in another picture where they would hang side by side.  And then, in an effort to continue to try to work larger, put all four of them together in one canvas. This is in the water mixable oils again, on canvasette paper, and between learning to work stiff, in layers and using Liquin I think I am finally developing a technique that is looser than my normal work.  Well since Spring has come got to go out now and do some garden work.  No rest for the wicked!!! Thanks much for stopping by and hope you are having a good start of the week.

Still working on my wolf.  I kind of reverted and got in some bolder strokes where the hair gets longer, on the body.  Put washes over the individual short hair work I had started with.  So am thinking that now I will go back in and selectively add more hair on top of the base in the face.  This will highlight or emphasize areas and should help to give more depth and dimension at least if you see it close up.  I did not use Liquin for the washes, but tried to use the thinner I am using and it really didn't get as thin a coat or as transparent as the Liquin does.  So learned in the future to stick with the Liquin if I don't want to totally obliterate the work below.  Thanks much for stopping by and hope you will have a wonderful weekend, TGIF!!

Am making progress on my wolf and he is slowly coming to life.  I am finding that I end up and add multiple layers to try to get the salt and pepper look of his fur.  I also haven't fully figured out the ratio of thinner to the oil to make it run but still leave opaque color, but think I am getting the rhythm of doing the fur and am kind of clustering it and then coming back in with a dark or light to break it up.  Boy thought glad I have a great reference photo as the fur really goes in all direction on this wolf - more so than I have encountered before with other furred animals. I am also making progress on my tiger and will show him below.  Because it is not a close crop on the face it is a bit more intricate and is taking just a bit longer, but I have also learned the valuable lesson to let oils dry, especially if you don't want them to blend - like black and white ending up in gray instead of crisp color.   Sorry we are in another rainy spell for d...

Well I am in hogs heaven because I have so many pictures going right now, and about to start another pencil drawing (going back to one of my first loves), that no matter what media or subject I want I have something to work on.   Well realize after I said that I better get something going in pastel. Again of all the animals I have done I haven't done a wolf and you certainly can't be a wildlife painter and not do one of these animals.  They are revered, hated, arbitrarily killed, vicious, great pack hunters, pack lovers and smart.  How can you not want to do this animal? I again am experimenting again in oil with trying to do another technique.  This method does the hair literally one by one.  You can see I have the base coat in and now I am going back and trying to layer in the fur.  Has taken me a couple of tries to figure it out.  Sara Stribbling and a couple of other artists make it look soooo simple - well NOT.  This is so funny, I...