Keeping Busy

I'd love to dedicate a different room in my house to each medium I'm working in.  One would be my pastel studio.  One room would be dedicated to watercolor paints.  Another would be for my oils and all the supplies that go with it etc etc.  It sure would make life a bit easier than trying to do everything in one room.  I'm lucky to have a large L-shaped desk but rarely get to see the top of it.  I know the easy solution would be to only use one medium, two at the most but then which do I give up?

I've been commissioned to paint this sweet dog in the colorful, whimsical style that I've been doing but who can resist the chance to "practice" with my pan pastels first.

These are just a few of the paintings I've recently done. I am especially having fun with the colorful dogs which I've painted with watercolor onto  cradled, gessoed wood panels.  Often the varnishing process takes me as long to do as the painting has.

I admit I love painting faces!

I have to admit that although I can paint almost anything, I absolutely love painting faces.  This summer my goal is to do a painting every day.  Yes, I mean do the whole painting from start to finish. By not taking my time, it encourages me to just get down only what I need to say.  When I take more time, my brushes get smaller and I put in more and more detail and often I overwork my painting.  Not that detail is bad but I am attempting to stretch myself and, hopefully, in the process take my art to the next level.

Painting Dogs and Having a Ball!

Who knew that I'd enjoy painting dogs so much.  Our own dog crossed over early in 1993 and we never got another dog so getting to paint pet portraits is second to having a live dog in my studio.

In my opinion, a painting seems to bring the person or animal to life even more than a photograph does.  The paintings I've been doing lately have mostly been for people who's pet has passed on or is soon expected to so being able to do this for them really makes me feel good.

These are a few of my latest works.

Working with Three Primary Colors

Using a very limited palette of colors can be both challenging and rewarding.  Although expensive one can purchase almost every color under the sun but where is the fun in that?  If you are new to a medium, one way to see if you like it without a lot of cost involved is to choose a warm and cool of each of the primary colors.  Since I will be soon be offering some classes and workshops in watercolor, I chose Hansa Yellow, Red Rose Deep and Phthalo Blue as my cool primary colors and Arylide Yellow, Vermillion and Ultramarine Blue as my warm primary colors.  With this combination almost every other color can be mixed.  The first workshop, "Painting Faces - Animal or Human" will be held on January 18 and 19th at the Sun West Art Club in Sun City West.  Here are a few samples of paintings done with these colors.

I've learned a lot

I've learned a lot from doing this painting and have a long way to travel still.  To see my the beginning of this look back to my Jan 9 post "Today's Portrait in Progress."   I know as this sits in my art studio I'll see what changes still need to be made but for now, I think I'm done.  The light on the back of her head is just a reflection from my camera.  I hadn't realized that last week's pose was the end and today this model was in a different outfit and standing in totally different light so I guess that's a hint to just stop.  Ah - what will tomorrow bring?

Leaving the nest.

It was very hard for me to let some of my first paintings go to other homes.  Although most artists love seeing the red tag that marks a painting sold, it can also be like seeing your children grow up and leave the nest.  So much energy goes into a painting that there is a feeling of emptiness when they are sold or gifted to someone else.

Today I'm traveling down through memory lane recalling some of the paintings that are now in new homes.  Some have recently left and others have been gone for a while.  What helps ease the pain of separation is knowing these paintings are hopefully bringing others happiness.

Here are just some of my "children" that have left the nest.

Wait Before Posting

I am going to put a sign on my easel that reminds me to wait before I post a painting.  Two days ago I posted three paintings that I had just done of dogs.  My usual practice is to put paintings up on easels and sit with them awhile before I consider them finished.  I didn't do much of that with these three paintings.  Wouldn't you know it, I looked at the Trooper painting and realized that it not only looked flat in the photo, it looked flat in person, too.  So up onto the easel it went.

This is always a scary prospect but I figure "nothing ventured - nothing gained."  I started slapping new paint on the board.  A little ways into it I tried to avoid hitting the panic button thinking I had ruined it.  Oh no, I had already sent a photo of the painting to my brother and family and they loved it.  WHAT WAS I DOING??

Trooper

oil on panel 16x12

I've spent all day fiddling and I think it is an improvement over the original.  I think the first looked like a photo that had paint on it and this version looks more like a painting.  What do you think?  Much of a difference?

Since I didn't get to paint yesterday I decided to double up today.  Actually I couldn't wait to get started on my next painting.  After seeing the paintings I did for my brother and sister, Sara asked if she could commission me to paint Helen, her wonderful cocker spaniel.  The title of today's post is not to put anything on that was not totally finished but as my family will tell you, I'm not one to listen to my own advice.  Tomorrow I may kick myself but here's Helen before I fiddle with her.

Helen
oil on masonite 10x8