Birdwatching

This beautiful boy was one a little kitten running around here, trying to avoid our new puppy at the time.  My oldest daughter scooped him up to live like a king at her house, where he reigns supreme!  Today I am getting in a small oil painting as he looks out the kitchen window, to all the feathered friends he'd like to meet!  I included my colorful palette and three workhorse brushes - Grey Matters and Princeton Catalysts.  I literally use these every day for months, and they still look great. I love a sturdy brush for my oils!  Not pictured - the knife I used for those heavy marks. Painting number 2993 in 2993 days. 

Beau in Profile

After a busy day, I settled down to paint something "easy".  Well, this was anything but easy!  Beau is such a beautiful dog, he could be painted many different ways, but I chose this position.  He holds his head like this SO often, with just that expression - I had to paint it!  In such a close up, I found the planes more difficult.  I pushed them one way, then the other.  With the light behind him, it cast many subtle color shifts in that shadow side - and I found them tricky!  I ended up spending way more time on this than expected, but I think I'm happy with it.  I'll check it again in the morning, and see if anything jumps out at me.  Painting number 1847 in 1847 days.

Ink Study of David

I have been studying master works, and this ink rendering is from Michaelangelo's David.  This statue has a striking resemblance to my youngest son - right down to the curly locks!  My youngest daughter even asked me if it was Michael!  I'm using a medium black Pitt pen in my natural tan earthbound sketch journal for this one.  I think the dark paper is well suited for this work, and I plan to continue in the same thread for this one.  This drawing is the 1488th in 1488 days.

Looking Out

This little guy was one of our kittens that went to live at my daughter's house.  He is gorgeous - and a wonderful painting subject!!  With the family coming over shortly to celebrate the 4th of July,  I am painting small and fast,  using those impressionistic strokes.  I started by negatively painting his whole shape,  before adding the colors in his fur.  I used the edge of my catalyst for those bright highlights.  That tool does not fit in my new easel, so I bought another one to cut down.  I really miss it when I have to use my plain old palette knife!   This painting is 1278 in 1278 days. 

Looking Out
Oil on panel, 6x6
purchase here

Bold Beau

Bold Beau
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 8x8

This sweet little lab weighs over 100 lbs - and thinks he’s a lap dog!  His head is larger than mine, and his feet bruise mine when he happens to step on them as he goes outside first thing in the morning!  So full of energy, he has certainly been a handful - but he is so full of sweetness and love, that all is forgiven.  My husband’s “special boy” is my muse tonight, as I push the colors in a bold direction.  It was a little harder for him than it has been for the cats and Ray.  He is such an unusual red lab color, and it was hard to translate that into the vivid hues.  I started with highlights, then dropped in bolder colors a little at a time, testing them against their neighbors as I went.  So much of the energy of a painting is in the relationships of the hues - what lays next to what.  He has the most unusual light green “people” eyes - they seem to glow in real life (it was a little creepy at first)!  I’ve mainly used my brushes for this one, but I did do a little topping off with my new catalysts - which I love!  If you don’t have one, you simply must try one!  They make marks unlike any other tool.  This painting makes 1155 in 1155 days.

Ray

Ray
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

colors in progress...

So, I have probably lost my mind, but I am having great fun with color as I get wild with Ray Charles tonight! What possesses me to go after this portrait in such a way?  Painting daily takes away all fear when it comes to trying new things!  I’m undaunted when I slap down a strong, vivid stroke, the unexpected is just that much more exciting, and most of all - it is sheer, undiluted fun to push those boundaries way, way back!  I chose Ray Charles, because I love the infectious joy that his smile exudes......and it kind of goes with the music theme I had going with a few paintings last week.  I got my new catalysts yesterday, and I have used three new styles on this painting - the square, the arrowhead and the large chisel edge.  I love each of them!  I used the tip of the arrowhead for those little choppy hair curls, and the others throughout.  I probably used the square head most of all!  I think they are SO much better than palette knives, and I may never pick another knife up!  This wild and crazy painting is the 1154th in 1154 days :)

first sketch over old landscape!

Contemporary Cat

Contemporary Cat
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

Goodness me - I have taken a trip to crazy town!!  Painting with such vivid color is exhilarating!  When approaching a painting in such a way, my biggest question is what color to choose.  I am letting my intuition guide me, as heaven knows I have not done anything like this before!  I start first with colors that are really there, the whites, the warm yellows, cool shadows - and then exaggerate those colors.  I pushed the yellow to cad orange and cad red light, the shadows to purple.  The landscape in the background has it’s roots in the true colors, the foliage is green - although I’ve pushed that to yellow green with cad yellow highlights.  The sky blues are also present - turquoise to violet blue.  As I block in the masses, I try to be mindful of how I use the warms and cools.  I’ve used the catalyst again here - and I am loving the variety of strokes that I can achieve.  I have more on the way - I can’t wait to take them out for a spin!  Painting number 1153 in 1153 days.

Surprise!  Another secret landscape underneath this first sketch of contemporary cat!! 

Thoroughly Modern Charlie

Thoroughly Modern Charlie
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

Oh my!  My wild side is showing on this painting!  I don’t think I’ve painted like this since I was 12 years old....so I must be channeling my inner 12-year-old!  The desire to get into some bold paint has been nagging at me for a couple of weeks.  Ideas for paintings will pop into my head - and they are not my normal stuff!  Unable to resist the urge any longer, I have painted over an old landscape on this gallery wrapped canvas, and my country cat is now a city cat!! I have used brushes and catalysts here, and some little used colors, yellow green, perm. rose pink, turquoise, and cad orange AT FULL STRENGTH!!  Super fun.....and crazy!  My youngest son affectionately refers to this as my “acid trip art”!  This crazy painting is my 1152nd in 1152 days.

first marks - surprise landscape underneath!!

in progress

At Attention

At Attention
Acrylic on masonite, 6x6

One day, while at my daughter’s house, this big boy was sitting in an alcove by the window, looking intently at the birds landing on the railing outside.  The afternoon light reflected beautifully off his fur - and I knew I must paint him!  For this square format, I zoomed in on him, to catch that bright, warm light on his face, neck and leg.  I used this reference for a demo done in painting class today, showing how I approach the subject and block in the color.  In this case, I painted all the background first, leaving the areas for the cat (negatively painting him).  I find this a great way to get my subject exactly where I want him, with no drawing or lines, just masses of color.  Next, I lay in his values and colors, add a little detail work with the brush, then hit those highlights with the palette knife.  I make sure and bounce all those colors around the painting a bit before finishing, to ensure good color harmony.  This big cutie makes painting number 1126 in 1126 days :)

Charlie in Ink

Charlie in Ink
Pen and ink on paper, 5x6

This sweet little long haired cat, is one of the most lovable cats we have ever had!  He will climb up to the balcony, and sit outside of our bedroom windows and call to us, if he hears our voices.  He has even pulled one of the screens completely from the window, so as to help himself inside!  He is very vocal, and swirls around your lap or feet at the slightest attention!  He is not very fond of our big dog, Beau, though he adores our little puppy, Chewy.  I am playing with the pen and ink again, and trying out different tips.  The superfine seems to be my "go to" pen, though I sprinkle in some of the others whenever the subject calls for it.  I can se already that I need to lengthen the hair on the back of his head, because it should be fluffier.....oh well.  I'll need to make that adjustment, and take another photo.........tomorrow!  Artwork number 1117 in 1117 days, and Day 24 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge :)

Rooster in Ink

Rooster in Ink
Pen and ink on paper, 6x6
purchase here

Exploring pen and ink this month has been so rewarding!  I really wanted to improve my ink skills - since I have very little experience in this medium, and it was a big reason I chose ink over graphite.  Little did I expect to enjoy it SO much!  I have always loved the vintage look of those wonderful antique drawings - and I find that I lean strongly towards this style.  One big difference - I do not structure my strokes.  I simply let them fly out as they may, as I pull the pen over the surface of the paper.  I did try a new pen tonight - it has a chisel edge, making it fabulous for those darker strokes, dropped in for added interest! Every time I draw or paint a rooster, the old adage, "a rooster is good luck in the kitchen", floats through my head.  I think it was Grandma Bessie that first told me that, many years ago!  This drawing is special - the 1111th in 1111 days, and the 18th in the current 30 Day Painting Challenge :)

Watching

Watching
Oil on canvas panel, 5x7
purchase here

Yesterday, I stopped by daughter's house with my grandson for a quick change after the morning at the gym.  In the corner window of her kitchen, this beautiful cat perched - overlooking all that was taking place in the yard beyond the glass.  So striking was his color and the light, that I took a few quick photos - knowing I would want to paint him immediately!  He is the brother to our cat, Captain - and he is far more snooty and bossy than his brother.  He is in fact, the king of his domain - and he knows it.  My first chance to paint him was this afternoon.  A brief painting window opened up after watching Alastair for a while.  New on the palette today - indian yellow and indian red.  These gorgeous Gamblin colors are used in the darker areas of the yellow fur, and the translucency is luscious!  I am going to have fun exploring this color in all sorts of compositions.  In the background, I have been pretty free and liberal with the ultramarine violet, which is also very translucent.  I have used the Gamblin grays in this painting, too.  I love that the very use of them speeds up the drying time on any painting - plus the ease of cutting right to the bones of a gray, where I can then easily tint in the direction I want it to go.  A real short cut in painting!  This is painting number 755 in 755 days, and Day 24 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Sir Pounce

Sir Pounce
Oil on canvas panel, 5x7
original sold - print available here

Switching gears today, I am capturing one of our beautiful cats in oils.    When I awake in the morning, one of the first things I am thinking is, "where is my painting window today.......and what do I feel like painting?"  I always have a list of things I'd like to improve my skills on, and sometimes I will let this be my guide.  But today, I really just felt like capturing a little cat beauty!  Sir Pounce is one of our sweet, mild mannered cats, so like his mom.  No misbehaving from this little guy, ever - and I think this is the first time I have painted him.  Thinking this painting would just drop off the brush, I tried to squeeze it into a "too small" slot of time.  Leaving it undone, I picked up my son from a friend's house to return to it later.  The momentum broken with even more distractions, it took more effort to bring it to completion.  Just another day in my life of painting.  How sweet it would be to just come to my easel with no interruptions for as long as I wished.  Well, that is certainly not real life!  So, I roll with all those distractions, almost always starting and stopping a painting multiple times before calling it done.  This is painting number 749 in 749 days, and Day 18 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Profile Study

Profile in progress

Profile Study
Oil on panel, 8x10

Today, my time is limited, so I chose to paint a profile - and did it in an hour and a half.  The one in progress was maybe 40 minutes into the painting, and you can still see some of my pastel sketch lines marking the hair.  As I see these two together.....there is really something I like about the first one.  I know it sounds silly, since it isn't half done, but the loose strokes and the unrefined areas of light and shadow are kind of cool.  In addition, I paint in north light, and this photo is taken right off my easel - so the color is pretty cool in temperature.  This has me seriously considering a loose finish on the next one.  Perhaps just barely a few wide strokes for the background and that is it.  This may also sound crazy, but I think I like the paler eye finish on the left versus the darker one on the right.  Is it crazy?  This is painting number 427 in as many days - and now it is time to get ready to go out for dinner!