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.