Santa painting the Nutcracker

 

Santa is very busy on these last days before Christmas!  I love painting him in black and white acrylic, for a change.  There's nothing like switching between mediums to bring a fresh eye to painting!  Time grows short and my to do list is long, so good night, and I'll try to add more later!  Painting number 4737 in 4737 days. 

Santa Painting the Nutcracker

I love the vintage feel of black and white whether in ink, graphite or paint. I've been using many mediums lately, bouncing from one to another daily!  I've picked up acrylics for this one as I also work on a commission at the same time.  Santa is hard at work these last days before Christmas, and i love capturing it all in paint!  Merry Christmas Eve Eve!  Painting number 5047 in 5047 days. 

Santa Painting a Nutcracker

 

Santa is on my easel tonight, as he paints a nutcracker!  It's super fun to play with acrylics again - in between commissions.  I've been VERY busy this season, so it truly is a little bit of therapy time to work on something like this.  I've used a base of mars black, with ivory black on the final layers. The first is cool while the next is warm, allowing depth in the simple black and white.  Additionally, I use titanium along with white gesso for the same reason.  Painting number 5034 in 5034 days. 

Copper Nutcracker Santa

What fun it is to work metal for the holidays!  These absolutely shine on a Christmas tree - and I'm hoping to get several done in the next few days. I'm using one of our Santa Nutcrackers for inspiration, and work from the front and back until the form emerges.  These days are filled with family dinners and games nights - so I'm happy to get this squeezed in before midnight!  Artwork number 3998 in 3998 days. 

Nutcracker Drummers

Meeting at Crown Center with Mom and artist friends, I couldn't resist these three nutcrackers in the window of the Occasions shop!  With ink I sketched them, and filled them in with watercolor.  Mom browsed the shops while I finished, then we joined the others to share our work before heading to Spin Pizza for lunch.  Love spending the day at Crown Center!  Painting number 4120 in 4120 days. 

Nutcracker Tree

I love painting the Christmas magic at Family Tree Nursery!  What a great way to kick off the holiday season - and how could I possibly resist the nutcracker tree?!!  With ink and watercolor I sketch out this lovely scene, as I listen to Christmas music wafting through the air.  Mom has joined me today, and is shopping with a Chai Latte in hand as I paint.  Though I don't deck the halls until after Thanksgiving, this place sure puts me in the Christmas mood!  What a lovely place to paint on a cold day - and they are so gracious to welcome us in to paint!  Painting number 4393 in 4393 days. 

Storm Nutcracker

 It is so fun to open a new door on my Inkvent Calendar!  This Diamine ink is Storm, and is a wonderful deep blue that bleeds out to a turquoise with water.  I chose my new blue glass dip pen for this drawing and the nib is a little scratchy on this handmade paper.  I think I'll lightly sand it before the next time I use it, see if it helps the flow a little. I think this ink would be lovely in a winter landscape, perhaps when the snow is falling!  Tomorrow, our baby graduates college, and we'll be moving him home!  I can't wait to have him home again as he starts his new career at Burns and McDonnell.  He's going to be a brilliant electrical engineer.  Painting number 3255 in 3255 days. 

Santa Nutcracker in Metal

After an almost 3 year absence, I return to metal work tonight with this Santa Nutcracker!  I had only started finding my own way with the medium when my dad became sick, and real life intervened.  It has lately been on my mind, the feel of the metal and the burnishing tools, even images I would love to try in the medium, and so I have answered the call.  Art is like this for me, reaching out, calling, whispering, images unfolding in my mind as if I'm actually working them, and I feel restless until I get to them.  It is as if they are living things, waiting to be nurtured into life.  I borrowed a nutcracker from my son's dresser and went to work, first scratching in the composition, then pushing and pulling the metal from both sides until the image emerges.  It is so very satisfying to work the metal again - I wish I didn't need to sleep so I could work on through the night!  Artwork number 3237 in 3237 days. 

KC Giant Nutcracker

A Kansas City icon, this giant nutcracker is one of a collection that stands guard at the Mayor's Christmas Tree.  Posted at the edges of the children's playland, each one is different in color and accessories. With our unseasonably warm temps in the 60s, this venue is perfect for capturing a slice of KC Christmas time in ink and watercolor!  Painting number 2894 in 2894 days. 

Nutty Wreath

sold

Christmas is a magical time where homes and storefronts are adorned with all things festive!  Here, another one of those things I could not resist - a nutcracker wreath!  I should totally do a wreath next year with one or two from my own collection!  Here, I start with the ink to finish with the watercolor, dropping in just a bit more ink at the end with this fancy pants artisan fountain pen!  Drawing is so much more fun with a gorgeous pen!  Painting number 2558 in 2558 days. 

Nutcracker Wreath

sold

After a wonderful day of family time, and a not so wonderful dog clean up event, I am finally getting to sit down with my paints. Just a tiny window, so I'm painting in miniature with ink and watercolor.  I still have so much to do before Christmas, I sure hope there are no more doggy messes!!  Painting number 2543 in 2543 days. 

Drummer Boy Nutcracker

purchase here

I have collected nutcrackers since my youngest son took an interest in them.  Each time we find a special one, we add it. Some are antique and some are new, but all make fabulous painting subjects!  This season finds me using ink and watercolor for them.  I like to switch up mediums on a daily basis, and I almost always let my intuition decide which one.  I wonder what I'll choose tomorrow?  Painting number 2531 in 2531 days. 

Nutcracker Shopper

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Finally back in Missouri, and we've been shopping like crazy for mom's new house - before and after the movers arrived.  It has inspired me to paint this little shopping nutcracker to commemorate the day!  With so much on my plate - this is a quick post indeed!  Painting number 2520 in 2520 days. 

Elf Nutcracker with Snowmen

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I know the holidays are coming when I am suddenly drawn to nutcrackers!  Even with all the packing chaos at mom's house, I take a little time to capture this guy in ink and watercolor. As I sketch him, I wonder if I have painted many of these in watercolor.  The process seems new, and my automatic color choices are in oil or acrylic, not my travel watercolor set.  Perhaps that very thing adds a freshness to this painting.  Always good to mix things up!  Painting number 2516 in 2516 days. 

Elf Nutcracker ATC

Oh what a day!  This was a "family fun day", which is code for a family work day - all hands on deck!  With temps in the 60s, the guys were working on the truck, camero, and the Cadillac, while Michaela and Cooper helped move some molds to the shed.  We then hung the house lights, switching to Edison lights this year for a more vintage feel.  Dinner out and a little sketching fills out the day.  We are now ready for the snow - hope I can paint some tomorrow!  Painting number 2128 in 2128 days.

Nutcracker and Tree ATC

The holidays are upon us, and it is wonderful to have the kids home from college.  Today, they brought in the tree, pulled the ornaments down from the attic, and did most of the decorating for Christmas.  They do not know what a help this is, I would never have done so much without them.  In fact, the idea of tossing a few ornaments on the banana tree and calling it good, was floating around in my mind.  Thankful for such wonderful children tonight.  Painting number 2127 in 2127 days.

Uncle Sam Nutcracker!

The real nutcracker was a gift in the secret Santa exchange last night, so it is now in the home of a friend.  I'm working on 6x6 gallery wrapped canvas, and using my acrylics.  I am so very specific about my substrates.  This particular one is just fine for the rather abstract technique I use on the Christmas balls, but a bit of a struggle for this nutcracker!  What I thought would just drop off the brush had to be coaxed along persistently.  I found myself longing for my gessoed masonite, with my cross hatched surface.  I do like wrapping the paint around the edges, though, it looks so dimensional.  This painting makes 1792 in 1792 days.......maybe...!

currently available at Belton Art Gallery

Nutcracker Soldier Inked

While in Branson on a sorority getaway, I found this wonderful vintage nutcracker during Market Days by the Landing.  I purchased this one and another from the same vendor, already painting them in my mind!  I think this is the first one I have drawn with fountain pen and ink - and I really like the drama of it!  It is starting to feel like Christmas when I am painting nutcrackers!  Painting number 1786 in 1786 days.

The Caroler Nutcracker

A recent trip to Branson led me to the Christmas Shoppe - and wow, did I ever find some amazing nutcrackers!  This one is a Steinbach in the Charles Dickens townsfolk series, the Caroler.  I love that he stands by a lamppost with sheet music in his hands, long coat flapping in the breeze.  He is SO cool!  A still life is not my normal subject matter, but I do love the vibrant colors of these little guys, and it is SO satisfying to lay down those bold hues! I've added three new nutcrackers this year to an ever growing collection.  Perhaps I will make these my Christmas cards........ Painting number 1784 in 1784 days.

Nutcracker Drummer

It's that time of year again - and nutcrackers are popping up everywhere I turn!  I've already bought three new ones - all begging to be painted!  I even had the pleasure of seeing some fabulous Steinbach ones at the Christmas Shoppe in Branson!  What's a girl to do?  Why, paint them, of course!  Painting number 1765 in 1765 days.