Gray Fox WIP Final - (I think)

"NOT YOUR USUAL FOXY LADY"

 

 

 

If you've hung around my blog any at all, you know I like to let a painting sit for awhile before I officially call it finished but I think this is the best I can do.  Still, you never know -----  lol

I always get so attached to my animal subjects and I've thought of this fox as young and female since I started the painting.  I haven't given 'her' a name but the title of the painting has always been 'Not Your Usual Foxy Lady', in my mind at least.  It's sort of a play on words as most people don't even know there are gray foxes in the US.  Plus, they would probably be expecting a human woman or a red fox at the very least with that title.  But that's a long title for a painting and I'll have to see
 if that title stays. 

Anyway, calling it done for now.  Going back to the studio to see about painting the little Carolina Wrens that hatched in our Wren House!

Gray Fox WIP

I started a new pastel painting the other day and sort of promised a WIP of it.  It's still not finished but wanted to post what I have as it's really in the ugly stage and it always helps to see a painting posted to see the direction it needs to go.  Soooo----

Lots more to do on this but hope to finish it soon!  Many thanks to Annette Herz for use of her beautiful photo as a reference!

A Month Has Passed Already?

My goodness!  I didn't realize I hadn't posted here for over a month!  And I had determined to do so much better with this blog.  Actually, I'm not sure how many people actually read it but it's a good way for me to keep track of my artistic progress so I want to keep it up as best I can.

One reason I haven't posted for a while is that we took a trip to see my family in Kansas.  We actually didn't stay all that long but it takes two days to drive out there and two days to get back home.  When I was younger (a LOT younger), single and stupid, I would drive straight through which took anywhere from eighteen to twenty-two hours!!!!  As I said, I was young and really stupid so wouldn't dream of doing that now days!  Actually, all the driving is done by my husband as he won't let me drive on trips and that's ok with me.  I've really done all the driving I care to by now!

So that trip took a big bite out of April and I already told you that the Carolina Wrens nested in one of the houses that my DH built last year.  Well, the eggs hatched and I've been completely besotted with the babies to the point of spending way too much time watching them!  They finally left the nest yesterday though and I feel bereft!  I didn't even get to see them leave the nest but I heard the mama wren making a ruckus and saw the babies on our large porch with a small black snake coming up the steps after them!  I ran for a broom or something to stop the snake and got back just in time to see mama get two of the babies to fly away with her.  The other one hopped/flew around the corner of the porch while I went to distract the snake.  It disappeared so I grabbed my camera and took pictures of the remaining baby while frantically trying to signal my husband.  Of course he was mowing the back forty and paying absolutely no attention to me!  When he finally saw me and came running, the snake had once again started up the steps.  Fortunately, my husband was quick to take care of it.

I've also done some painting but not as much as I'd like to.  Here is a rabbit I recently completed and I'm working on a couple of other wildlife subjects.

The rabbit painting is in homage to all the rabbits on our farm (see THIS post) although we haven't seen as many in the past couple of years as we did when that post was made.  All the rabbits seem to 'hide in plain sight' and we can almost step on them before they move!

Anyway, the rabbit was painted with gouache on watercolor canvas.

Now that you're pretty much all caught up for the time being, I'll go back to work on a pastel painting that I just started.  Maybe, if you're really good, I'll even make a WIP out of it.

Good Instruction Gone Bad

I've been watching various YouTube videos hoping to learn more about watercolor and I have learned - at least intellectually.  Putting the instruction into practice is a whole 'nother ballgame!

 The video which has impacted me the most was one by Stan Miller where he showed a portrait painted in colors that weren't typical.  He chose colors from his palette seemingly at random and without thought as to whether they were suitable to the subject.  He says that you can use any color you want in a painting as long as the drawing is accurate and the values match the values in the subject.  The resulting portrait was stunning to say the least. (see the video HERE)

Well, I tried but somehow, my puppy just doesn't have the same WOW factor as Mr, Miller's portrait - (unless you say "WOW, how in the world did she mess that up so badly!")

But I know that practice makes perfect - this is my first attempt and to tell the truth, it was almost impossible for me to judge value in watercolor.  Watercolor dries much lighter than it looks when it's wet.  Also, much of Mr. Miller's painting was color that blended into the next one.  I think I should have chosen a subject that didn't have so much white for my first time (but I could have used a very light color instead of the white).  Or, perhaps I should have just used 'black' and white for this maiden voyage. 

As I said, this video knocked my socks off so I'll continue to practice in hopes of being able to achieve that look in the future.

Carolina Wrens and Other Things

A pair of my favorite birds, the Carolina Wren, have decided to nest in one of the houses we built for them last year.  After the nesting season ended my DH hung the house near the kitchen door as a reminder for me to paint it - as you can see, that didn't get done!  The pair of wrens don't seem to mind though and seem very content with the house as it is.  I've read that a pair will build several different nests before finally deciding to lay eggs and raise a family in one.  I'm just glad this pair chose this house.  Photo was taken through the glass storm door so may not be as sharp as it could be.

I was so tickled to have the birds nesting nearby that I decided to paint them.  The following is the result with many errors that I can see.  Also, if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't paint such a close-up view.  Carolina Wrens are small birds and such a composition makes this one look huge.

watercolor on Arches 140 CP paper

One of my favorite paintings done recently is this rooster.  It was painted in watercolor on Yupo which is a sort of plastic paper.  Painting on Yupo is what I imagine herding cats is like.  The paint beads up and must be painted in more of a dabbing technique than what is usually used with watercolor.  Also, the paint will rewet very easily or even scratch when it does dry so this painting was sprayed with a UV resistant acrylic coating.

Watercolor on Yupo

 Have also been doing quite a few watercolor sketches/practice pieces as well as an exercise from an online forum.  The following is the result of an exercise to use contrast to help define the center of interest.  The reference was some of our daffodils (which are nearly gone now).

Watercolor on Paper

Both of these are relatively unfinished and I doubt I ever finish them.  However, I may do an entirely new painting based on this reference photo - someday!  It was a challenge for me to paint the same thing twice in a row so I'm not in any hurry to do it for a third time.

I think there are other things I've done recently but they either went into the trash can or are so immemorial that I've forgotten them!  I did work up a small sketch for a larger painting that I want to paint eventually.  My DH likes this one and calls the subject 'Barry' and you'll see why if you scroll down a bit!  (Yes, 'Barry' and not 'Beary' - don't ask!  lol)

Watercolor on Paper

I don't know when I'll actually paint it as I haven't worked out the composition I want quite yet. 

So, I have been painting but it's like walking and chewing gum - if I paint, I don't seem to be able to do anything else at the same time so you all don't get any blog posts! 

I do try to keep up - honest!

More Watercolor Paintings

I'm still playing with watercolor - painting some on Graphix DuraLar Matte and some on some cheap Canson watercolor paper that I bought at WalMart.  No great masterpieces but I am learning and that's the whole point for me.

Holstein on DuraLar Matte

This first painting is watercolor on DuraLar Matte.  It was the first painting on that support and it shows!  However, DuraLar is not usually used with watercolor so I guess it's not bad for what it is!

Apple on DuraLar Matte

This apple was done from life and the colors aren't quite as bright as you see here.  I experimented with painting on both sides which worked better than I'd expected.  I wanted to wash out the shadow but that didn't work out as planned!

Watercolor on Canson

I call this one "Blowin' in the Wind'.  It's an experiment in negative painting as well as color washes.  I need to get some decent watercolor paper if I'm going to continue with this medium as the Canson doesn't work very well.  You'd think it would be a decent paper since I think Canson makes the much preferred Arches watercolor paper.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I am painting and a real masterpiece is on the way!  lol

Buying From An Artist

I don't know from where the above graphic came or who made it, but it really struck me as being so very true.  I just wanted to share it with you and if you know the origin of it, please let me know so I can give credit.  That person certainly hit the nail on the head!