That'll Do

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My husband came up with the title for this one. He was sure the reference would be obvious. I'm not so sure. It's from a movie our son watched many times when he was little. 5 points if you know it. : )

Yes Toucan

 

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This probably isn't what you have in mind when you hear toucan, but it is in the toucan family. I just loved the colors. I actually had to UN-exaggerate (gray them down a little) them for it to be believable.

Grazing in my Shadow

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I've always liked the idea of spending a day in a field with sheep, letting them get comfortable with me, and taking pictures of them in all kinds of light, in groups, singly, etc. So far though, I haven't met anyone with sheep! For now I settle for images I find online (royalty-free). This one is simple but I still had to paint it twice to get something I was happy with.

Ever Watchful

 

Click Here to Purchase - $200 - 5x7in. - oil on panel

This month's challenge on Daily Paintworks is The Feather Challenge, so I thought I'd do something different and paint a bird. It was a lovely experience painting this serene guy. Gal?

Bumps and Dots

 

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Here's one I painted months ago and somehow completely forgot to post. I made this bumpy vase years ago out of clay, along with a few other similar ones, and occasionally they make their way into my setups.

Kitty Cat Clean

 

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This was a fun one to paint. I mean, that tongue! I just couldn't lose.

Lying in Wait

 

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They look so cute and innocent when they lay still like that, but you know they'll pounce as soon as they see any weakness.

Bystander

 

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Lately I've been focusing a lot on me. That probably sounds weird, and it feels funny to write. But in terms of art I've been asking myself - rather than what other people might like, or what might sell - what I actually enjoy painting. Maybe second to that is what I might enjoy seeing as a result. And one of the things I enjoy most is a technical challenge. And fun colors. So this is me being self-indulgent.

Hide and Seek Apples

 

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For reflections like these, I use a large piece of glass under my setup. Depending on how I angle the light I get different kinds of reflections - sometimes more like a mirror and sometimes very subtle. It's really fun to play with, and quite a challenge to paint.

Reaching High

 

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This is the same bowl and apples as in yesterday's painting, but with companions this time, and different light. Apples get lonely and bored easily. You probably didn't know that.

Orange You Green

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Green and orange don't always get along, but when it works it's one of my favorite combos. 

Why So Blue?

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One thing I'm really focusing on with these latest still lifes is value relationships. Not that I haven't always, but doing the portraits made me realize how even tiny mistakes make a huge difference. So I've been slowing down and keeping my palette more organized in terms of value. And also setting up compositions that challenge me. This one might look simple - just two cups - but the hard light and reflections made it quite difficult. I really enjoyed it.

My Shaft of Light

 

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This one is my personal favorite of late. And I'll leave you with this - yes I am heading off on another trip. Yes, I just came back from one. 😂 Happy fall everyone! (I'll be home Nov 5th.)

Just a Kid

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When I was little my parents kept a few goats and we drank exclusively goat milk. One day we ran out and had to drink cows milk from the store. We thought it was disgusting! But we got used to it and when we had goats milk again we didn't like it anymore. Or at least, that's how I remember it. What's funny is that when I get together with my siblings, our memories never line up.

The reference photo for this was taken by my friend Bren before she passed. On one of our last visits we each went through the other's files and borrowed the photos we liked. Every time I paint one is a way for me to reconnect with her.

End of the Line Lizard

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My best guess - this is a chameleon lizard. I got the reference from Pixabay, but I changed the background. It is quite enjoyable to sit down in the evenings with my ipad and play around with different backgrounds for potential paintings. Below is the progression from: original reference (left), to piddling around on the ipad (middle), to the painting (right). You can see that I still change quite a bit once I get to the painting phase. (click images to enlarge)

Lily Pad Party

 

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I've gotta say, the pink ones are particularly hard to paint, especially from a photo reference. The saturated bits tend to be blown out. I had to try this one twice before I was happy with it.

Water Lily

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Hello, I can paint again! I am finally healed enough from my neck surgery to do about 2 hours a day, which has been absolute heaven. Unfortunately I can't do any still life yet because it hurts to turn my head back and forth towards my shadowbox over and over. So I've been using some of my couch time to collect royalty free images (many thanks to all the kind folks who post to sites like pixabay!).

During my recovery, I had a lot of time to sit and think about art, and I resolved to do a lot more experimenting. So you might see a few things I don't normally do.

Pink Peaks

 

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Even though roses are a challenge to paint, I find a certain zen in the attempt. Even the ones that don't turn out are still fun in the doing. I do like this one.

Delicate Rose

 

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This one was SO hard to paint. Such subtle transitions between colors and values. I probably should have painted it upside down. That can make it easier to see sometimes, without your brain thinking "rose" and "petals." Next time.

Lean on Green

 

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I found this lovely, light green cup at the 4-story antique store in downtown Missoula the other day. I don't think it's quite an "antique," but she came with a maroon twin, and I love them. The cherries do too.