This calf has not quite grown into it's ears yet. I painted this Sunday before I had a meltdown painting session. Yesterday I spent three or more hours painting a scene only to scrape it off after trying to make it read. It never learned to read.
Returned from Peggi's workshop in Atlanta late yesterday. What a great and beneficial time. I would recommend Peggi to anyone from a beginner to an advanced painter. She is so dedicated to helping others understand the basics of a good painting. She stressed how important drawing was and does one minute warm up blind contour drawings before she starts her painting sessions. That was the way we started each day. She also drives home how important value and color relationships are to your paintings. The exercises you see pictured here are an example of the way we warmed up each day. Ten minute , two value or color paintings of a model. The only exception was we added more color to the part that was in the light on the sketch on the top left. The purpose of these was to define where your source light was and portray what was in the light and what was not. 
I accidentally ordered some 4 x 6" raymar linen panels. Kind of a pleasant surprise because I have enjoyed painting them. This floater is painted on one of them. Quick gratification.
I am hosting the "lying down challenge" on Daily Paintworks this week. My challenge was very challenging to me. Probably would have punted it if I had not sponsored it. Good to test my patience and resolve. This is painted on an 8 x 10" and the figures felt very small to me. I took the photo in Italy and you can see it on the Daily Paintworks site. The female's head is behind the male's head so it is a little confusing. I decided to edit out all the things in the background and it was hard to decide how I wanted to handle it after that. Happy with the outcome after toiling way too long yesterday. The challenge is to paint something or someone in a state of repose. Hope you will join in.
I am always fasinated at how some cows will pay so much attention to me when I am photographing them and others won't even look at me. This sweet one kept an eye on me the whole time. 
Same painting as yesterday. I feel like I am getter better at painting large paintings. It is hard to keep the same character as small pieces but it is possible. You have to use the largest brushes possible. I personally like soft instead of stiff brushes. My favorites are windsor and newton monarch flats and filberts. They do not make that series in big sizes. My biggest brushes are the silver brand ruby satin brights. I would love to hear your brush preferences especially if they are the sable type. I don't think I will ever go a stiff brush unless I change painting styles.
I decided to photograph the painting in this manner so that you could have a little perspective of how large it is. 4' x 4'. It's big. I think this is one of the most handsome cows I have ever painted. I was really drawn to his questioning eye. Love his coloring and markings. I will photograph it close up tomorrow so that you can see more detail.sold
This is painted in response to Carol Marine's Easter challenge on Daily Paintworks. I took this picture of one of my sister's chicks. They are not easy to photograph. The chick did not want to have anything to do with the little glasses and hat I had bought her. That reminds me of all of the Easter outfits I wore especially as a young girl. We had special shoes, panty hose, gloves and all to match our dresses. My mom usually made most of our clothes. We have lots of pictures of my siblings and me squinting into the sun and looking uncomfortable in our fancy Easter clothes.
I am all moved out of my house. It was a great house and I am happy that a family with four kids bought it. Hopefully they will enjoy it even more than we did. We are settled into the apartment we are renting while our house is being built. The apartment is great aside from smelling like it was used as a stable before we moved in. I have spent at least $150 buying and trying different fixes. I sprinkled LOTS of baking soda all over the carpet.( almost burned up my vacume cleaner because of all there was to suck up.) Bought every kind of bad odor getter ridder of gadget, charcoal in bowls, coffee grinds in bowls, surgical masks,( no, but maybe) and lots of candles. We may die of toxic exposure to all of these scents but I am happy to report that it is much better. We now smell like linen deoderizer, coffee and horses. It is a nice mix.
I know, I was supposed to be packing instead of painting yesterday. Maybe I work better under pressure. And maybe not. And why I decided to paint a 24 x 48" canvas is a mystery too. Crazy stuff. Well...back to packing.Sold
I am moving out of my home a week from today. Into an apartment two days from now. I am greatly missing painting time. Won't be long before I am able to get back to my routine. They have almost finished grading our new lot in preparation for building. We still have a lot up in the air so I can relate to the curious and anxious look on this cow's face. This is painted on a 5 x 5" gallery wrapped canvas.sold
I decided to take a break and paint a picture of something I would like to do very soon.
I do not have enough time to paint much less come up with a creative title. I took this photo at Watercolor resort in north Florida last Fall. This grandmother was enjoying beach time with her grandson. It is painted on a 5 x 7" gallery wrapped canvas.
Thank you for being patient with me these last few days as I have stuck to painting what makes me purely happy. I needed some comic relief from the anxiety and work that comes with preparing to move. My Boston ladies have been a sweet release. This is painted on a 10 x 10" gallery wrapped canvas.sold
Maybe I am slap happy? Ever since I named my painting "Ruby" yesterday I have been singing Kenny Roger's song, "Ruby, don't take your love to town". Good song. I am taking the day off from packing to paint and have some fun. I have made lots of progress so I am am rewarding myself by painting some of my favorite characters. I am headed to the coast for an art show in a week so this is my last day to paint for the show.
It seems like the long, skinny paintings do not show up as well when they are photographed. This one is 6 x 18". Painting these ladies has been such a fun break from packing and cleaning. They make me laugh.sold
Taking a break from packing to paint a couple of favorites. This is painted on an 8 a 8" gallery wrap canvas.sold
This is the second time I have painted these two. Can't get enough of the hands on the hips thing. I painted this early last week before I found out that I am going to have to make a quick move. I will be moving out of this house at the end of the month and into an apartment. We will be there while they build our new house. Once I get moved into the apartment I am hoping I will have a lot of time to paint.
I painted this on a 6 x 6" gallery wrap canvas. It looks and feels a little like beach weather here in Alabama. 
