The Sheep Go Marching

The move is almost upon us - finally. I am surrounded by boxes and ordered chaos. Tomorrow we will move the 'breakables' including paintings, ourselves. The real movers come on Monday. In spite of getting ready for this event, I found a bit of time to paint this week and this is the result. Have a great weekend.

The Sheep Go Marching Two by Two.
acrylic on canvas  8" x 16"  SOLD

Otis the Cat

My house (I am moving in a week) is full of packed and labelled boxes, and I am waiting to start the move next weekend. Can one be too ready? Yesterday I dug out some paints and a panel and started this little work. Finished it today.

Otis I
acrylic on panel board,  8'"x10"

This is Otis - a most handsome feline, owned by the daughter of someone I know (actually my dentist). She quite liked my Diva Kitty painting and so has commissioned me to do a portrait of young Otis.  I don't normally do this kind of thing - but what the heck - the Diva was fun to paint, and it's not a big stretch from sheep and labs to cats. And she has provided me with some great photos to work with. She tells me that Otis is quite a character, so I want to capture that pizazz, hence the exaggerated colours. Not sure what kind of cat he is - a long haired orange tabby cat? I am hoping to do several versions - because I like his looks - and then she has more to choose from.

Now that I look at this - the big reddish area on the (his) left side of his face looks a little weird. Funny how things can look 'different' (better or worse) on your computer screen than when looking at the actual painting. Maybe I should change that. What do you think?

DPW Breakfast Challenge

Last week while packing my studio, I took small breaks from the chaos and worked on a little painting to submit to the Daily Paintworks weekly challenge to paint your breakfast. Once I decided on what that would be, I set up the still life and took photos of it, knowing that painting it would be interrupted during the week. Once I found a composition I liked (for its somewhat abstract nature) I started off by painting a grisaille - basically a value painting - intending then to complete the painting with layers of colour glazes. 

grisaille

I was happy with this (above) but of course made changes as I proceeded. And here is the finished painting  - only a day late as there is a new weekly challenge. I will submit it anyway as it's my first!

Have a great day!

Breakfast is Served
(10" x 8")

Wooly Bully

Wooly Bully  (16" x 16")  SOLD

Another little (sheepish) guy. Those wiggly lines around his body were drawn on top of the acrylic paint using pastels. I love drawing on top of my paintings, just for that graphic effect. I think it gives this guy a little energy.

Soul Sisters

Sheep, pears and tulips - they all have such interesting shapes and offer so much potential for exaggeration and therefore painting fun. Here is today's small (literally) offering. Bahhhhh!

Soul Sister (7" x 7") SOLD

Dog a l'Orange

Dog a l'Orange  
acrylic/canvas  10"x 8"

If this one could talk I wonder what he would say.
I broke down and bought some acrylic paints (having left my supply in Florida in November and not being able to wait until I am back in February). But wait, I am suppose to be packing to move in 4 weeks!
Thank goodness I bought small canvases too.
Have a great day.