Happy Thanksgiving!

It's almost Thanksgiving already! I've been keeping busy working and drawing. Shown are 3 cats and Rattie Reunion III. If you are interested these are all available on eBay now, click picture to go the the auction.

 This is Fluffy looking up from a tabletop.

Girly Girl peeking out from a dark space in the basement with a bit of light illuminating her cute face.

 Although based on my tabby cat, I made her gray, with hints of blue, to keep it a bit monotone. She just decided that sitting and sleeping in a pie tin is the best way to relax.

and last but not least is Rattie Reunion III. They missed last year so decided it was time for another reunion.

I am still using pastels and really like them and feel they suit me. I am still trying different brands and papers as money permits. Their only downfall is being delicate, but it's not too bad as I do use a bit of fixative to set them.

I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks for stopping by!

It's Pastel time!

My new favorite medium is pastels. (Shown to the left is my latest that I did of my dad for my mom for Mothers Day.)

 All mediums have their strengths and weakness' and lately I've been on a venture to try mediums I haven't used in years. I've been revisiting watercolors, trying gouache and tinted charcoals and now pastels.

I was never a fan of pastels. I think the reason is when I was younger I used charcoal for portraits and would blend with my fingers. I tried that with pastels and could never get the look I wanted. I realize my problem was just using one flesh tone. Recently I tried a portrait with the tinted charcoal and realized that they just blend themselves if you start with a base fleshy color and layer it with other colors as you go along. It works beautifully! So having had fun with the charcoals I decided to go with pastels since they have more of a color range.

I like the fact that it is so easy to keep the color shades the same. With acrylics the paint dried too fast and when remixed it may not be exactly the right color. Pastels eliminate this problem. I usually start with a burnt orange and layer it with pencils in the reddish yellow family and add white and light colors for highlights. I rarely use my finger to blend anything.

The only down side is that they smudge. Not as bad as I thought they would but it is a problem. I do spray them with workable fixative just to hinder the smudging a bit.

Well now that I may have bored you with my explanations I will show you my progress.


This was done with tinted charcoal and I realized blending right on the paper with the various fleshy colors works pretty darn well!

Tinted charcoal

Tinted charcoal

Pastel. As soon as I returned from the art store with my new pastel pencils I drew this.

 

 

Pastel

Pastel

Pardon the way this post is. As much as I feel I am computer literate and like google I have trouble with this blogger. I can never seem to get stuff where I want it to go. The picture of my dad is up top because when I removed the caption that wouldn't center it decided to put him up there instead of down here. I have no idea why. arrrrgggghhhh

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

My March update!

Wow, it's March already! The weather has been yucky here in NJ but spring is just around the corner, I keep checking for crocus, my sign that spring has sprung! At least the snow they kept yappin about hasn't shown up, just a few errant flakes, hip hip hooray! I am just so ready for the warmer weather. I love the few days a year when the temperature is just right, not too hot or cold and you can be driving without the heat or ac on, and the sun warms you. ahhh

I have been painting a lot more these days, yay!! Here are my newest paintings, done in gouache. Click on pictures to go to eBay auction. Well, off to paint some more.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to post more this month, but if not I will definitely see you in April!

Good afternoon! I am posting my latest paintings/drawing that are for sale on eBay. Then I am off to paint some more :)

It is a nice sunny day in NJ today and I can just imagine spring in the air! My sign that spring has really sprung is the appearance of crocus and so far it is still a bit too early for them. I am just happy to see the sun.

5x7 Gouache on Illustration Board

ACEO, Gouache on Illustration Board

ACEO, Gouache on Illustration Board

 and last, a drawing I will be listing tonight.

4.25"x5 graphite on Bristol Vellum

Thanks for stopping by!!

Hello, I haven't blogged in quite a while! Shame on me, but it was a crazy year I am going to try and do better this year, at least once a month. I've been painting and listing on eBay. I am using gouache now for a change of pace. Here is my latest ACEO (art that is 2.5"x3.5") painting of a skating rat, available on eBay (auction # 310580363717).

Title: The New Blue Skates

Thanks for stopping by!