Reflections - 2012

WOW, I can't believe the year 2012 is almost at an end! As I sit here watching it start to snow, I decided to do some reflections on 2012 and what I've accomplished.

I started this blog in the beginning of February and I already have 144 posts!  I didn't really know if I could keep this going but it's been fun sharing my work with you!
I'm falling short of blogging daily but still adding new posts at least once a week (hopefully more, sometimes less). When I started this blog I was just starting to explore watercolor. I haven't done more than the one portrait in watercolor but hopefully 2013 will have a few more watercolors in it.

I've continued to explore various other mediums.
I now enjoy Soft Pastel, Colored Pencil and Graphite and I will hopefully continue to improve my methods and techniques.  Since I enjoy a challenge, I hope I never run out of things to challenge myself with.
For the new year, I plan on working on more challenging art projects and maybe even entering my work in some competitions.  Right now the thought of that scares me because I feel I'm not even close to being up to the standards of the other artists that enter these competitions and I have so much still to learn.  So, we'll see about that in the future.  I would like to learn more about painting landscapes. 
Diane Wright and Deborah Secor have definitely helped me with that goal through the use of their tutorials and  Johannes Vloothuis through his webinars as well as all the great artists that share their time and expertise on the artists forum Wetcanvas.  If you haven't discovered these resources I urge you to explore them.  Even if I never paint a "landscape" I want my portraits to have believable backgrounds and through their teachings and others, I believe that goal is being accomplished!

Well, that's enough reflections for now.  My horse is telling me she really wants to be fed and so does the dog LOL!

Thank you to each and every one of my followers!  I truly appreciate each and everyone of you for your kind comments, gentle shoves and encouragement. 

May you have FANTASTIC 2013!

 Thanks for stopping by :)

Coby and Miya

Here is what was keeping me so busy and was a secret until after Christmas.  Introducing Coby and Miya!  This was done with Prismacolor Colored Pencils on 9 x 12 Stonehenge.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Bull Elk Update 6

Wow, has it really been this long since I've updated my Bull Elk project? Sorry about that!  I've been busy with commissions and now I'm also doing a secret art swap through WetCanvas.  We aren't allowed to post our project or even hint at it until the 20th of January LOL!  I sure hope the person who gets mine will be happy with it :)
Ok, here is the latest on the Bull Elk.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Merry Christmas

This is just a little something I put together today :-)
It's a 5 x 6 on Mi-Teintes using Prismacolored pencils.
 Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Bull Elk - Update 5

After working on this today, here is what I've accomplished and where it is now.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Bull Elk - Update 4

Still working on the antlers with this guy.  I normally prefer to draw freehand but every once in a while I use a grid and then remember why I usually draw freehand LOL!
Using a grid is great for getting the proportions more exact but it is so restricting AND then you have to erase all the bloody lines LOL.  Well, I erased all the lines tonight too.

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Bull Elk - Update 3

Started work on his antlers.  Interesting challenge getting all these textures in this drawing.
How much detail should I really be trying to show in a 9 x 12? I've always heard the smaller the less detail but I always seem to get the details even in the smaller sizes.  Good thing I have good glasses!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Bull Elk - Update 2

Starting on the fur on his back.  Also still adding more tone.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Bull Elk - Update 1

Working more on tone and also working towards the fur on his back. Trying for those elusive darker tones and still have a ways to go.
The shadows are interesting in this piece as is doing a negative drawing for the foreground.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

New Bull

So since I can't show you what I'm working on for my commission piece, I've started another little drawing and this one is graphite.  I work on it when it's to dark to get proper lighting on my commission piece.
So, here is "Calling Long Distance" 9 x 12 Graphite on Strathmore Bristol Smooth.
Of course it's not done but here's the steps so far.

Hope you like it!

Eyes and Left Ear

I really wish I could show you how this is going.  So far, I've got both eyes fabulous LOL and starting on the left ear.  Going really well but a long ways to go yet!  Sure hope I can get it done in time!
Back to the drawing board! LOL that could be taken two ways couldn't it LOL!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Transferring sketch to proper support

Working on a secret commission.
I've been sketching and refining erasing and re-refining this drawing for the last two days and now I think I'm finally ready to start the transfer to the proper support.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda - Final

I finally got the last whiskers painted on this.  So, for better or worse, this one is now finished :)

I  had a lot of fun and learned a lot while painting this one.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Free Spirit - Final

I've decided to put this one to bed. 
9 x 12 on Strathmore Bristol Smooth
This drawing is based on the wonderful photo taken by Mo_Robin Monsoon also known as wind dhaka on Flikr.
I would have loved to have gotten this darker but because I started with harder lead 4H and 2H pencils, the softer lead just didn't want to take on the paper.  For darker drawings I will have to use a different technique than what I used on this one.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Free Spirit Update 15

Phew, this one has been a challenge to get darker and I think it's as far as it will go.  I need to try a different technique next time.  I think I used the hard pencils to soon. Hahaa I just noticed I forgot to sign this so I guess it will be tweaked some more LOL.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda WIP Update 6

Had another first today.  I decided to do a combination with the whiskers and use both colored pencil and then finish them with acrylic paint.  I was using a really small 18/0 liner brush.  Maybe to small? I don't know.  I've never used one this small before even with my watercolor painting.  I've also never used acrylic before and so I set about yesterday practicing and practicing and practicing.  When I was consistent and fairly happy with the results I was getting on my practice paper, it was time to tackle the original.  So, I started doing the whiskers today.  They aren't done yet but I needed to take a break and feed my horse and dog.  I will probably finish this painting tomorrow and then it will be entered in the contest :)  First contest I've ever entered.
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda WIP Update 5

I am all done except for some tweaking and figuring out how to put in the whiskers!  Any ideas?
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda WIP Update 4

I had another first today!  How many of you choose to draw and paint the animal without his tongue showing LOL!  Up until now, I've never painted a tongue that I can remember. Definitely NOT with Colored Pencils.  This tongue was a challenge to get the tone, color and shape right.  I'm a little unconventional in my approach with the colored pencils as well.  I don't do color swatches, I do all my testing and mixing on the painting.  I get some interesting results that way and so far, lucky accidents LOL!
I also darkened the dark side of the face and added more definition.
Hope you are enjoying this process with the colored pencil painting as much as I am painting it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda WIP Update 3

Well, I got some new experience today trying to remove colored pencil without damaging the paper.  I somehow messed up lastnight on the viewers right side.  After much sweat and tears LOL.... I think it's OK now! I hope you think so too!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda WIP Update 2

I got a little more accomplished with the Red Panda today.  I still have a ways to go but it's moving right along :)
I hope you like this little guy or is it a girl :)

starting to tone the nose

Added the tree and continuing with the nose and starting to work more on the viewer right side.

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup - Update 14

Added more tone and definition.  Will this ever stop?  I know now I approached the starting of this drawing wrong and I'm not sure I will get to the tone I would like to achieve.  Maybe next time.
Still trying to push those darks :)
Hope you continue to enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Red Panda _ WIP

I'm going to be entering a contest offered by Sandra Angelo.  Here is a link to explain it, http://www.discoverartwithsandra.com/pages.php?pageid=140
From the offered photos, I've chosen a really cute Red Panda photo and cropped it to fit my needs.
The reason I chose this photo was because of the awesome reflections in his eyes.  I wanted to challenge myself to not only get something like that in a set of eyes but also to get the look of long fur.  This is only my seventh Colored Pencil painting and the first animal that's not a cat. Out of the six I've painted so far, three are cats LOL! Yes, I'm an animal lover and proud of it :)
So here is the WIP up to where I'm at right now.
I've spent approx. five hours on this so far. This is being done on Stonehenge paper using Prismacolor Colored Pencils.  The image is 9 x 12
Hope you like it!

Attempting the first eye!

On to the second eye!

Start defining facial structure and nose

Working on the fur

More fur, tone etc...

More tone, color and structure

 Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 13

Still adding more color (tone) and muscles, etc....
Hope you are enjoying the process and I'm not to slow for you LOL!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 12

Not sure you can see the progress but I did spend probably close to two hours.  Sometimes I feel like I'm going backwards LOL!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 11

Still adding more definition and tone. Getting closer :)
Hope you are liking it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 10

Still adding more and more tone and shape.  This is going to take a lot of time!
Hope you like it so far!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 9

With the Cougar now done, it's time to again worked more on this beautiful closeup horse.  Today I  added more and more tone and form to the body but still have a ways to go.
So for naming this one I've come up with Thundering Hooves, Free Spirit are a few I've thought of besides Majestic.

Any other ones?

Cougar Finished

Ok, I promise this is the last update for my Cougar painting.  I've added his whiskers and changed a few other things LOL! I can't help it, if I'm doing one thing more to it, I find numerous other things that can be done.  Am I the only one that has that problem?
I've come up with two names for this painting.  It's either going to be "Sentry Duty" or "On Watch".
Which do you prefer?  Do you have another suggestion for me?

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 8

Now that the cougar is done LOL well almost done (forgot his whiskers LOL! ), I've started working on my closeup of this beautiful majestic running free horse.  See, I trying to still come up with a name for this one too LOL!
I worked a couple hours on it and started getting more range to the tones.  Still have a long ways to go.
Hope you like where it's headed!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 8

I left this out of my sight for a week and now I've adjusted a few things, signed it and I'm calling it done. Now I just need to come up with a name for him.
Hope you like it!

5.75" x 9" Pastel on Mi-Teintes Pastel Paper

                                               

Thanks for stopping by :)

Copyright

Why do people feel they have the right to take your art off the net and use it for their own purposes?  I don't know if I should be flattered or angry and frankly, I'm a little bit of both.  Now I'm trying to find a pleasing to the eye watermark style to use that's not in your face and annoying and doesn't interfere with the painting.   Since there are a lot of images that need watermarked on this site alone,  after I have determined a style, I will then be making a recording to run a batch and watermark all images at the same time! If you're interested, I can share how to go about doing that on here as well.

If you want to find out if you too have images being used without your permissions, here's how you go about doing that.
Go into your search engine and select images (I'm using Google).  In the search window there is a little camera icon.  Click on that icon and it will bring up a box that says, "Search by image" and gives you the option of uploading an image from your computer or choosing the URL where the image you are checking on is located. After your image is uploaded, you will see a list of all the sites where your image is located. Google does omit similar results so chose the "repeat the search with the omitted results included" option.  I hope your work isn't being used without your permission!
Let me tell you this was a big eye opening for me!
Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 7

Well, as you can see, I didn't go with the green tree leaves ect.  I chickened out LOL!
So, he's coming out of a cave LOL!  I need to learn how to do landscapes if I'm going to invent backgrounds for my subjects LOL!  I will  now put this up for a couple days and come back to it after it's been out of my sight for a while.


Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 6

I was able to work on this for about two hours today.  I still have to match the color a little better on the body and then it's time to start the background.... YIKES LOL!  Backgrounds scare me as they do a lot of artists.  If you ask artists the two major things that scare them, they will usually answer, "getting the darks and backgrounds" LOL!
I too still struggle with both of those.  I'm getting better about the darkside but still have a long ways to go LOL!  This will be my third background (if I remember right)
Hope you are enjoying the process!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 5

I really wasn't happy with the cougars eyes but just couldn't place what was wrong.  I let google search be my friend and found a lot of information about the cougars.  What was bothering me? I had the cougars eyes with a tinge of green in them!  Cougars don't have green eyes.  Obviously, my mind picked up on the error even though my eyes didn't.  So, I made the cougar have the color of eyes that are part of their breed.  Didn't get much more done though.  Did you know the cougar is the largest cat that purrs?

Well, here he is with his eye color more accurate and realistic to his breed.
Hope you like the change!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Background Idea

So I'm trying to figure out if this idea will work for the rest of my background?  What do you think?
Obviously this is very rough and is done with photoshop.  I have NOT started this on my Cougar painting yet but had this idea last night.  Do you like it? Hate it? Do you think it adds to the painting or takes away from it?
Let me know what you think!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 4

This will be the first time I've actually been working on two paintings/drawings at the same time.  Of course I started the cougar one awhile back then caught a cold and was sneezing and coughing so bad that I didn't want to even go near this one so I started the closeup of the horse.  Well, today I got back to this one.  Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 7

Put a little more work into this drawing.  I have a long ways to go with this but I'm really starting to like how it looks.  Hope you feel the same way!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 6

I worked on this a little bit more today.  First time I've picked it up in ten days!  Life gets in the way sometimes.
Hope you like the progress!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 5

Have you ever stayed up late to work on your art or something else because there was no time during the day?  Well, I did that tonight and actually got about an hour more done on this portrait.  There is no rhyme or reason to how I've approached and am developing this.  I'm jumping all over the place with this one and even starting to  put in the mane!
Hope you are enjoying the process as much as I am :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Horse Closeup Update 4

Only about 30 min. today but I heard a fellow artist say as long as you put at least five minutes a day into your work, you're doing something constructive.
Hope you're enjoying the progress as much as I enjoy giving you the updates!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Horse Closeup Update 3

I didn't have a lot of time to work on this portrait today but I did get a little more contour, dimension and shading accomplished.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Closeup horse - Update 2

I was able to work more on the horses ears.  I changed the angle of the right ear to be slightly pointed at the viewer.  Also starting to work on the contours around the horse.  I'm really jumping around but having fun with the graphite again :)
Hope you like it so far.

Thanks for stopping by!

Closeup Horse - Update

I tweaked quite a bit on this.  I may throw it away and start over, we shall see.

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Closeup Horse

Haven't done anymore with the Cougar because I'm sick and coughing and sneezing don't really work to well with Pastels :-P
So, right now, I'm doing this one instead.  The reference photo is by Mo Rahman (Robin).
I would love to hear your ideas for a name for this one!

Cougar - Update 3

Put in a couple hours working on this and I think it's coming along nicely!
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Doodling

Do you ever doodle?  I find when I'm thinking about things, I sometimes doodle.  Right now my mare isn't feeling very good.  She just had her dentist appointment and some sharp points removed that were causing sores and now she's not eating because the sores in her mouth need to heal.
So I started doodling a soft horses eye.  The problem with doodling for me is that I also seem to do it with a 0.5mm mechanical pencil and on lined paper.  Not the proper tools to work with at all but it's still fun :)
So, I thought I'd share the quick doodle with you!
I just measured and this drawing is less than an ACEO  (Art Cards Editions and Originals) drawing!
It's 2.5 x 2. Maybe I'll recreate it on an ACEO with the proper tools and see how it comes out!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cougar Update 2

Was able to work on this for a little bit today.  I refined the ear better and I'm still trying to get the proper multicolor with variances in the fur.  Very interesting challenge.
I was also going to include the colors I'm using but we might as well say I'm using all the colors I own LOL!
Hope you like the progress so far!

 
Thanks for stopping by :)