FineArt America

This post is a test and also an announcement.  I've released prints of "Calling Long Distance".  That's my Elk Graphite drawing.  You can get the prints from FineArt America by clicking on the image under the text "Prints_Available" which is located to the right of this post. Watermark will not be on the prints!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Cowboy Sketch

I did this quick sketch last night in about two hours.  I surprised myself because normally I do animals.  I think it came out pretty good (if I do say so myself LOL ).
Sorry for the dreadful photo.
It's on cheap paper pad from the hospital and I drew it with #2 pencil. Image is approx. 3 x 4.
Hope you like it to :)

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Cat Face

Not completely done but I'm challenging myself with drawing a 2.5 x 3.5 size Cat face staring down.  Not easy to get what I want in this size but I'm pretty happy with what I've gotten so far.
I'm drawing this with a 2H, 2B, 3B and some 4B.  Also used a little bit of 4H for blending.
Hope you like it :)

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Watercolor Dog - Final

Well, I added whiskers, tweaked him just a bit more and called it done.  This was a fabulous learning experience and I haven't even scratched the surface of watercolors yet.
I signed it, took the painting off my drawing board and hopefully got a more accurate picture of it by scanning it.
The paper buckled just a bit even though I stretched it and taped it.  Not sure what's up with that but now it's sitting under a stack of books to flatten it back out.  Unfortunately because it buckled just a tad, the scan isn't completely accurate but it pretty close :)
Hope you still like it :)

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Watercolor Dog - Update 6

More progress after working on this off and on today.  I'm fairly happy with it so far.  I think I overworked some areas but not sure that's true with watercolor but it just feels like I have.  Fabulous learning experience if nothing else :)
I worked more on the shadows and the grass.  I also tried to minimize slightly the whisker area because it was taking away from the overall portrait. 
So, here's where I ended tonight. As you can see the photo isn't the greatest but hopefully you can see what's been done.
Hope you like it :)

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Watercolor Dog - Update 5

Phew, I didn't ruin it (I don't think) but it was close putting in that background.  I should have just left it the white of the paper LOL.  Live and learn.  I didn't know the background was supposed to go in first if possible.  Still don't know how to put in the whiskers but have a couple ideas if they work.
Changed up the background more today because I just wasn't quite happy with it yesterday and got a lot of helpful advice and critiques on the Wetcanvas forum both in the Watercolor forum and the Animal and Wildlife forum. If you haven't checked out this wonderful learning resource, you sure need to!
OK, so here's where it ended up today. Still not done :)
Hope you like it :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Dog - Update 4

Took the plunge today and added a background image to my portrait.  I wonder if other artists experience this trepidation to add something like this.  Of course as soon as the first brush stroke is laid, you are committed to continue on.  Maybe that's why it's such a scary thing for me.  There is really no going back with watercolors. Not the greatest picture again but....
Continuing on....
Hope you like it :)

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Watercolor Dog - Update 3

Added a wash of Transparent yellow to the highlighted areas and also fixed a few areas that I wasn't happy with.  I also added more hair texture.  Still more to do but approaching the finish line with this learning experience.
Hope you like it :)

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Dog Watercolor - Update 2

I'm still not done but getting closer (I think).  Still don't really know what I'm doing with watercolors but it seems to be working so I'll keep doing what I'm doing.  Today I mixed up a batch of Burnt Sienna with Ultramarine blue and then added a touch of transparent yellow sometimes.  I was able to deepen and give more of a 3D effect under his chin and jaw area.  Still more to do in that area but overall I'm pretty happy with how this is turning out.
Hope you like it :)

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Dog Watercolor - Update

More progress today and I actually got a better picture.  The photo is still not great but better.
It's dark so I couldn't take it outside but I turned the flash off ( Just had my day lamp on) so hopefully it looks better.  I know it's not blurry like the scan was. 
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Dog - Watercolor

Second watercolor painting since I started back up with my art and first time doing a dog watercolor
It's not finished but I'm done for today. 
Sorry for the dreadful scan.  I don't have the camera right now so put this oversized drawing board that my painting is taped to on my scanner.

Didn't work to well OBVIOUSLY 

Hope you like it so far :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Tweak Seascape

I noticed after I posted my first seascape yesterday that it was way to blue!  It's hard when you are only working with a choice of 10 colors. I added more green, ocher and yellow to the water to try and achieve that bluish green color that sea water is closer too. It was fun being looser and not so detailed with this painting.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Sea Scape

First ever sea scape.  Just messing around trying out some paper that a friend gave to me.  I didn't follow a photo and painted this all out of my scary brain but overall, I'm pretty happy with it.  It's more impressionist than my normal mode.  I only have a limited amount of pastel and this was done with just my pan pastel...I have 10 of them (Painting set).
I didn't use all but almost all, I think there is actually 8 different colors in this.
Size is an A5 which translates to 8.3 x 5.8 in.
Paper is handmade paper from Wookey Hole Paper Mill.
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Widgets

Aren't some of the widgets you can add to your page fun to mess with?  Take for instance the one that I have just added to my page.  Hahaa :)
Do you like it?
If you play around with  your mouse cursor inside the "aquarium" you can get the fish to chase your mouse Hahaahaa :)
I had fun making this different by changing the background image and also the colors of the fish :D
Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by :)