I think I'm done.....

No new photos of the latest art project....Braveheart.  I do think I am finished....it is perched up on my window where I can occasionally look at it.  I will leave it there for awhile....I like to "live" with my art for awhile before I call it "finished".  Soon, though, very soon I will post a final photo.  I will be starting my sketch for the next squirrel in this series.  This one will have a young squirrel sitting on a tree limb.....eating a nut, I think!  I have also been reading this fabulous book......I'll promise to share the title and some more info on that next post.....gotta run....thanks for stopping by

BraveHeart Painting

Here is a photo of the leaves I collected to use in the painting of Braveheart.  I decided that I needed some good reference material and I am so glad I did.  Even though you think you know what a leaf looks like......I found, at least for me,.....that you can quickly forget some of the most important details.  Besides which, mother nature does a much more impressive job with colors, texture, and shadows, then my little artistic brain can do....LOL!

Here we are....Braveheart.  I have a ways to go, but I'm feeling pretty good about the painting as a whole.  The leaves are coming together, but I am concerned that they may overpower my sleeping Braveheart.  We shall see.  This is painted in acrylics on gesso board it is a wonderful surface for fine detail.  Also, I like to work in transparent layers and the board lends itself to that very well.  The color "sits on top" long enough to work with, but dries quick enough not to frustrate me.  I can, with a little scrubbing, lift color for highlights and other effects without damaging the board.  All in all.....gesso board is a great choice for me!

Braveheart Sketch

Here is my sketch of little Braveheart.  This is how I want to remember this little guy...safely nestled among the leaves....dreaming of....well, dreaming whatever happy little squirrels dream.  He was such a sweet little boy.  I did spend most of the day painting yesterday.  I have to say I really lost myself in painting and enjoyed watching this little fellow slowly coming to life.  The leaves are a struggle....leaves are a personal demon of mine.  I just seem to struggle so....but I'm trying to take deep breaths and when the struggle gets overwhelming I take a break and that does help.  Fresh eyes....ya know.  My goal is not to let the details of the leaves overpower little Braveheart.  I want some to be sharply in focus, but others to be more abstract in nature.  I will share some more photos next time....till then, enjoy the day

Fall is in the air.....

I just love this time of year.....the temps over Labor Day weekend were very fall-like.  That cool, crisp, snap in the air just seems to revive my very soul! I finished up a sewing project and I am anxious to start painting.  I have been "dreaming" my painting these last few nights and I think I'm ready now to put pencil to paper for the first sketches.

I will be starting my "BraveHeart" painting this week.  Here is a rough idea for the painting.  I think I will be doing 3 small paintings which may be hung together or separately.  The first will be of Braveheart curled up and asleep in the leaves.  The second will be of one of his sisters.....peaking out of a hole in the tree.  The third will be the second sister.....perched on a branch eating a nut.  As soon as I get the sketches finished, I will post them here for you to see.

I have also been thinking of making some marketing plans for my art.  I have been looking into imagekind.  Imagekind will make fine art prints from uploads of your work.  At first I didn't think I could get a high enough resolution to make that work, but I have been doing some research and I think I can.  I let you all know how that works out.  And.....any of you that have done this and have any tips....please let me hear from you.....