The Old Truck part 3

Here is another view of my work in progress.  As you can see, I blocked in an area of the sky.  Some how I just needed to find the horizon line and gain a little perspective on the painting.

Here is a little closer look at the truck.  This painting is taking a considerable amount of  time and has a long way to go.  Although I am enjoying that process, I do seem to get a little fidgety at times.  I decided the solution was to start another painting.....and that way I can work between the two.  When one gets a little tedious I can switch to the other.  That will be something new for me...usually I stay with one painting til completion.  I just don't want to find myself taking short cuts just to "get it done".  Til next time I'm wishing......

Happy New Year everyone!

Back to the Old Truck

You may or may not remember, I started working on a painting with an old truck and jack rabbit....nice desert scene. 

This is being done on an 11 by 14 Gessoboard with Acrylics.  I have to admit it has been awhile since I have painted anything but animals.  The truck is providing some new challenges with it's rusty and fading paint and the broken glass.....but I love it.  It is great fun experimenting with what works and doesn't work, plus the texture requires a much looser style of painting then what I usually do.  There is also a multitude of straight lines and peculiar angles that must be held true...where as animals mainly contain soft curves and flowing lines.  Thank goodness for Deco Art Traditions acrylic paint....they are very forgiving as you can take a little water and a scrubby brush and lift off what you don't like...most of the time.  I have had to do that a few times, but I have also had several "happy accidents" during the painting process.  Those make me smile!

Deer in the Headlights....not quite...

I have been working on a painting of this sweet little deer.  I'm doing it on Strathmore Canvas card.....5" x 7" with acrylics.  The pose has been a bit of a challenge as has direction of the hair growth.  It seems I always struggle with which way the hair grows....I always use a reference photo, but sometimes it is still hard to figure out.  There are a lot of different "planes" in the bone structure of an animal and the hair can grow many different directions.  If you don't get it right.....it can throw off the whole thing.  It do think I'm fairly happy....maybe a few more tweaks here and there, but overall.....happy!  Next.....do I put in some type of a soft background (nothing detailed....she is the star) or do I just leave the natural color of the card?  Appreciate your comments and suggestions on that......

So there she is.....guess I need to come up with a title too.  Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.  Me, I'm back at my painting table.....so, you know I'm where I want to be!

Merry Christmas

Ok, so I thought I would share a few holiday photos........

The lovely Yule Log I made for our pot luck here at the RV Park

Then the furballs decided they wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in all their Holiday splendor.  Aren't they just the cutest!  I really think they like their little jingle bell collars....that is until.....Mom got just a......little......bit.....outta of control.......

Ok, so Mes and Cosmos are not happy about this at all.....but what are yous a gonna dos....sometimes ours humans dos silly things! 

So Far, So Goode

Well, we have manage to tick off yet another year of marital bliss!  Today, Dec 22, is our 31st wedding anniversary.  I love you, Billy!  You are still the man of my dreams and my very bestest friend.  I'm very proud to have those 31 years together.....and I remember being asked on more than one occasion...."What's your secret".  My secret is simple.....I love him and he loves me.  Love conquers all!  Love communicates, Love Listens, Love compromises, Love puts the other first.....and the list goes on, but I'm sure you get the picture!  And for those of you just starting out on your journey of marital bliss.....and wondering if the excitement and the romance will wear thin after a few years.  After 31 years....we still hold hands, we still cuddle close, and yes......My darling husband can still curl my toes!

Canvas Cards

I'm afraid things here in the fifth wheel have been a little busy.  Guess it is that "time of year".  Any....who.....I ran across these nifty canvas greeting cards and decided to take a break from the "truck-n-hare" painting and do a little noodling around on a card.  Here is the result.....

I have no idea what these are called...some kind of a cactus flower.  I enjoyed painting them...a little looser style than my usual painting style.  The blank cards are from Strathmore and are 5" by 7" .  They come with matching envelopes which have a very nice deckled edge....very classy!  Pack of 10 for $6.59 at Hobby Lobby.  I painted this in my usual acrylics and then sealed the surface with waterbased satin varnish.  Put it in the mail today.....hope it makes the recipient smile......

New Project

I'm back to work on another painting.  I took the photo of the truck when I was in Yuma a couple of years ago.  The image of the Jack Rabbit I have had in my reference stash for quite sometime. I used photoshop elements to place the rabbit into the photo of the truck.  That was my first time playing with my composition on photoshop elements...it really helped with placement and perspective.  Once I was happy with the composition, I printed it off for a reference.  I wanted the image bigger than 8x10 so I printed off sections and than taped it together.  Here it is......

Next comes the sketch........

I did enlarge the jack rabbit a bit and pulled him a way from the truck.  In the event, I paint the shadows as seen in the photo, I didn't want the rabbit to be completely in shade.  Sketching that grill was tedious and time consuming, but worth the effort. For an old forgotten truck, the grill was in remarkably good shape and still has a little bit of shine to it.

Here is the result of my first painting session.  It has been a long time since I painted anything other than animals and it took me a while to "get in the groove".  I'm really looking forward to getting into the main body of the truck.  It is going to be great fun...all those different colors and shapes.  I 'm still trying to decide what to do in the background, probably some distant mountains.
I'm using DecoArt Traditions Acrylics on a 11x14 gessoboard.  Questions and Comments are always welcome!

Pretty In Pink

Living in a fifth wheel, I figured my days of putting up a Christmas tree were probably over....not to mention the fact, that I used to own a small gift shop and I put up several trees each year.  Just figured I was over it.....if you know what I mean....well....guess NOT.....

Here she is and isn't she "Pretty In Pink".  I love pink and I just had to have her.  She is a little tall (4 feet), but she is skinny!  I found the perfect place for her....on top of my little art cart.  My Christmas present to me......
I'm also very proud of myself.....I made a "grab it button" for my blog.  Probably doesn't sound like much to those of you who are computer savvy, but for me it was a huge accomplishment.  I simply 'googled' how to make a button for blogger and up came this great tutorial.  You can find the tutorial here.  
I'm currently working on creating my first miniature painting (3 1/2 by 2 1/2).  I can't share a photo, yet....it is a gift for someone.  It is a bit challenging, my eyes (just like the rest of me) ain't what they used to be.  Still....I enjoy a challenge and it is looking good so far.  I imagine if I decide to continue doing miniatures I will eventually have to invest in a good magnifying glass.  If you all have any suggestions on what works well for you.....let me know....I would appreciate it.