Finally Settled

We did make it do Yuma! Unfortunately, it took us a couple of days to find a spot to rent. Landed in a park called Southern Mesa. We had to do some shopping and it took awhile to get our internet up and running at the fiver. Now, that everything is settled, I will be getting back to painting...........til then

Jan 21, 2009

Nothing new to report on the "Sadie" front. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up as to our travel plans. As most of you know, we full time in our fifth wheel and it is time to move on to our next destination----Yuma, AZ. I don't always have access to internet during travel mode and I usually have no time to paint anyway. So, you may not see a post for a day or two........

Jan 18, 2009

Here is the Sadie girl once again. I have finally progressed down to her chin area and got a quick wash of color on her lower body. I have decided to use the greenish brown as the background color, but I'm not sure when I will establish that at this point. Every time I sit in front of the portrait, I find some correction that needs to be made and then I get so involved in the dog that I never get to the background. LOL! I have been posting in Wet Canvas and have gotten some good input. Many actually like the lighting in the original photo. I'm thinking I may just paint it as is and not try to soften any of the shadows. I wish I were further along on this, but I'm afraid I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I sometimes agonize over every little hair!

Here is the photo I promised. I think I'm slowly getting there. Did not get to the background today--hopefully tomorrow......

Jan 15, 2009

I finally found my "happy place". A light is shining a the end of a long black tunnel. I'll post some photos of Sadie later today. I'm still struggling with the color of her fur. I'm thinking I need to get some type of background color going and that may help me make some better adjustments. The photo I'm working from has some pretty harsh lighting and I know that is "bleaching" out her color in some large areas. Anyway, it is time for breakfast and a shower and then back to the portrait........

Jan 12, 2009

I just can't seem to get back in the "groove" to paint. I'm experiencing some kind of "painter's block". I sure hope it passes soon. I'm so very frustrated right now. I'm going to try one more time tomorrow and if I'm not any better than I'm breaking out the sewing machine and pointing my creative juices in a different direction for awhile.

Until then.....

Jan 10, 2009

What a day! It was very frustrating! I worked on my "Sadie" portrait for most of the afternoon and have nothing to show for it. It was just one of those days----I just could not find my "happy place". No matter what I did the brush stokes were just all wrong. Finally I took the gesso and painted out the days work. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be in a better place and get something accomplished!

One thing I will touch on today is my "life" transition. I went from having a studio and a 1000 sq feet of workspace to an rv with less than 400 sq feet. I do miss that. The peace and quiet of my studio. Not having to "clean up" before quitting for the day. Having everything at my fingertips and that glorious feeling of "spreading out"--strewing my creative juices everywhere. Now, I'm forced to be organized, forced to work in a small area surrounded by my love ones, forced to clean up my mess every night. Maybe that's why I can't find my "happy place"---I'm in a period of adjustment........still trying to find what works best in my small space......still adapting to all the changes I have made in my life. If I had it to do over, would I give up my studio and move into an rv----you bet ya! I don't have to worry about paying the rent or meeting deadlines or marketing. I don't have to worry about shoveling snow or salting sidewalks. I'm finally able to travel---to see what I have never seen before and experience what I have never experienced before---I get to do it on my terms and my time table---best of all I get to do it with my soulmate and the two other loves of my life, my furbabies! I know I will eventually figure it all out. There will always be those days of frustration, but I'm learning to look beyond that and see all the blessings in my life.............and they are many

Wow, two post in one day! This is Sadie. The top photo is the one I am working from for the portrait. I started this portrait a while back, but life and tendinitis made me put it aside for awhile. As you can see from the next photo, I have a ways to go. I'm working with Atelier Interactive acrylics for the first time. The surface is a portrait grade, 9x12 canvas. I already see a few corrections. The roll of fat in front of the eyes seems to have gained a bit more weight, especially around the eye area. I'll need to pare that down a bit. I also think my blacks are a little to intense, so I'll work on an adjustment there. The
lighting in the original photo is a little harsh. I will have to play with that a bit.

I'm not sure about the background color as of yet. I'm leaning toward the greenish-brown in the photo, but I sure like that "pop" of coral in the foreground. I just don't want that color to overtake the portrait.

Still waiting for some supplies to start work on my window treatment project. So many projects, so little time! I tend to jump around on projects. Keeps life interesting, if not a little confusing............but that's me

Here is a bit more on the sofa table. Sorry about the clutter behind it--still trying to find a "place" for everything in my new home. I decided against the vine work and I have continued the "mottled" texture on the legs, top, and sides. I'm pretty happy with it right now. I need to let it "rest" awhile in my mind before continuing with any other elements. I'm thinking I might like to see hydrangea petals on the "lip" surrounding the table top. Just to get another texture and a bit of that purple color.

"Two Bad Dogs", thanks for your comment. I love sofa tables too, but I never thought I would be able to have one in our rv. Finding this little mini sofa table was a great discovery for me!

Jan 2, 2009

I know this is not my window treatment project, but at least it is a project. I bought this unfinished sofa table to go behind my chairs in our fifth wheel. It works great, so now it is time to get some creative juices flowing again. I decided on a pale green---that is picture one. Next I began working on the legs. I used the original pale green, a brighter lime green, and a darker green. I worked wet into wet to achieve a nice mottled effect. Picture two shows the
legs and the hydrangea plant that is my inspiration for the piece. I'm trying to decide if I want some vines and leaves on the legs or leave well enough alone. I'm also thinking of doing the mottled green look on the top of the table, filling in the rim with hydrangea petals.

Sure feels good to be painting again. I'll keep you updated as this continues.......questions, comments are always welcome and I'll post the answers here on the blog.