What are your plans for the week?

Me...I'm going to paint every single day. Isn't that what I planned to do? Some days it just doesn't get done...which is VERY bad.

Today I didn't get to my painting until 1:30 p.m. Then I just hunkered down and did it. Painted the outline and WENT FOR IT!

I'm pleased that without a lot of fuss it turned out pretty good!

Purse & Shoe Still Life Painting

Well, it turned out better than I thought. There were times when I had my doubts, but I just decided to keep plugging away at it today and I'm satisfied. I had quite a struggle getting the red colors correct.

Purse & Shoes Still Life

This is the still life that I’m currently working on. I’m just at the drawing stage.

Last week I made my shadow box. It’s just a box. I painted the inside black and cut a large hole out of the top. I’ll try to get photos of my set up tomorrow. The idea of placing your still life in a shadow box is so you get more dramatic shadows. And your light source doesn’t change on you.

CSS an Art

I've been a Web designer for about 12 years and started churning out Web sites using tables...which is the now "old" way of Web site design. Now designers use CSS. I've been trying to "just get by" adding a little here without REALLY understanding CSS. Well, I've got 2 Web sites to create in a short period of time and I really need to know it!

So, instead of painting...I've been learning CSS.

I'm a little frustrated with myself. I'm relying on this job that I quit to work on my art and to make money with my art. What am I doing...I have to put a stop to it soon!

Wishing for More Time...

Lately I've been bombarded with work from the job I quit at the beginning of summer. Yes, they haven't hired someone yet and I've been filling in. I'm actually designing some pretty nifty Web sites, but I can't wait to have the projects finished so I can concentrate on painting.

I ordered a painting video for my birthday about a month ago and got through it all last week. So, I'm really inspired and can't wait to practice.

I've attached another picture from the State Fair. The goats were really posing for me that day. They must have thought I was bringing them food or they liked my lens cap hanging from my camera.

I'll have more paintings soon!

Giving Encaustic a Try

Here are a few encaustic pieces I've been playing with this summer.

This was created using an image transfer (the polka dot pattern) and a graphite transfer (the drawing of the dress) I then painted the background with oil paints. I'm not sure if this is finished yet. I still might add more...

 

For this piece and the one below I layered colored wax and incised line into the wax with a plastic hotel key, pizza cutter and sewing pattern rotary marking tool. After creating the lines I added more depth to the piece by applying oil paint into the lines.

I took an Encaustic class this spring with a local artist, Margret Berry. I don't know if I have a future with encaustics. Maybe if I have a studio separate from the house someday I would work with it some more.

I really like the image transfer technique and can't wait to try it with acrylics!