I’ll be finishing up this little 4×6 portrait over the next day or two (we’ll see how the indigo dries tonight). Here’s what this painting looked like when I started it just before Christmas.
Pick A Painting : The Decision
December
30
2006
Wow, you guys are great! You gave me a lot of really awesome feedback, and I appreciate it! I’m going to show you another photo of Katie, then tell you the photo I’ll paint her portrait from and why I chose it.
Katie, the remote control hog
She’s a smiley, happy girl and the photo on the right is SO her. Now I didn’t expect you to know that just from a few photos, but I was really curious to know if you would sense her personality from the assortment I put up.
After I studied the photos again and read your comments, I got to work this morning on her sketch.
Chameleon Clogs
December
30
2006
You know, my birthday’s comin’ up here in just a couple of weeks.
I’m a 10. (without question. heh)
(ok now quit shoe shopping and scroll down and pick a portrait.)
Good Stuff
December
27
2006
I received the best gifts this year. I got to have breakfast and spend time with my bestest bud ever (Paige), who traveled up to the frozen tundra from her tropical climate just to have brunch with me. (I wish!) I was so happy to spend a handful of hours with her, her man and their son – who just happens to be my Godson (and just came to realize I rock, with special thanks to John Deere). There’s never enough time, and there are never enough visits. I need to make more time for those special friendships – lesson learned.
The girls woke at 6am Christmas morning, squealing and giggling over the gifties under the tree. I design journal covers every year, this year Chickeymonkey got her first doodle pad. “Oodlez of Doodlez by Chickeymonkey”. Catybug’s cover design is based on her Smilly Girl (and family). They are already putting them to good use, young imaginations are going crazy around here! I found them resting later on Christmas morning attached to their Pengies and Monkeys.
Now all the youngin’s in our house have their cuddly cozy stuffies and although the two larger ones aren’t pulling the stuffing out of theirs with their teeth, they are enjoying them all the same.
I didn’t even get to finish the 12 days of Christmas sandwich bag doodles – heck I spent two days in hypertension mode shipping and then waiting for word on delivery of the GTO painting (final scan coming soon). I just kept picturing the package lying on a tarmac being run over by a package cart, sqwished and forgotten. I kept hoping Woody and Buzz might find it and lasso it and throw it on a plane for me. At least my wild imagination kept me entertained, huh? Oh – and yes, the painting arrived, intact, on Christmas Eve. (A day late, but it got there!)
To my sweet, dear, wonderful friends who sent me all the Harry and David packages, I sure hope that these will be followed by 4 week supply of nutrisystem meals. Good grief. (Note to self: complain more about wide spread and thunder thighs.) I still love you, though, I do. Keep in mind that I say that from the bottom of my pure cane sugar and cocoa buzz. Here’s hoping eggbeaters sustain me after the first of the year. Again.
Merry Christmas
December
21
2006
handmade angel ornament crafted by my mom & sister
Sweet Ride : Completed Painting
December
20
2006
I painted for 10 solid hours yesterday to complete this gorgeous car in time for my client for Christmas. I’ll have to overnight it, but that’s ok – I am SO excited to show you the final scan of this painting once it’s dry. You can see this painting as it has progressed here. This is my first “official” custom car painting. I’ve done sketches of cars and a colored pencil drawing back in high school – but this rocks. It’s entirely different from pet portraits, obviously – the line work and edges are not so forgiving. I love a challenge though – and I love a good artistic stretch. This was definitely it! This painting has to be seen in person to really appreciate – because the reds overwhelm the lens of my digital camera. It’s a rich, beautiful red with cherry red lightening it up. It’s glossy without being pink – the treads on the tires are deep and show slight wear – the chrome is gleaming. The background color (payne’s gray) is not blue, really, and it looks like she’s sitting on a showroom floor. I’ll scan this piece and share the final detail shots in a couple of days.
Father & Daughter WIP #2
December
19
2006
On the Seventh Day of Christmas
December
19
2006
On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
(wrapped up in a PB&J)
7 Swans a-swimming,
6 Geese a-laying,
5 Golden Rings,
4 Calling Birds,
3 French Hens,
2 Turtle Doves,
and
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
If this keeps up, I’ll start putting pressure on myself to make them little masterpieces instead of quick whimsical doodles. You can see it happening already, now that I’ve broken out the colored sharpies. Full color sandwich bag art? Ugh – whatever happened to spending 10 minutes braiding hair in the morning? Now I spend it coloring on ziplocs, and whip up a ten-second ponytail.
As long as the song is stuck in your head, I’m good.
On the Sixth Day of Christmas
December
18
2006
On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
(wrapped up in a PB&J)
6 Geese a-laying –
5 Golden Rings,
4 Calling Birds,
3 French Hens,
2 Turtle Doves,
and
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
I’m not sure what’s going to happen after tomorrow, unless I make sandwiches for the kids over Christmas break and bag ’em up. I just might – unless I feel the challenge of getting everything on one little ziploc is overwhelming. We’ll see how that goes!
