Another rock for my garden

Technorati Tags: bird,rock,painting,rock painting,chickadee,black capped chickadee,acrylic,paint,garden

You’ve seen my cardinal and tree frog rocks that I painted for my flower garden.  Well, last night I did a black capped chickadee, and here it is.

I still have to give it a couple more coats of modge podge, I don’t know how well that will work, but until I find something else, and being it’s just for me, that’s what I’m using.

I just thought that I’d mention that this is the first time I am using Windows Live Writer, and it’s pretty easy so far.  Now I just have to post it and that’s it.  : )

Something for the garden

I've been working in my flower beds and getting things all pretty. I decided my garden needed a cardinal, so here he is. (I had a butterfly on flowers painted on this rock, but after the years it wore off, I like this one better.) I did the cardinal this past weekend.

This next one I did just tonight.

Yep, a tree frog. kinda a big tree frog. My hubby bought me a cute little birdbath with lily pads, and when I say little I mean it comes up to my knee only. Since it has lily pads, I thought the garden needed a frog. : ) ...Any guesses what I'll paint on a rock for my garden next???

Oh ya, see those acrylic bottles of paint behind the frog? These are the paints I used during my first year or more of painting. Good and cheap, but things definately needed more than one coat.

Memorial Day

In honor of all the men and women who have served our country, or are now serving, I want to say Thank you, from the depth of my heart. I can't even begin to imagine the sacrifices made, the lives given, and all that was and is endured. To the families who have lost loved ones, those who have or are holding down the fort, my heart goes out to you, God Bless you.

Memorial day is also the day we honor our loved ones who have passed on, even though they have not been in the armed forces. My mother passed away almost 11 years ago, and I miss her so very much. She is buried in the Fort Snelling cemetary because my father served in the Korean War. I thank God each and every day he is still alive and kicking, and at age 79 he is very active and is a driver for the Go Ministries for Living Word Christian Center.

Even though my mother's body is layed to rest at Fort Snelling, I am thankful that I can know that she is rejoicing in heaven with Jesus. I know she is happy, healthy, strong, united with her past loved ones and awaiting the rest of us. No sadness, no sorrow, no tears. My mother was a born again believer. She asked Jesus into her heart years ago, and loved Him dearly. Her love was a testament to her faith.

The Word of God says the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. If you confess your sins to Him, and ask Jesus into your heart, if you believe He is the Son of God, and that He died for your sins you can be born again. Simple words, from the heart. No matter what you may have done, He is waiting with open arms for each and every one of us. It is NEVER too late as long as you have breath.

Design Style Guide giveaway #1

The Design Style Guide is beginning a new and exciting project! We are going to be having giveaways approximately every 2 weeks!
Our first giveaway features Karen Faulkner Art.

Click on the link below for more information and to enter.

http://designstyleguide.blogspot.com/2009/05/giveaway-1-featuring-karen-faulkner-art.html

Kid aceo

Three years ago we went to visit some friends in Pennsylvania. His brother has a farm, and this cute little goat was there. I've been wanting to do a painting of him for the longest time now, and finally came across this missing picture. (I had stuck it in the pages of a traveling drawing pad.)This is a baby goat, tiny as can be, about the size of a small dog. Boy could he jump around.

I decided to do an aceo of him yesturday. I sketched him out and started putting in the shadows with colored pencil, using Indigo Blue. I use Prismacolor and Derwent brands. Some are regular colored pencil, and some are watercolor pencil used like colored pencil.

Then I thought, hey, why not take pictures of it as it progresses so I can show you my process. Even though this is only 2.5 x 3.5 inches, it took me 5 hours to complete. Yes, 5 hours. That's because I did a ton of layers to get the color built up the way I wanted it. This is my second painting/drawing, Using this method. (I don't know, what do you call it, painting or drawing?)

Keeping the layers light and kinda spotchy, I added the first layer of cool gray, sienna brown and burnt sienna. I also used a bit of Dark Brown around his nose and top of head and tip of ear.

Here I put down another layer using the same colors, including Terra Cotta and I do believe peach for his back ear. Still keeping it light. Added some of the Dark Brown on the shadows and dark areas of the goat.

My first instinct is to put the color in good and dark, filling up the paper, but then you lose control and don't get the same effect, at all.

Then I took white and went over most of it like in his back half. I also discovered a colorless blender from an artist friend, and it works great. You can blend the colors together without changing the colors. It is just a Prismacolor pencil, the pencil has no pigment.

Then I started putting in more darks (like the first half of his body.) I almost forgot to take the picture between these two stages.

Most of the time I use the Colorless Blender pencil to blend the layers together before I add the next layer, but not always. I added more darks and put in some black. I haven't done his eye yet at this point, except for an outline in Dark Brown, so it looks a bit freaky.

Usually the eye is one of the first things I do, but not in this one.

Here goes another layer of white, gray and colorless blender on the darker areas. Highlighted his ears, tip of tail and lighter part of tail especially. On each layer I go over the whole goat with some color or another.

I set in more browns, blacks, Sienna Brown and Blue Gray. So he keeps getting darker, then lighter, and back and forth. I also started on the eye.

Added a touch of green to his eye. Used the colorless blender in the darker areas, white in the lightest areas, and added more of that orangy color (Burnt Sienna). Besides a little bit of shadow, I haven't touched the background.
Here I put in some green between his back legs so I wouldn't loose that little area. More blending, more browns, burnt sienna, grays. Sometimes I use more black, Dark brown, or even a bit of Blue gray on the dark areas of his legs, tush, tail,
Brought in more Burnt Sienna.
Soon he will be for sale at my Etsy shop.

Toned down the Burnt Sienna and brought in more grays.

Added more darks in his fur.

Here's a shot of it after I started the background. It looks more washed out than the last shot because of the angle that I took the picture.

Here is the final piece. It looks very rich in color in person.

Red Poppy

This watercolor is a commission for my dear friend and biggest collector of my work, Pat Otten. She is a beautiful lady who is kind enough to send me her wonderful photos and lets me paint from them. I always give her credit for the reference photo, and so appreciate the use of them.