Praying Polar Bear Print Sale

 Having a sale on Praying Polar Bear.  Buy a 16x20 stretched canvas print for $60.  You save $12.23.  Hurry, because there's a limited amount of prints available at this great savings.  Sale lasts until Friday, Oct. 19, 2012.
Just click on the link below.
http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=96027

Praying Polar Bear Original Oil Painting

This is an 12x16 inch oil painting of a Polar Bear with his front paws together as if he were praying.  Reference photo by my daughter, Jessica Thour.  Copyright 2004.

For Jessica

My daughter Loves leopards and cheetahs! She did her room in this theme. Now and then she asks me if I will paint her a picture of a leopard that she pulls off the internet. Well, I do it for her...it may take me awhile to get to it, but I eventually do it. Now of course, because of copywright infringements I can paint it for her, but can NOT make any money off of it . So no zazzle products or cafepress. I don't even know if I will put it up on my website. So this is really the only place where you'll see this painting. It's 16x20, and I love how it turned out.

Rascal aceo

Here's my latest painting, entitled Rascal aceo. My brother-in-law was live trapping squirrels to release else where, when he accidently caught a racoon. My mother-in-law called to tell us about it and to ask my husband if he could go to Tim's and release him since Tim wasn't home. I had been wanting to see a live racoon in person for quite a few years, so I was very excited when this opportunity presented itself. We quickly grabbed the cameras and jumped in the car. When we got there, here this cute racoon sat, stuck in a cage, so we quickly took a few pictures of him, trying not to freak him out more than he already was. Boy did he keep his eyes on my husband the whole time, following his every move.

While standing as far back as possible, Paul used a crowbar to open the cage. I was sitting safely in the car at this time. Once the cage was open, Paul quickly ran to the other side of the car to get more distance between him and the racoon. The racoon slowly came to the door of the cage, looked around, and then took off to a wood pile. It was very exciting to see him be released. Thank you Tim.

I have this painting for sale at my etsy shop, http://luvs2paint.etsy.com/

Fishy Fishy

This is a fun little 5x7 oil painting I did. I love using colors that I don't use regularly on my palette. It's funny how I tend to use certain colors most of the time. I love how paintings turn out when I spread my wings a bit and use one or more of the brilliant colors that is out of the norm for me. Reference photo was taken by Jessica Lee Olson.
You will soon be able to find this painting on my website, http://www.brendathour.com/ under Pet Portraits. I uploaded Fishy Fishy to my website, but just noticed that it's not showing. So I will have to go on my desktop computer and upload it again.

Rooster aceo

I love the colors of this guy. This is oil on watercolor paper, aceo size. ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. They are 3.5x2.5 inches, and they make affordable, addorable mini works of art. Can be framed, displayed on a mini easle or added to your collection.

You can find Rooster aceo at http://www.brendathour.com/

Bunny Dreams

This little guy is from another photo we took at the zoo, in the farm area. He is such a cute little bunny that I couldn't resist. He was in a hutch, so I of course changed the background.

This one is 5x7 inches, oil on gallery wrapped canvas, with the sides painted as a continuation of the painting.

He can be found at http://brendathour.com

and I'll be putting him in my etsy shop here in a few minutes at http://luvs2paint.etsy.com

Jersey Cow aceo

We went to the Minnesota Zoological Gardens the other day, and of course I brought the cameras. I noticed that there were two very cute, even pretty cows. This one, which is a Jersey, and another called Brown Swiss (which I am sure I will end up painting. )

My favorite cow was a 3 month old Brown Swiss calf named Tolbie. You guessed it, I'll be painting him soon too.

This one is an original aceo oil painting on watercolor paper. It can be purchased through my etsy store, http://luvs2paint.etsy.com or through my website at http://www.brendathour.com.

Elephant Portrait

I have really been enjoying doing these wild animal portraits. This one is 12x16, oil on stretched canvas, stapled on the back. The sides are painted as a continuation of the painting.

This painting can be purchased through my website at http://www.brendathour.com look under Wildlife.

Pony aceo

This one is another aceo of a cute little pony. I really like how he turned out. He is oil on watercolor paper. This one and the two chipmunks aceos, from the previous post are all sold. My first aceo sales. Yah!!!

I want to have prints made of these and some others that are in private collections and post at my etsy shop at http://luvs2paint.etsy.com. They will also soon to be found in my http://cafepress.com/brendathour shop.

Here are the other two I did that same day. The first one is called Chipmunk aceo, and the second, (my favorite) Peek-a-Boo aceo. They are, of course, 2.5 x 3.5 inches. Reference photos by Pat Otten.

Dikdik - Dwarf Antelope

I did this painting last weekend. It is 5x7 on gallery wrapped canvas.

When I saw this little guy, I knew I was going to paint him, he is just so adorable with those big beautiful black eyes. I had to look up on the internet to find out what kind of animal he is. He is a Dwarf Antelope from Africa called a dikdik. (kind of a strange name)

The reference photo came from Dr. Thomas Trainer, with permission of course. He is so very generous and sweet to allow me the privledge of using his photos.

Rhino

I started this painting on Thursday, and finished it yesturday, (Friday). It is 12"x12" oil on stretched canvas. I really like how he turned out.
Photo reference came from Dr. Thomas Trainer, with permission of course. I've really been having fun with these African Wildlife paintings. I'm sure you will be seeing more of them coming up.

Hippo

This is my start of my latest painting, Hippo.

I was going to do him on a 12x16, but after sketching it out, it just wasn't working for me.

I then decided on an 8x10 - much better.

I kept my palette to burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, Indian red, titanium white, phthalo green, and just a bit of paynes gray for his eye.

I love having a digital camera where I can instantly shoot the pic and upload it on the computer. My daughter bought a new digital camera, so I bought her old one. Works perfect for what I need.

This was one of those paintings that just about painted itself. I love when it all flows like that.

On the Prowl

After sketching on the canvas, I then use a burnt sienna acrylic wash to give the canvas a warm earthy tint. This also seals the pencil work so it doesn't smear or come off as I am working. I like to work from the middle of the canvas and out. I can't resist getting right in there and making the center of interest come alive.

I just wanted an abstract grassy background to show off the tiger and to give him all the attention.

Added ultramarine blue in there to give the impression of sky.

To finish the painting, I glazed over a few areas in the sky and grass to give it more depth.

I also touched up the whites and highlights on the tigers fur. Darkened the shadows by glazing. Worked on the stripes more and did that final tweaking.

The name actually came easily to me this time, On The Prowl.