Dancing in the Sunshine with my computer

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

DANCING IN THE SUNLIGHT - 7 X 10.5 - Watercolour

 

     The sun has been shining lately, yes, it is freezing out but somehow I can forget that when the sun shines.  It is a great inspiration for painting flowers dancing in the sun.  My poppies in our front yard are a great source for reference material; they are those great big ones in a lovely orgie-red colour.  I have photographed, drawn and painted them numerous ways.  I just never get tired of their wonderful lines and shapes.  This is my latest.  (Notice I even changed their colour this time!)
     Can you live without your computer? I wasn’t sure I could but I did find out this week.  My son took mine for “an upgrade” for a few days, it turned into 6.  Yes, I can live without it, had lots more time to paint and draw but I feel so behind with that other part of my life and business!!  I can definitely say my computer is an important part of my art business, how about you?

This was an earlier miniature poppy painting that was one of my favourites: http://www.artbywendysblog.blogspot.ca/2009/05/great-news-with-my-miniatures.html
Long gone now.

As always, cards and prints of any of my work are available starting at $3.50.

Bailey - A Study in White

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

BAILEY - 7 X 9 - Sold

Bailey is another of my Christmas secrets and one I thought you would enjoy seeing.  She is a real sweetie as a pet but a real challenge to draw.  Creating 'white' with a gray medium seems almost like an oxymoron. I use to use a background when faced with this problem (many animals are white or have large white areas) but I wanted to do more.  I have been studying this idea and working with it.  I drew sheep, flowers (not happy with them at all) and even tried a swan, a real symbol of 'white'.  It was quite a voyage of discovery. 
How do you create 'white' without relying on a background?  For me it seemed to come down to a few things: use lots of 'other' drawing tools that aren't pencils: paintbrushes, stumps, and a chamois;  putting graphite down and then lifting it off; and establishing a real dark and ranging all my values from there.  I feel I have solutions but I am always looking for more.
Have a great day.
As always, prints and cards of any of my work are available starting at $3.50.

Abby and Bella

NEW WORKS FROM THE STUDIO OF ART BY WENDY

ABBY: THE CLIMBER - 5.5 x 7 SOLD

Happy New Year, 2013 is here!!  The sun is shining and everything is crisp and clear.  I feel like my 2013 adventure has begun. 
Here are a few of my top secret Christmas commissions that can now be shown off.  Abby and Bella, two very lovely cats, they are sisters and lovely pets.  They are inside cats but they love to “check out” the outdoors from the window.  Abby’s favourite spot is on the top level of climbing pole watching everything that is going on.  Bella likes to be amongst everyone and seems to be more grounded.  They were very pleased with their portraits.

BELLA -  5.5 x 7 - SOLD

The girls ‘portrait were quite a challenge to draw.  First of all, it was hard to photograph them as they are inside cats and I wanted natural light to get good shadows.  I chased them around the house quite a bit on a sunny day to get my shots and at times they certainly gave me some funny looks!  Secondly, they are mostly black with streaks of gold in places.  Bella has a white paw and a more patches of gold than Abby so it made it a little easier to develop her body.  It is so easy to end up with a blob of black and no definition.  Once I had worked out a drawing “formula” to create their colours things went well.  I did Bella first and it took quite some time but with the kinks worked out Abby came together very quickly. I was very pleased with the results.
Have a great day and I will be back with a few more of  my pets.
As always prints and cards are available for any of my work starting at $3.50.