Day 103

well it is about time i catch everyone up to speed on what i have been working on. I have been working on a alice in wonderland painting. I had previously painted the floating head in a former painting that didn't work, i painted over everything but the head black and went from there. It has turned into an alice in wonderland inspired painting... but anyway... here is where i am at now. And then i will post all the previous steps.

"Alice" 30x24 inch acrylic on canvas  -unfinished

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So, long....

It has been forever since i posted, I have been working on my alice inspired painting lately and with x-mas and family and personal issues lately i have been neglecting my paintings. I will start doing a painting a day yet again. I have a new commission for 30 more foodie paintings so more of those to come. Yay! I enjoy food paintings. If anyone has a challenge for me that they would like to see painted feel free to post on here and i will look into it. I am always up for more ideas.

on that note i should probably start painting. I am pet sitting for a friend right now so i now have a bird, a cat, and a dog living in my apartment and it is interesting. my dog is doing fairly well, my bird is stupid and flies to the cat which is all too interested in him so i have to keep a close eye on them.

Day 102

"Braving the Weather" 4x7" acrylic on paper $40

Day 101

"Snow Lane" 4x6" acrylic on paper $40

Festive for december I suppose. Didn't get as much contrast as i wanted. I am working on getting more contrast however. I really need to focus on darkening my darks. Really difficult for me. I lay down some really dark spots and freak out and lighten them. Its an impulse. I can't stop.... yet. Working on it though. Promise. Would have worked on this one longer but i had to get going and I don't allow myself to go back really. I may paint this same scene again and again until i finally get those darks where i want them, I always feel i am ruining it by adding strong darks, when those are what catch my eye. I feel if i have one i allow myself to do what i normally do, and can do a new one where i really make myself look at this one and add darks perhaps... I can do it. 

Day 100

Unfinished

Sorry i haven't posted in a few days, i have been dealing with some things, and have been working on this larger painting. I started this oh.... 4 or so years ago and its been sitting since, i did not like it. So i painted over everything except the floating head. I have since added the cat, and am working on an Alice in wonderland surrealist sort of painting. At this point i am unsure of where i will go next with it. I am torn between wanting to add a lot of things, and keeping it very sparse. I added the shrew with the umbrella on a whim just to see how i liked it and kind of like the sparseness of him. He may or may not stay in the finished painting. Since i will probably be working on this, and may or may not do a few smaller paintings in the mean time i will post the process of this one.  

Day Ninety-nine

"Ahhh!" 5x7" Acrylic on Paper $30

Heh, this is a form study for a larger painting. Not sure how i feel about him orange. Although it will work with the other painting. Fun. 

Day Ninety-eight

"Snow tree" 5x7" acrylic on paper 

On daily paint works there is an art byte about painting oils like watercolors by Richard Robinson. This is my take on using his photo reference of painting acrylics like oils like watercolors. Didn't work, at least on paper. Soaked up the paint too quickly. But on the plus side it was super freeing trying it out. and I think i like the results. I also wanted to loosen up for working on my large painting i have been struggling with for... weeks. the painting is a surprise so i can't say the subject but i have painted it.... 12 times or so. It is evil. 

Oh on a side note. Messi is sitting on my lap, as he does every time i post on here, 105 posts and i don't think he has missed a single chance to sit on my lap, and every time i pause to think he demands a kiss on the top of his head.  

Day Ninety-seven

"Snail Mission" 4x5" Acrylic on paper $25

Yes, i know i am slacking a little in my painting a day, however, i do have reason. I have been having some personal issues lately and am feeling quite down and i don't like to paint when i'm upset. Mostly because I like to dance and sing and be in a good mood when i paint. Also, when i'm upset every subject for a painting sounds stupid and won't work. I have been trying to force myself to paint still because it is soothing to paint for me. Its just hard to start. It's still too soon to tell how i feel about this snail. I like snails though, and will probably paint one again. I imagine he has prior engagements to attend to so he could not be bothered to pose. 

Day Ninety-six

"The Grand Carousel" 5x7 acrylic on paper, $75

Oh this was such fun to paint! I realize that i say that on almost all of my paintings, but painting is fun for me. Especially when i am happy with the results, and since i don't post all of the ones i am unhappy with because i am embarrassed by my failure paintings, no one should have to look at them. I think carousels have a certain magic to them in this painting i imagine standing in line and waiting to jump on. And now i want to ride one again.