Update...Hat Study

Here's my hat study with pastels added. The support is gray canson...I'm getting used to using this paper and actually like it. I'm going to crop it to 8x10. The shirt was white, so I used different hues (colors), but kept the same values...which is important in painting. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I learned a lot while painting it. The photo doesn't do it justice...it looks so much better IRL.

On My Easel

I thought I would show you what I have started to work on. This is a charcoal sketch that I hope to add pastels to today. I took a picture of K in our backyard with this hat on. I've decided that I need to work larger, so there won't be as many painting post. This will be 8 1/2 x 11 when it is finished.

Look What Chance Found!

Chance found this snake skin yesterday by the driveway. At first, I couldn't tell what he was so interested in...until I got closer. Yikes! My nephew came over and said he thought it was a water moccasin...just what we need in our yard!

Flowers

Antique rose bud
Buttercup

more bluebonnets

I just love my new camera! Here are some of the pictures I took today while the sun was out. The first one is another rose from my antique rose bush. I really like how the background blurred and made it soft looking. The second one is just a plain old spring buttercup...I saw them this morning and it reminded me of when I was a little girl...I would pick buttercups and rub them in my sisters (I have 3) noses, so they would have a yellow spot on the tip of their nose. hehehe I was very mischievous as a child. lol The third picture is more of my neighbors bluebonnets.

Bluebonnets

I took this picture yesterday of our neighbors bluebonnets. It has been cloudy for the past couple of days and looks like it will be that way most of the week. The sun came out yesterday around 4p.m. for about 15 minutes, so I ran outside to get a quick shot of her flowers. I like how I was able to blur the background.

First Rose

This is a rose from the antique rose bush my OD (oldest daughter) gave me. I took a lot of pictures of this first rose.

Chance

Hubby bought me a Canon Rebel XTi for my birthday, so I have been playing with it all week! Here's a picture of Chance waiting to lick the dish my strawberry cheesecake was in. He's just too cute!

Daily Study...Three olives

I did this study in my pastel sketchbook...took about 15 minutes. I was so frustrated with a vase of flowers that I stop and did this quick study. I don't really like the paper in this sketchbook, but it's good for quick studies. The paper is brown...you can see bits and pieces of it in the background.

Daily Study...Lollipop

This quick 20 minute study was done in my new Daler~Rowney Ingres pastel paper sketchbook. I like how each page has a protective coversheet. I used the rough side...I think I'll try the smooth side next time. I haven't posted or painted anything since last week, so I decided I would do a quick study. This is a cherry Blow Pop...you know the kind that has the bubble gum on the inside. I used mostly Ludwigs.

Daily Study...Lemon

5x5 pastel on Canson

I was rummaging in the frig this morning and found a lemon for my daily study. I'm starting to get comfortable with this paper.

Sketches

I only had time for a couple of 10 minute each sketches today in graphite. The first one is from a photo I took in Starbucks of a table and chair sitting by the window last week and the second one is my youngest daughter and her friend at my parents lake house last weekend. My oldest daughter took this photo of them sitting on the pier. The three of them went with my nephew...they caught about 23 fish in two days! Not bad! Hopefully, I'll have time for a pastel study tomorrow.

Rain!

Pastel doodles...this started out with three daisies and I just kept doodling more! It has been raining almost all day...about the only time it didn't rain was when we walked this morning! There is water everywhere!! (K) is not to happy that it has rained almost all of spring break...she was hoping to go to the beach, but it has rained everyday this week. Today has been the worst!

Daily Study...Orange

6x8 pastel on Canson

I used Canson paper again today. I had read about using Viva paper towel to help push the pastel into the paper...tried that didn't like all the dust it created. I then tried a kneaded eraser...now I like how that works and you can make it any size you need it to be and it is self cleaning. I'm going to try and do my studies on this paper from now, since it doesn't cost as much...besides these studies are just practice. This makes my 3rd still life this week...I accomplished my goal! I used mostly Ludwigs.

Daily Study...Pink Lady Apple

5x7 pastel on Canson paper

Today, I decided to work on canson paper. I really don't like this paper, but it is so much cheaper than sanded papers. I thought since it was an apple I would give canson another try. I set this apple in my window (the sun finally came out today for a little while) and pulled my chair close to the window seat...placed my Giraults and Nupastels on it and started to sketch. This is what a true sketch looks like in pastels...unfinished! I think I might try some of my softer pastels on this paper next time...I have seen a few blogs that the artist used canson and only used softer pastels. Nupastel is one of the hardest pastels and Girault is a medium pastel. I think I'll try Ludwigs next time.

Daily Study...Strawberry

4x5 pastel on Wallis

Here's one of my still life studies for the week...took me about 30 minutes. I mainly used Ludwig pastels and a few Giraults. The Ludwigs are becoming my favorite. I painted this and then I ate it...I love fresh fruit!

Daily Study...Tree

7x5 pastel on La Carte paper

This is the tree that I painted outside a few days ago...I did a little tweaking to it. It's not that great, but I'm not going to spend a lot of time on a study. All my studies are more like sketches than finished paintings. On to the next study!

Sketch and Flowers

The past view days have been gorgeous outside! I took a sketchbook and 8B pencil outside with me and decided to sketch something while Chance chased the squirrels. I thought hmmm...what to sketch and them I looked at my leg crossed, so I sketched my foot in my favorite pair of flip flops! It was just a quick sketch while I was sitting on the bench. I need to do more of these...they don't take long and I'm sketching from life, which is a good thing. I keep reading about how important it is to sketch from life everyday.

The two azaleas are in my yard. I was reading in the travel section of the newspaper this morning about the "Nacogdoches Azalea Trails"...I'm thinking road trip! Last time I was in Nacogdoches was about 24 years ago! Here's a link to their site...http://www.nacogdochesazaleas.com/

Georgie

Chance had a visitor last night...her name is Georgie. She belongs to one of my youngest daughters friends. She had just gotten groomed yesterday and still had on her St. Patrick's Day bandanna. She's such a cutie! She was scared at first and didn't know what to think of Chance who was bouncing off the walls! He wanted her to play with him so bad, but she just sat in Kacey's lap staring at this strange creature. Kacey says that Georgie thinks she's human and I told her, well so does Chance. lol Georgie warmed up to Chance after awhile and they were barking and growling at each other. Her little mouth form the letter"O" when she barks...it's so cute! Chance was sad to see her go, but he was reassured that they would get together again for a play date. lol

Update on my daughters...she has bronchitis and is taking four different medicines...great just in time for spring break! My oldest daughter surprised me last night and came home at 11 p.m. I couldn't figure out why the chimes to the door were going off...I was thrilled to see her! She brought me a rose bush that she bought at the Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham, Texas. Check out their site... http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/index.html

I don't know if I will have time to paint a study today...so much to do!

Another Study...Jalapeno Pepper

4x5 pastel on Wallis

I thought I would post another small study that I did last night. This makes my 3rd study from life this week. I'm hoping to start a beach scene tonight from a photo I took at Quintana Beach a few weekends ago.

Daily Study...Spring Greens

7x5 pastel La Carte paper

I ventured outside today with a small box of pastels, a stool and pastel paper. I have been admiring this tree for the past few days with it's spring green colors. I spent about 30 minutes on this small study...it's not the best, but it felt good to be outside in the warmer weather. I kept having to deal with the sun going behind the clouds and the light changing. I mainly used Giraults and a few Nupastels and one green Towndsend that I love...it's nice and chunky. This experience made me realize that to work fast outside or plein air as it's called by artist, I will need to redo my box and add the larger, softer and chunkier pastels. I think I'll replace most of these with some of my Ludwigs and Unisons.

My youngest daughter is home from school today sick...she has a doctors appointment this afternoon and my oldest daughter is coming home from college tomorrow, so I don't know if I will get much time to paint...all depends on their schedules.

Chance

Chance is not to happy here...we just got back from the groomer. His hair is really short now!

He's getting in a better mood...now that he can chase and bark at the squirrels!

He loves to climb up on the girls play set that DH built for them when they were little.

He's back on the bench...tired after all that running around...chasing squirrels and up and down the play set!

Just thought I would bore some of you with pictures of Chance!

Daily Study...Red Pepper

6x6 pastel on Wallis


One of my goals for March is to paint a study from life at least once a week, but I think I'm going to change that to at least 3 times a week. I don't even like bell pepper, but I bought this one so I could study it...DH will have to eat it!

Daily Study...Salt Marsh

5x7 pastel on La Carte paper

I finally found time to paint a study. I did this salt marsh from a photo that I took in Freeport a couple of weekends ago. I just held my camera up to the window as we were driving and just kept clicking... hoping to get a few good shots. I'm hoping to find time to work on another study today.

Rodeo

This is Ronnie who was our host in the suite we watched the rodeo in. He's making my margarita!

I love taking pictures of animals! I'm not sure what kind of goat this is, but I thought it was cute!

I love to eat roasted corn! I liked all the bright colors in this booth...hoping to sketch it soon!

I didn't have time to paint today...sometimes life just gets in the way! I should find some time tomorrow. I'm hoping the weather is nice tomorrow like it was today...if so, I'll attempt a sketch outside.

Crenshaw Park

Duck egg

Gazebo by the pond

Hissing ducks!

I named this duck "Millie"

DH and Chance

I have been very busy this weekend...no time to paint. Yesterday, we went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo...we saw Clay Walker perform. I took pictures...I'll post some later in the week. I wanted to post pictures from the park we went to today.

Today, DH, Chance and I went to Crenshaw Park in Pasadena. Thanks Lisa for telling me about this park! I have never seen so many ducks in all my life! Ducks everywhere! It was windy and cold, so we only stayed a little while, but I took about 70 pictures. I plan on going back on a warmer day and taking my sketchbook...but in the meantime...I have a lot of reference photos to practice drawing and painting ducks! Chance loved the park...he wasn't too excited when a duck started hissing at him! lol There were two little boys fishing...they were probably 5 or 6 years old. I plan on drawing them by the pond. I figure drawing them from behind should be easy.

Daily Study...Sand Dune

5x7 pastel on La Carte

I did this study from a picture I took at Quintana Beach in Freeport on Sunday. The sky was so bright. I liked how this log was just lying there in the sand. I spent about an hour on it...it needs tweaking. This is the third time that I have used the La Carte paper...it's a little rough. Maybe if I used it for larger studies, I might like it better.

This is only #19 out of the 100 studies I plan on painting this year...I have a long way to go!!