Upcoming Artwork & an Announcement

I know, I know, I haven't posted much lately. I've been away for the past two weeks going to the Atlanta CPSA convention, which was fantastic as usual (pics to be posted later). We then dropped down to Florida for a quick visit to my son, then onto Texas to visit more family, and finally home to NC. Home to nothing but rain ever since arriving including about 6" in the last 24 hours!! And our lawn is almost two feet high and we can't mow it until it dries out. So, I guess we have an african savannah outside our door for awhile longer.

UP COMING ARTWORK
I have actually been working on some artwork. I just finished the sketch of one piece I would like to enter into CPSA next year. It is a 14" x 18" piece, which grew from 12" x 16". I had wanted to do it for this year, but I'm glad I waited because I just added something extra to it that I think really gives it a bang!

Then I have my 18" x 24" piece that I am still sketching out. Almost have the subject sketched out, but then have to figure out the background. *sigh* How I dislike backgrounds, especially if they involve grass (which this one probably will).

I also have a 16" x 20" piece that I have started but reached a point where I just don't like part of what I've done but can't figure out how to fix it.

AND I have the "Faces of Love" series I need to continue to work on. Of course, there are also some other side pieces I need to work on, but these are the major pieces I am going to be doing over the course of the next year.

I can see how I am suddenly working on much bigger sizes than usual for me. I like big sizes except for all the pencils it uses up with pastelbord. But that's okay, just need to stock up!!!


ANNOUNCEMENT
Now, for an announcement. a friend of mine, Jennifer Rose of Fuzzy Dragons, is celebrating her blog's first birthday, which will be on the 26th of August!! To celebrate she has decided to giveaway two items, but she has some very specific rules for entering the giveaway, so read her blog entry carefully. You must go look at her Etsy store as well! She has some wonderful drawings there you need to see!!


Okay, now I guess I need to get back to my artwork. I'll post pics of the convention later on, so be sure to stop by later to see them!

Happy creating everyone! :D

ATC #1 for Atlanta!

I just finished this ATC for the ATC trade at the convention in Atlanta. Obviously, it's a tiger (at least I HOPE it's obvious).

This was done on a new support for me: Multimedia Artboard; this was the black board. It is much different to work on, even from sanded surfaces and Pastelbord. Lots of tooth that is impossible to cover up completely, I suspect, unless you use a watercolor wash first. I'll have to try that next.

It's, of course, 2.5" x 3.5" in size and I used Prismas & one coloursoft and one pablo. I hope to get at least one more done before I leave for Atlanta.

Veggie Still Life in Pastel

It's finished! I completed it in less than a day, but couldn't get a decent pic until now.

This was fun and a great learning experience! Hopefully, I will build up my confidence in pastels so I can try larger paintings from my own ref pics. We'll see.

For now, this is finished and I am back to working on my shelter puppy!

Veggie Still Life

I decided to pullout my pastel pencils and do a quick painting with them today. This is from a ref pic by Nicole Caulfield. Thanks Nicole!!!

I'm using my Derwent pastel pencils on gray Pastelbord, 5" x 7". I have a couple of hours put into it so far. Hoping to finish either today or tomorrow, then back to my shelter puppy.

I kind of like this so far. At least my husband recognized all of the items in the painting, and that's saying a lot! What do you guys think?

Pinky & Rosie - A Memorial

I have started a series called Faces of Love: A Shelter Animal's Journey. This series is being created due to an agreement between my local animal shelter and myself. They gave me permission to come in and have several photo shoots of all the resident animals. I then turn those photos into paintings. When the paintings are done (approximately 10 or more paintings total), I will hold an art show to sell them and give 40% of the proceeds directly to the shelter. You can read all the details of the project on the Faces of Love page on my website.

Here is the first painting completed: Pinky & Rosie.

Enjoy!!