Beached

This was the challenge for the DSFDF blog I often participate in. It seems I will be doing a bit more watercolors starting this week. I will be starting a term of school, and one of my classes is watercolor! Yay! I think this one would make a nice watercolor, actually. Perhaps I will take a different part of the reference photo and use watercolors.

I started with a bright orange background, thinking that since orange is the complement of blue, and this painting would end up being very blue, that might be a nice ground to work with. It kind of made the skin tone brighter than I'd hoped, but I like how bits of orange are peeking out from behind the blue. I don't know... I'm still experimenting with colors. There's so much to learn and try with oil painting! That's exciting, but also quite daunting. Trying to teach myself is difficult. Anyone have any suggestions?

Beached
8X6
oil on canvas board

Queensly

I just finished this painting and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I think Miss Queensly is pretty darling with her big, sad eyes and her "look at me" expression. I started this with a bright orange underpainting, thinking that I'd leave the background somewhat orange. There are bits of the orange peeking through around the eyes and in places in the background, but the bright color was too distracting as the overall color. I like to use the greenish bluish ochre-ish colors and I think they work for this little thang.

Queensly

8X8
Oil on canvas

Cute little Scotty boy

This is the adorable Scott. I love his little smile and his big blue eyes. I did this painting for a wonderful friend, Natalie. I've actually had it finished for quite sometime, but couldn't post it before she received it.

Scotty poo
7X5
oil on canvas board

Lovely picture

I was spending my Sunday afternoon looking through some old pictures and found this one. It has always been a favorite of mine- I love the serenity and the memories surrounding it. This was taken at a Chinese garden in Seattle on our honeymoon. We have lots of pictures from that trip, but this one will always be a favorite.

Mmm! I love sushi. My mouth watered the whole time I was painting this. I had a few pieces of a California roll the other day, but I will be sushi-less for the next several months. I hope I can last! :) This is another painting for DSFDF. It was quite fun to do and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out- all except for the blasted soy sauce. For some reason I had a hard time with the color, the shape, the highlights... I may rework it at some point.

Sushi trio
7X5
oil on canvas board

Wigging out

This is the latest DSFDF challenge. The photo has significantly more of these mannequin heads, but I liked the way these ladies are all looking in the same general direction. It makes me think they are interested in whatever is happening out there. There are several compositions in the reference photo, though, so maybe you'll see more of these freaky wigged out gals.

Wigging out

10X8
Oil on canvas board