Trying Something A Little Different

Here is a pastel painting that is not like anything in my portfolio.  I need more summer and nature pictures for the portfolio and this is what I have down so far.  I am pretty happy with the results so far…I just need to add a couple of birds to the post with wildflowers to the background and foreground and I should be all set.  I can’t wait to see it completed.

I have included the reference photo I took in my backyard.  I just made the colors more vibrant in the quilt for intensity.  I will post the completed picture as soon as I am done.

Best Friends, Portrait of an Amish Girl With A Rabbit

 

Here is a portrait of an Amish girl with a rabbit titled, “Katie With A Bunny” .   I wanted her to look like she was very serene and peaceful and above all, caring. The rabbit here was to add that quality and also to add extra softness to the picture. I hope you like it.

Amish Girl In The Garden, A Pastel In The Works

Hello everyone.  The weather here is yucky and so I am blogging and then going upstairs and painting with my pastels!  Because it makes me happy!  Here is a picture in the works right now.  This started to be an angel, but decided to try an amish girl instead.  I love the amish culture and the peacefulness and quiet of the country there.  The amish girls in their colorful dresses just add to the beautiful landscape.

I can’t wait to see how this looks finished.  She will be framed in flowers as if she is in a garden, and a butterfly will be flying toward her.  I will update with the finished picture!  Hope it is a great pic!  We’ll see!

Santa and Snowmen, New Pictures

Sorry so long in posting…I have been busy trying to find which media to stay with, as I am all over the place.  I seem to be falling back to pastels though, as I really love the realistic look to it.

I did the snowmen pics in acrylics, which were fun…but the Santa was really fun.  I just love to blend and get the colors so vibrant!  Anyway, I hope you like these.

 

 

Friendly Scarecrow, Numbers 2 and 3

I have already posted Friendly Scarecrow No. 1 awhile back.  I am trying to do a series of 4 pictures because that is what the art licensing companies look for.  Now, I just have one more to go.  But for now, here is 2 and 3.  And yes, it has been kind of time-consuming, but worth it.  Hope you like these guys!

 

 

Giraffe In pastel On Velour

Well, here is another attempt (I just keep trying) at another cute animal in pastel on velour.  Now I loved this one!  The only thing was that I first did him by himself, then changed it by adding some kind of foliage in the background to make him “pop”…but it did not.  I did not like it.  I need to practice more on how backgrounds work.  I then covered over the dark background with heavy white and blue pastel because you can not erase on this.  I didn’t even think it would cover to tell you the truth, but it did a decent job.  I just wanted him to show up.  I hope you like it.  I just want to touch him!

Giraffe in Pastel On Velour

Pastel Picture of Angel With Baby Deer

Just completed this pastel picture.  I was ready to throw this one away several times!  I tried this one on the smooth side of Canson pastel paper, instead of the textured side, thinking it would be smoother. It is, but I did not like the way the pastel blended on this side.  It was like drawing chalk on a blackboard, and I get chills just mentioning that!  I erased the hair several times and the dress on the angel wasn’t what I expected as well   All in all, when I finished , I was not really happy, until I showed my kids…who LOVED it.  I guess it was that I knew all the problems I had with it that didn’t make me happy.

But I guess I am happy with it now.

Here she is…Angel With Baby Deer.

Pastel Drawing of a Scarecrow (Fall House Flag Design)

Hello!  I just added this one to my portfolio.  I have been trying to add as many seasonal categories as I can to get a good variety of designs to showcase.

I really like this one because I really like the angle I went for.  It’s a little different from anything I have done.  I think I want to create more pictures drawn at different angles, instead of the typical straight view.  It’s a little more interesting.  The colors came out great and I used the smooth side of the paper, instead of the rough waffle-like side that leaves the funny pattern in your picture.

Anyway, I know it’s almost Spring, but hope you like my scarecrow for Fall.

 

Mr. Scarecrow

Pastel Easter Bunny Drawing

Back to the drawing table again.  I’m still trying to figure this whole process out, as it is different from the colored pencil technique, which I am used to.  I am currently waiting for some pastel pencils to come in, and when they do, I’m sure my drawings will get much better.  Right now, the pastels are very hard for me to work into small spaces and detail work.  With the pastel pencils. you do have more control over that dilemma.  The freedom of this medium is wonderful though.

So, for now…here is Mr. Easter Bunny. 🙂

Mr. Easter Bunny

Surprise Snowman

Hello!  I just had to share this with you!  I have titled this post “Snowman Surprise” because I really was surprised that I could actually make a  snowman picture like this, as I have never tried anything like this before.

I usually have a planned out drawing in front of me, always on white paper and always in colored pencil.  This was not planned at all.  I had gone through some of my old collections of Christmas cards that I keep for inspiration and saw these interesting snowman cards of just their faces up close and it looked like it was either paint or pastel with a colored paper background.  I haven’t used pastels since the 80’s!

So last night, before bed, I grabbed a piece of blue construction paper and my pastels from the basement and just went at it.  No pencil markings, tracings or anything.  It took all of 10 minutes and I couldn’t help but smile.  I kept saying to myself, “This is so cool!”  I just didn’t expect the colors to come out the way they did or the way the shading worked.  It was fun.

So here he is.  Hope you like him.  I’m going to try more…maybe a Santa face…hmmmmm….:)

Surprise Snowman