Commission from Granddaughter

This painting is a special request from a special girl, my granddaughter:

"Panda Beary"

12": x 16" Oil on Board

Have a great day,

Cindy

"Party Lites"

Done.  I don't know where the name for this one came from.  It just feels right.

"Party Lights"

24" x 30", Oil on stretched canvas.

The big change to the finished painting was the addition of large clouds.  My instructor suggested them, and she was right.  We dug through her source photos of clouds until we found the right one, and I loosely painted it in.  What a difference!  See yesterday's post to compare with and without the large cloud.  And, thanks, Joyce, that's why I study with you!

Have a great day,

Cindy

Party Lites

In process, and slow going, trying to keep it loose.  I painted out some of the houses in the background because they weren't loose enough.  "Loose" is a lot harder than you think.

 

 

"Party Lites"

24" x 30", oil on stretched canvas

Hope you have a wonderful day,

Cindy



 





"Pelican Dance"

Finished, finally.  You are probably tired of seeing this in all it's various stages, but it's done now, so here is the final:

"Pelican Dance"

12" x 16", oil on stretched canvas.

The photographs I used for this painting were taken on Anna Maria Island, Fl..  There is a pier where people fish, and a fish cleaning station nearby.  These pelicans, and dozens of others, wait patiently for someone to toss them fish scraps.  As soon as an arm goes up for the throw, the birds begin dancing and aligning themselves for the best possible opportunity to catch those scraps.

Now, for my next painting.........always looking forward to the next one by golly!

Have a great day,

Cindy

Day Five

All that is left to do is the water, all those lovely reflections, and a few touches here and there.

Have a very pleasant evening,
Cindy

As I paint...

As I work on a painting, I pause and take digital photographs.  These photos help me keep the drawing correct.  It's way too easy to forget to stop, step back, and look.  Other tricks I use to check my work include turning it upside down, or looking at it in a mirror.  The pictures below show clearly how valuable it is to stop and check your work while in the process of painting:

Can you see the difference?  In the top one, the front pelican's beak is too short,  It's not so obvious, and I could have continued on happy in my ignorance.  Thank goodness, I stopped and checked.
This is day four in the still incomplete "Pelican Dance".

For the first time in several days, the sun is shinning, so I am off to get more source photographs.  So excited to see shadows!

Make today wonderful,
Cindy.

Day Three, "Pelican Dance"

Still in process.....lots of color being applied, while making a deliberate effort not to overwork the details....it's tricky.  The lower pelican has a lot of pink and purple in his body, I guess I'm sneaking up on him.

Pelican Dance, incomplete

Have a great weekend,

Cindy