The Dancer's Hand

I FINALLY got this one done.   I'm not sure what the big deal was but her right hand has been unfinished for months.

I'll be taking this one to the fair this weekend for the Cultural Arts exhibition.  

This is 24x20" on canvas, mostly knife painted in oils.

Then, I wanted to see if I could work on something more long-term and still get a little watercolor ACEO done for my 30 paintings in 30 days.  Short answer:  yes.  I have tried to paint a white horse in watercolor before pretty unsuccessfully and frustratingly; I'm a little happier with this one.

Arbor Vitae

This is a first layer of one of another acrylic "henna impasto" style painting.  It made my hand cramp.  Next layer tomorrow.

It has kind of a nifty texture :)

Impulse

6x6 Acrylic on panel, $40 --  Click to purchase

I wasn't entirely happy with this, mainly because the brown horse and purple background seemed to blend into one another from a distance.  So I darkened his face, added some detail to his mane and some highlights and shadows.  Much better, I think.  This is a new technique I think I will be playing with some more.

PtesanWi

"The medicine of Buffalo is prayer, gratitude and praise for that which has been received.  Buffalo medicine is also knowing that abundance is present when all relations are honored as sacred, and when gratitude is expressed to every living part of creation."  -- Jamie Sams

Bison Spirit Animal Painting, Work in Progress

I want to do a series of Spirit Animal paintings.  Buffalo is not one of my animals, but because she symbolizes abundance, she has some meaning in my life at the moment, and this is where I was inspired to begin.  A few months ago I sketched this with detailed notes about the meaning of Bison as a Spirit Animal.  To the Lakota, there is no animal more sacred than a white buffalo.  It was a symbol the Great Spirit was taking care of them.  They have a legend about White Buffalo Calf Woman (PtesanWi) that I will relate with the next (last?  maybe..) layer of this painting.

This is acrylic on 8x8" panel.  I think for the next one I will return to oils... definitely like the way they move around on the canvas better, even though I bought an extender to use with the acrylics.  Sure is nice to have the layers dry so quickly, although I have a feeling it's not going to make me paint any faster because once I'm done with a layer I feel kind of done for the day.  I got the background pretty much done here, just have to put detail on the buffalo, and the circle, which will be painted with impasto designs.  

Another 30 in 30

So I'm really psyched about this new painting style with acrylics because it's going to make it a LOT easier for me to complete a painting in a day for Leslie Saeta and Artists Helping Artists 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge :D   This will be the second time I've participated - I did this in January and it was amazing... I feel like it turned me into an artist where before I'd only been dabbling, and as a result, I've sold my first painting and several paintings since then.

I feel like I'm still all over the place with my art and haven't settled down to decide what I want to be when I grow up (but that's not all that surprising because I can't seem to make that decision in life, either).  So that's the mission for September:  find a signature style, or at least a primary signature style.

That said, I ALSO want to start doing some art journaling and devote a little more time to my sketchbook, so some of my 30/30 paintings are going to be art journal pages in ink and watercolor.  See, I'm committing, but kinda not really.  I have to feel like I can do one thing if I don't feel like doing another.  And, I may do some crazy random stuff, or custom orders, too.  So no rules except paint every day.

This is going to be a BIG challenge for me because September is not really the best month to be doing it.  I am doing more craft shows in the next two months with my jewelry and chainmaille business, You've Got Maille, than I have done all the rest of the year, and one of them is HUGE.  Plus Christmas season is coming up and I need to be making jewelry and things for that.  But who knows, maybe I'll sell some paintings this Christmas season, too :)

If you're an artist, or even if you think you might want to be an artist, it'd be so awesome if you joined me in the challenge.  And if are an artist and you don't listen to Artists Helping Artists podcast, you totally should.

Okay, so:  today's art.

Is this done? I'm not sure. Not happy with the contrast.

In other fun news, I got my 2 ponies from Tumble Creatures today. They are modeled after my 2 horses and I LOVE them!

I'm Playing Hooky

I'm supposed to be typing. I'm also supposed to be finishing jewelry orders. But...

... I got new toys. YESTERDAY. And didn't have time to play.

So I transferred this image onto a panel..

Sort of. What the heck, transfer paper?

And then loaded molding paste (acrylic) into a henna cone. Because henna can be messy I feel a little bit more comfy with an acrylic medium on the other side of that cellophane.... way less toxic.

And here he is henna-fied, white on white. Gosh, I kinda like him just in white... The base coat now needs to be touched up but once the molding paste dries (this stuff holds texture!) I'll go back in with the high flow paints and either try a wash or fill in some color.

And hey, there's not a thing to clean up right now, and if it wasn't bedtime I could finish this guy today!! Which is awesome because a new painting a day challenge is looming on the horizon! I'm excited!

Back in the Studio

Remember this? Playing with it again. I thought I'd add a quote to it but my calligraphy skills are very rusty.

So, some practice is in order.

But then I remembered that the new Golden High Flow acrylics I ordered last week can be used as ink. I may wait to do the actual lettering till I get to play with them. Can't wait!

I've been canning and making jewelry and it hasn't left me much time to get into the studio. But I've got the itch, which is good because September kicks off another daily painting challenge. And also because I may have a commission. :D

On to the next project, then... This started out in my sketchbook several months ago, too.

And here's the rough-in. This is the first time I have tried working with acrylics. Definitely will take some getting used to... I'm used to bobbing all the oil paint I think I'm gonna need for a painting on my palate, but acrylics are drying too fast for that. I have a retarding agent coming with my other goodies!

Hopefully I can sneak back to the studio tomorrow.