Signature Style

Poniesdevon Rufty Tufty, Commission, Work in Progress

If you're in the northern hemisphere, I bet it's cold where you are.  I know it's cold where I am. We've had glimpses of beautiful weather (for which I am grateful!), but this week has been COLD, and getting colder.  Right at this moment it's 27.  Yeah, you northerners (and I am a Yankee myself) might not think that's cold, but it's cold enough.

My hubby, bless him, is a rural letter carrier for USPS.  He got up this morning with an awful headache and not feeling well at all, and off he went to bring the mail, cold or no cold.  I hear a lot of people complain about their mail carriers, but you know what, thank them once in a while.  It's not the easiest thing in the world.  Anyway, Russ got up at 5something am, and off he went to work.

And I thought, I sure am glad I don't have to do that.  So honey, you're the best, just wanted you to know.  Thank you for doing what you do.

Cause I don't have to.  So I thought, the least, the VERY least I can do, is get my non-9-to-5 self into the studio today and do some work.  So I did.

(For the record, I do have a "day job" typing medical transcription, and I also make jewelry, but all in all it is pretty cushy and I can do it in my jammies and I am spoiled rotten).  Oh, and I did some hard core cross training today -- I am serious about this getting in shape thing, for once!

I listened to last week's Artists Helping Artists podcast while I worked on Tufty's background.  This episode was one of those gems that you MUST listen to if you make art.  It was about Developing Your Signature Style.  I've only been at this for 3 years, and only seriously for one of them, so it's a subject near and dear to my heart.

One of the points that was made was that your painting should tell a story.  So I thought... hmm... what if I did an ACTUAL story with each painting?  But maybe that defeats the purpose.  Maybe people want to come up with their own story when they look at a painting.  What do you think?  Then again, just writing the story doesn't mean I have to share or publish the story... but in my writer's brain I think it might help the process.

Hope that wherever you are, you are safe and warm, and appreciating the fact that you are safe and warm.  As for me, I am about to head into the cold to feed the horses.  Be well! :)

I'll Draw... Wait No

Drawing turned into...

Life has a way of getting in the way.  I really need a better routine.  This year I started doing yoga/ta'i chi every day and meditating afterward, which has been awesome once I do it, but I get up and lie in bed going "Ugh... I don't wanna get up cause then I have to exercise...."   and waste a bunch of time.   Darn you, Facebook.  Plan B is get up and plan my day, journal about ideas I have or stuff I wanna do, and get myself fired up, THEN exercise.  And stay the heck away from my smart phone and tablet, cause they eat my day before it starts.  *sigh*   Please tell me I'm not the only one.

So once I got through that stuff, and breakfast, I went to the studio.  I thought I'd do some warm-up drawing, but you know what, I really don't like drawing.  I scribbled a little, said "the heck with this, I want to paint" and sketched a painting on this little canvas (5x7).  It's a little Arab mare that belongs to the same friend who owns the donkeys I drew a few weeks ago.  What can I say, I'm partial to Arabs.  One of these days I really need to get around to painting my adorable little Arab, Storm.   Pony break!

Storm, running up the hill to see me

*snuggle snuggle snuggle carrot*               Okay, back on topic.

Anyway, after I sketched that one I worked on the Tufty painting and got that huuuge dress and the pony and a little bit of skin (crap!  Just noticed I missed her feet...) roughed in. 

I'm gonna have to break up all that blue.  Hmm.

Today's work on Tufty

More Tufty videos for you tomorrow, and a little more detail on the painting.  Have a beautiful Tuesday, and stay warm!

Poniesdevon Rufty Tufty

Sketched in on the canvas

 Buoyed by the awesome experience I had this morning with dropping off the painting for Georgie's mom, I headed back to the studio today to start painting another beloved critter... this is Poniesdevon Rufty Tufty ("Tufty"), whose owner Philippa has spent bunches of time working with.  He's awesome!

Background roughed in

And, he's on Facebook and Youtube if you'd like to follow the antics of him, his cohort pony Blue, Arab friend Satin (whom I'd love to paint, too!), and his mom Philippa.  Check him out... naughty ponies make me laugh so much!  :) 

The Rainbow Bridge

Georgie - A commission.  For a custom portrait of your pet/horse, click the photo

Yay, I got Ms. Georgie done in time for the anniversary of her crossing.  I really enjoyed painting her, when I finally got my butt in gear and made myself do get into the studio and paint.  Hopefully I can keep the momentum going this week (and forever, but I know that's not realistic.

  Honestly, it's really too gorgeous a day to be inside.  It's 50 something degrees and look at that sky... after the cold spell we've had, what I'd really like to do is go play with my horses, but I really don't have time today.  Figures, the same thing happened the last warm day we had, and the weather man says cold again tomorrow.  Ah well, spring soon.  Maybe some plein air painting in my future.

 

So instead, I got out my pencils and did a rough sketch  (very rough... sketching is not my thing, something I'd like to change...) of superpony Poniesdevon Rufty Tufty ("Tufty") and his rider/trainer Philippa Davies, whose adventures you can follow on Facebook (click his name).  Not only does he rear on command, but he's learning capriole and other cool stuff.  I'll share  more as I work on his painting.  Here's the sketch:

I'm hoping to make this as magical as I think it has the potential to be.. we'll see how it goes!  The background in the photo is a beach.  Really a gorgeous photo, I'm so lucky that my Kate's Horse Edits contest winners had such awesome stuff to work with!

The BEST news is that maybe I have my mojo back, or at least my work ethic.  I'm hoping that I can get into the studio at least =almost= every day this week, even if I do nothing more than a henna design or a few scribbly sketches for practice.  Or a little altar painting.