Loose Tulips!

Tulips, oil on 8x10 board

Warning step back  when looking at this picture! Squinting is Better!

Another week of freezing cold temperatures ! I didn't realize how much I missed colour ! I did have a lovely pot of Azaleas bright pinky red which are sort of struggling to keep going, they were good to look at and cheered up the Parlour a lot.

But somehow I didn't think about painting them, looking through photo's I found some tulips a small crowd of them different colours, they looked bright and cheery I used 8 x 10 board and got down to painting in a loose style, trying to see the different colours in each one, my suggestion is not to look at it too close as the subject looks all over the place. 

I just had fun with a lot of paint on the pallet to see how it turned out! and here it is,

It took about a couple of hours. I guess you could say it looked like I was going to catch a train and had to finish it in a hurry!

Hey it's all  good practice.

Babs

A "Stone Barn"

"Stone Barn" Oil on 8x10 board

A unique Stone Barn in Norland Ont

The Stephens Family were the original owners of this unique barn, two feet walls all built of rock and stone in the early 1930's Ed Valentine a stone mason built it. It is indestructible, an earth quake in 1930 failed to dislodge even one stone.
I believe it is one of a kind and a piece of history still looking strong and solid.
More info here: http://www.monckslanding.com/barn.html

I really like the idea of painting landscapes but I find them a little tricky especially with perspective. making buildings look authentic. The colour of the stone and the history of this barn was important to give it justice on a 8 x 10 board. It was a little awkward to get it looking right, windows and doors are so tiny, but over all I did my best, I need a couple more practice pieces!
I enjoyed the picture enough to take a chance and have it on the Blog.

Photo by daughter Lisa. thank you for sharing.   Mum.

Portrait ; "Rachell at 18"

Rachell, Oil on 8x8 board

Rachell at 18

I have tried before to paint my Grand daughter a couple of times and failed ! This time I was more determined . I used a photo from Facebook she is taking a photography course at College. One of her fellow students took the shot.

Being on a dark background can make painting difficult but decided I would be bold! and paint an 8 x 8 hoping I had improved since last time painting., wet on wet and then blending is something I have to work on making sure to look for all the nuances of colours look as right as I could get them.

Every picture tells a story! I am sure there are a lot of corrections to the eye of a pro portrait painter being self taught seems to make things harder but determination pushes me along all the time and with masses of encouragement from John and the family.
Will keep trying.
Thanks Boss and co.,
Babs

"Little M"

"Little M" oil on 8x8 board

Little 'M'

Lisa my daughter had this young lady over to make cookies a week or two ago. It seems she is full of energy and very inquisitive.  I believe there was a moment or two while at the counter top she was fascinated with spoon in hand quite happy helping scoop out and make a cookie all by herself that gave Lisa the opportunity to get a snap shot, before she took off looking for lipstick !!
A proper little Diva!

I had to try a small 8x8 board, not used to children's faces it was more difficult than I thought along with so many reflections around from dark to light, a really good challenge leaving me with the idea of working on another portrait soon.  It is good practice and great to keep going on indoor activities in this weather !

Thank you Lisa

Babs

Experimental Painting

Oil on 8x10 board

A "Just For Fun" painting, on a snow day.


Last year in Spring we took a trip to Round the Bend Farm, we buy our fresh vegetables there they have many Farm animals on display for the children to pat and find out what they are about. One in particular seem to get some attention, it was a young Llama she just had a beautiful hair cut but, had rather a surprised look on her face or embarrassed   not sure which it was, for fun we took a photo and I came across it, being another" extreme " heavy snow day I decided I would paint her, just to see those big eyes made me smile. It was fun to paint adding some unusual colours.
Good for the eyes with all the white stuff out side.
Babs

Experimental City Scape

City Scape oil on 8x10 board

Experiment.  8 x10 oil board.

Cityscape from a photo in the Toronto Star.

Catherine Jeffrey Post Cards from the Hammer.

http://cajeffrey.blogspot.ca/

does incredible night time shots of Toronto, I love the colours and twinkling lights she can produce the figures small and life like but you get a great feeling of city people going home  after a hard days work ,shadows and light almost abstract just love them.

So my curiosity was peeked and  decided to have a 'Go' well here it is, not too many titters behind the hands please, you realize as always you have bitten off more than you can chew! just wanted to try my patience and think at least it is a Study and worth while trying.

Would love to know how her eyes stand up to all those twinkling lights from cars and big buildings !
I think of I try again I will go Big or go home!

Back to practice horses legs me thinks !

Comments welcome.
Babs