It's back

Thought I gave up on this didn't you? Well here it is with the watercolor portion finished. On to the acrylic application.

Rings

I started playing with this while I was waiting for the watercolor to dry. I turned out to be fun and I kept with it. I'm not sure about this. I didn't have a direction in mind when I started. I may try this again with a design in mind.

Zounds!

I know it has been a while. I have been working on my christmas card. I couldn't post it here as people who were receiving one check in here. I have been a little bored with my drippy art so wanted to try something different. So I broke out my bamboo dip pen. I am not happy with the results at all. I was having a difficult time with the pen holding ink and could not work the way I wanted to. Here is what I have so far. I was going to add watercolor, but may not and move on to something else. But who knows, maybe tomorrow I will start to like it and keep going with it.

Oh Nuts

It took a while, but here is my latest. It is some nut shells I found in the yard. 11 x 14" Now it is time to start thinking Christmas card art.

Just Ducky

Bet you thought I forgot about this piece. Nope. Just took a long time to get around to finishing it. All done now and on to the next piece.

Coffee and Tea

My local art guild is handing out these 11" x 14" canvases. They all have a stencil on them and you have to paint around the stencil. hen give it back to the guild to sell at their holiday show. Here are the two I did. All acrylic.

Wetcanvas

With the Yankees in the play-offs/World Series I have been falling behind on my painting. I have three going at the moment and will post updates soon.

Over at wetcanvas I have been asked to be a moderator. I have accepted.

Kreative Blogger

I am the proud winner of the Kreativ Blogger. I was nominated by Angela Shogren. Thanks Angela. Part of the deal is I have to list 7 things you may not know about me. Also I have to nominate 7 other blogs. Without further ado here are 7 things you may not know about me.

1. I went to the School of Visual Arts in New York City and wanted to be a cartoonist.

2. For a number of years I put out a web cartoon called Mermbut Comics.

3. I work as a packaging artist.

4. I enjoy ice fishing.

5. I play guitar.

6. I enjoy vegetable gardening.

7. I'm a big Yankees and Giants fan.

Now to nominate 7 other blogs.

Ducky update

A little further along. The water color portion is done. One to more acrylics.

Just Ducky

I'm trying something a little different here. I used liquid acrylics. I mixed them in a squirt bottle and tried to draw while squirting the paint out. It didn't work out quite the way I wanted. Plus there was some dried paint in the bottle that kept clogging the tip. But so far so good. I can work with this.

Post Cards

Inspired by Peggy Stermer-Cox I broke out my watercolor pencils. I whipped out a couple of post cards for friends. I had a little trouble with them at first, but started to get the hang of them after a bit. If anyone wants to do a post card exchange with me let me know.

Goat Head Soup

All done. The picture didn't come out so well. The blacks stand out a little more than the real deal. But you get the idea of the peice.

Further along

I have not been painting much this week as I have been very tired from work. But I got a little further along tonight.

Art Walk that night

The art walk went well. I was set up in the restaurant Sagi. Everyone there was extremely nice. And their food is fantastic, a good combo. Also I sold a piece. Woo Hoo.

Ridgefield Art Walk October 3rd and 4th

I will be in the restaurant Sagi for the art walk. I'll have 18 pieces there. The images below are from last year. In the second image you can see me in the bottom right in the brown and white striped shirt.

Join us in downtown Ridgefield on Saturday and Sunday for Art Walk! Hello! Come on downtown for Art Walk taking place Saturday from 1 - 6 and Sunday from noon - 4. More than 50 artists are installed in 41 stores, restaurants, offices and boutiques. They are available to talk with you about their work and many of the stores and businesses are running specials. There will be music in the streets and refreshments in the stores. Yellow and Blue Art Walk balloons will indicate participating businesses. A free raffle will be held at the end of the day, Saturday, at 6:00 at the Ridgefield Community Center/Lounsbury House, 316 Main Street. Maps are available there on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m. and will be in the stores on Sunday. Ample parking is available on Governor Street at the Balducci's lot, or at Veteran's Park School or on Main Street across from the Ridgefield Community Center at St. Stephens. Anyone visiting all locations on Saturday or purchasing more than $200 worth of meals, goods or services is automatically entered into the free raffle which has 22 prizes. Watch for a piano dressed in zebra and hot pink and if the mood strikes you...well..."Sit Down and Play!" On Sunday, maps will be in stores. Some artists and stores are not available and some artist locations may have changed. We hope you enjoy this event. Please let us know how we can make it even better next year! See you this weekend. Laura Misciagna (misciagn@sbcglobal.net) and Anne Marcus (annemarcus@ureach.com), Art Walk organizers.

Step 2

Funny, I had a certain direction I wanted to try with this piece but I didn't go there. Then I had to fight the urge to go in my original direction when I new direction pulled me. Always go with the piece. My words of wisdom for tonight.

Step One

Sweat Shirt

The Chamber of Commerce asked me to design a sweat shirt for town. They want something color to target kids. Here is my first round of ideas.

Here's Looking at You

I had planned to add acrylics to this, but I think it would subtract rather than add to this piece so I left well enough alone. 1/2 sheet watercolor paper, ink ad watercolor.

Abstract 1118

While waiting for my watercolor layers to dry I started fooling around with acrylics on old canvas boards. Here is the first one I finished.

Phase 2

Some watercolor added. Bullet holes almost gone :-)

Here's Looking at you

After a few lazy days I have started a new one. I have also been framing. I'm getting ready for a couple up coming shows.

Three Gulls Revised

I wasn't happy with the lack of legs on the gulls, so I added them. Now I think the piece is worse. Maybe I'm just focusing too much on the legs now. Oh well, can't win them all.

Three Gulls

Half sheet of cold pressed watercolor paper. I only used ink and watercolors. I wanted to keep this one simple.

All Done

I have added the acrylics and the piece is now done.

Watercolor Done

The watercolor portion of my demo is done. next up...acrylics.

background done

I'm still having trouble taking a good photo of my art. I'll have to try something new tomorrow. Anyway, I'm done with the background. Next up, the flowers.

Second Color added

I am having a difficult time getting a good photo. But here is the second coat of watercolors.

The Belles - WIP

Back by popular demand. My quirky art process so here is a WIP thread.

First I start with a photo that I have taken.

Then I play around with card board corners that I made until I find a composition that intrigues me.

Then I do a pencil sketch. Sometimes it will be really tight if I think it needs it. Usually it is pretty loose just to get the shapes and composition correct.

Then I add the ink. I use the dropper from the bottle top to apply the ink. While the ink is still wet I roll bottles through it, a stick, a mayonnaise jar top or what ever else I have handy.

Next is the first layer of watercolor. This is to start getting the flow of the piece don. General colors in place and start tying it together. I'll do about four watercolor layers.

I'll post more as I get more done.

Mushroom update

And it gets bigger and bigger. I guess I should put something next to it for size reference.

Charcoal Figure #1

Another quickie charcoal while I work out my next piece.

Bell Bottoms

All Done.

Charcoal Man

The humidity is bad this week. Since it is taking forever for the watercolors to dry, and I don't want to be idle, I popped out this charcoal.

More color

A little further along. It takes forever to dry in this humidity. And I'm not motivated enough to pull out the hair dryer and speed things up.

I was hit up at wetcanvas to be a guide in the abstract/contemporary forum. Basically I act like a host. I also keep my eye out for trouble makers. So watch out troublemakers, I have my eye on you ;-[

And now for something completely different

Here is a cool looking mushroom growing in our yard. We decided to let it grow to see how big it gets.

Color Added

'nuff said.

Bell Bottom Blues starts

Starting a floral. 1/2 sheet hot pressed watercolor paper. These are flowers growing in our yard. My wife wasn't sure what they are called. Some sort of bell.

Touch up A Still Bee

I wasn't that happy with the A Still painting. I got a couple of good pointers at the wet canvas site and touched it up.

A Still Bee Complete

Well I stayed from the sock and went back to the traditional brushes. None the less, it is all done.