oil 6x6                      Ethan & Ama              click image to enlarge

My bad! I am a couple days behind on my challenge postings.  Painted this yesterday and will post a drawing I sketched in the car on the way to a family birthday dinner Saturday. Weekends are a challenge; you'd think it would feel like extra time but there's always to many things to fit in.

Meet my grandson Ethan and his dog Ama...on one of their after-school walks.  It was fun painting these two - each stroke feels so much more personal than when I'm painting a still life or something I'm not emotionally connected too. (remember to tilt the screen if it's not sharp; it's hard to photo oiil paint when it's wet -lots of glare). 

Garden Variety ........ 9th of 30

oil on paper   garden variety    click of  enlarge

 Planted eggplant starters..expecting the generic purple kind... got these little green guys instead. Yup, they're full grown. Turns out they're Thai eggplant - who knew?  (note; if this looks a little washed out, tilt your screen --the colors will be sharper.  Sometimes the oil paint and light battle for attention)

Balboa Treats......8th of 30

Yesterday I mentioned painting a room - Oy! the color is like a sick salmon.  I just couldn't deal with it today so took on a challenge within the 30-day challenge.  My goal was to paint the sunlight hitting the buildings etc.  Too often, my 'light areas' is too cool, yet you have to be careful not to make it too yellow. I learned a lot on this piece...and it took some trial and error.

It was a tough piece to do in one day. The photo has a ton of detail,  most of which I left out.  Simplify Simplify is what art teachers always say...man, did I!    From last summer, Balboa Island.

Little Elena ...

This ends week one of the 30 in 30 challenge.  It's been quite a personal learning experience (on so many levels) and a lot of fun.  While some of the work this week isn't the caliber I'd like it to be,  as I study them now, I see ways to do things differently, experiment, improve.

I started a home project today - just couldn't seem to get a new painting done. So instead  I finished a sketch tonight (Tues.) that I started a few days ago.  I was going through a box of old photos Sunday and came across a photo of my granddaughter Elena at about 3 (she's 8  now!)  Seems fitting that I celebrate the end of week one with something/someone so special to me.

On the Porch.....6th of 30

5x7" oil on paper   On The Porch   click to enlarge

If you recall, I named this 30/30 challenge series: Everything But the Kitchen Sink. Well, in need of a subject for today's entry..and not wanting to resort to painting the sink (yet!) ...I grabbed a photo from our recent trip to Mendocino and used myself for the subject.  Happy memory - sitting on a porch at the inn, overlooking the ocean, on our 20th anniversary.  hmmm think she needs some features?Maybe I'll add them later today..

Oldies But Goodies (ii)....... 5 / 30

oil on paper           Oldies But Goodies (ii)        click to enlarge

See the tin? It's a cast-away from hubbies tea addiction :-) He loves to try a zillion different loose teas --they come in assorted tins with lovely labels....make perfect brush holders.  Today I again painted on a torn-edge archival paper.  I like the affect of the torn edge - you usually set it in a floating style frame so the edge of the paper shows.  Here it's just laying against a white board I had in the studio. hmmm as a look at it I think I need to soften the shadow of the palette knife.  Back to work I go...

'Twas the Season".....4th of thirty.

            oil on paper    'Twas the Season    click image to enlarge

All that's left from decorating for the holidays - this little twig of holly.  Today I used archival water color paper with 3 coats of gesso so I can oil paint on it.  Really like the surface texture.

 I was lucky to get this perky little branch...even when there's a large 'crop' of berries, most are moldy.  Any suggestions on keeping them healthy?

Oldies But Goodies ... 3 /30

6x6    oil            Oldies but Goodies    click to enlarge

These tubes got a make-over for their portrait today. They are so smudgy with various paint from my fingers that the white areas are a grayish-tan color.  Seemed only right to spiff them up. As I painted them I realized they are like old pals that bring me much happiness when I get to be with them.

I decided to call the paintings for this 30/30 challenge "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" - so I can let whimsy decide what to paint each day.   I love having options - don't you?

Used a board that has a very smooth surface and sort of clay-sh. Forgot I had these.  It just drinks up the paint so 'dries' quite fast.  That can be good but the downside is when you go brush on a new color near or on another color you applied just five minutes before, it's sticky and hard to blend.  I haven't decided if I like it or not.  Different, not bad; but takes some getting used to

2 down; 28 to go....

   5x7"  oil        Take Five (ii)     click to enlarge

Yup-you're right. This is the same subject as yesterday - is that cheating?  I decided to do it again because yesterday, in my haste to get my first piece done by the deadline, I realized too late that I wasn't able to to fit the little dancer's feet in the composition without scrunching-up her proportions..so it became a 'close-up' (artistic license ;-).   Love her stance.   I chose a different shape canvas board (5x7 today), made it much easier to get the proportions right.

BTW: A friend wrote to say she is not getting email updates of my blog for some reason; I didn't get my own from yesterday's painting.  Can you comment below (or email me) to confirm you are getting this?  I'll have to figure that those who don't respond are not.  Hmmmm...it's always something. 

Since I started a day late on the 30/30 challenge, does it mean I only have to do 29?  Aww..may as well go for the full 30.  Didn't think about the fact that it means weekends too.  Well, barring any big conflicts....

The Challenge: 30 in 30!

6x6  oil                     Take Five         click image to enlarge

Happy New Year to you all!  A painting pal, Linda Yoder, told me about this painting challenge: paint 30 paintings in 30 days. (Bet you thought I was going to try and lose 30 in 30!  ha...not!)  It's about getting into your studio and painting...and having fun.  The best part--there are no rules!  If you miss a day, do it the next; if you fall behind because life gets in the way, just pick it up when you can.  This challenge was initiated by palette-knife painter Leslie Saeta via her blog.  Over 230 painters have signed up.  If you want to check click here:http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/    Be patient - it takes a few seconds for all the paintings to load.