The Making of Dotty .... and an update

It's been a long time since I was here, or visiting your blogs.
Even longer since I've done a step by step painting.

Yesterday I got the time to paint - and I painted Dotty, from beginning to end. Taking pictures of the progress, we start at pencil drawing and end at the completed tabby cat that is Dotty.

I hope you enjoyed the step by step ... and the final painting too.

Dotty was painted on Saunders Waterford 140 Rough and is 15" x 11"
The paints I use are Winsor &Newton Artist Quality

The update on our situation is that hubby is still improving, but the progress is slow. We're not out of the woods yet. Thank you for your continued prayer and support.

Just another day.

The weather was fine for the end of October, so Missy had maybe her last game of the season :)

When we came in, I finished a quarter sheet painting, the last in the current loose style. This was from David Webb's book, Animal Painting Workbook. I wanted to compare what I'd learned from him against one of his own pictures. I only painted half the cat, not all that he did. I'm happy I have the technique, so this lovely cat will be the last "after" someone else's picture. If you'd like to buy David's book, or view his website, GO HERE

Lazy Sunday Afternoon ( after David Webb)

and finally, we curled up on the sofa in the evening and watched The King's Speech on dvd.  What a fabulous film. I know, we're behind the times, but I so prefer my own home to the cinema environment. Nobody can kick the back of my seat!

Wish you all a blessed Sunday. xx

PS: for those who walked Ripley, the total was over £80,000 when I last looked on Saturday! Thank you all xx

Its all new...still

Today's blog is another of the animals being painted in the new technique.
I'm still practising with it and still enjoying it immensely.



I found out yesterday that the chap who wrote the book had previously taught art in Fairkytes Art Centre where I go on Wednesdays - before he moved to Devon. Who knows, maybe one day we'll be in the same place at the same time - and I can learn from him first hand!

Meet the ginger one

Here we are - the second attempt at the loose impressionistic style.
The first photo shows the cat after all the base washes were done, you can just make out his shape.



The second shows the finished cat.
I quite like him - he has a certain spark about him - and you can certainly see he's a cat !

Pencil drawings

Some days I only make pencil drawings.
This keeps my drawing skills fresh - and black and white can be more evocative than colour.
The two pics above are of a friend's cat. The first in her younger days, and the second, her sunset years.

Both done from photos - because as anyone who owns a pet will tell you, they don't stay still for long! All part of their charm.

Pencil drawings sometimes take me much longer to create than paintings.
I think its because with pencil I am more likely to do a defined representation rather than the suggestion of the animal - as in the Chicken painting in the earlier post.

I love drawing. I spend hours at a time drawing. Its not unusual for me to look up and five hours will have flown by and I will have been in a world of my own. Very relaxing. Everyone should give it a try .