December 2012

This is the last post of the year. There are fewer challenge sites at the moment, so maybe I will be able to spend a little more time on the challenges that come up.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, looking forward to 2013 and all that it brings.

November challenges

This first challenge was from Paint and Draw Together. I painted it in oils. The reference was rather dark and I tried to work on disappearing edges. Alas I think it lost some of it's vibrancy, although this was probably my favourite this month.

This was the first challenge this month from Studio Atelier Still Life. Painted in acrylics.

A Day Not Wasted posted this Eagle owl, I just had to work this one in pastels. The only thing I would change would be a bigger mouse!

The last challenge this month was another Studio Atelier, of Clear Water Creek, at first I felt it was a bit overwhelming, but as I got into it I rather liked it. I do not work very often on landscapes but I began to feel quite comfortable with this as I worked in oils.

October Challenges

 The first painting this month was for Studio Atelier, an acrylic depicting autumn colours.

 This painting was not in fact one of the challenges, but I loved the subject. It was from a photo of Lee's on the A Day Not Wasted site. He had posted several photos from his trip to Ireland this summer. The challenge was the youth waiting for his part in a film production.

The last one this month was an orchid which again I had used acrylic, but think a watercolour version would have given it more fragility. 

The challenge site was Paint and Draw Together.

Summer selection

During the summer my friend Pearl and I visit different locations to draw and paint. This summer has been quite wet and cold so it was quite a challenge!

This selection of pictures are pen and wash.

The first picture is located at Nymans a rather nice National Trust property.

We found this location by accident. We had stopped for a pub lunch and low and behold , this wonderful scene behind the pub,allowing the boats to moor up and stop for lunch.

 This is another National Trust property. Batemans - where Rudyard Kippling spent time.

 Wakehurst, Sussex - an important place where seeds from all over the world are stored.

 Sissinghurst, Kent - quirky tower and beautiful gardens.

Finally for this post  - Alfriston , a really quaint village where my husband and I spent a few days of our honeymoon many years ago.

August challenges

This was the challenge posted by  Paint and Draw Together.

I painted this in acrylics and it turned out a little better than I expected, so I was quite pleased as I am a little warey of flowers .

A beautiful Swiss cow posted by A Day Not Wasted. Again I painted this in acrylics.

Two week July Art holiday in Provence

My husband and I were on a two week art holiday,  I painted he read books.

The first village we visited was Lourmoran

A man was tending his vegetable plot so I just had to put him in.

Saignon was another quaint village, these cars (2CV's) are very typical of all over France.

The village of Rustrel offered another opportunity for a picture.

The end of the first week. We sat among the lavender with Mont Ventou as a backdrop.All this weeks work was done in oils, which because of the heat dried extremely quickly.

 The second week. This time no oils, pen and water colour.

The view from the hilltop village of Murs. This was done as a drawing exercise.

The church along side the chateau at Murs.

We went on to Menebre, and back to one of my favourite media pen and wash.

This really tickled me - a door saved just in case....It looks as if it has seen better days , but is still worth saving - found in the village of Viens.

Also in Viens this multi coloured car turned up just as we we about to leave just had to add it to the others I had worked.

It was a great holiday,and so much to see.

June challenges

Lee had posted the barn that he had come across in his travels. I thought that maybe others may also have seen the barn and had found it interesting. Lees' site is A Day Not Wasted

This was a challenge from Barb Beniks' new Still Life site. I'm afraid I struggle with flowers, so instead of painting the rose I painted what would have been left after my procrastinations.

I love this very moody scene. The calm sea and the dramatic clouds form the challenge for this months Paint and Draw Together site.

The challenge was to show layers in a vista.The painting was done in acrylics for Studio Atelier.

May challenges

 The first challenge I painted in pastels. I hadn't used pastels for a little while and thought they needed to be aired again. The challenge was painted for Paint and Draw Together.

 The second challenge was for a Day Not Wasted - painted in pen and watercolour

Next was an acrylic painting for a new site that Barb Benik has started as Still Life Workshop.

The final challenge of the month was for Studio Atelier (Barb Benik site ). I hadn't used my oils for a while so out they came. I had forgotten how long it takes for oils to dry, and so a lot of the finishing was rushed, if I use oils I must use them on sites that go over six weeks, to give them more drying time.

April challenges

 Paint and Draw together - a sign of spring Tulip painted in acrylics

Rookie - There are two posts this month because their challenges are three weekly so every now and again the challenges come in the same month,and not overlapping into the next.The first picture wasn't posted in time for the dead - line but I decided to finish it anyway.

The rose was finished in time. At the moment with quite a few challenges on the go I am working in acrylics, however I don't find that I achieve the finesse in that media that I would like.

A Day not Wasted - A rather impressive statue. I worked this one in pencil/charcoal with a watercolour wash. It was only a small study as I have been knitting for the imminent arrival of my fifth grand child.

Studio Atelier - another complex still life study, but one I really got into.
Barb has set up another challenge site which I shall be working with, this site has no deadlines, so it can be quite useful if you get bogged down with lots of challenges and other distractions.

March Challenges

 

This month two of the challenges were about food.As there have been several cookery programs,I decided to put both together.Kiwis and Oranges make a very refreshing salad.

 The Studio Atelier challenge was a very complex arrangement.In the end I pulled out a few of the items to paint leaving the others for another time.

 An ink and wash. When I put this on the Day Not Wasted Site it came up very wishy washy so , I put another layer of colour on to make it have more guts.( I'm not very happy with the paper quality ,so I shan't use that particular pad again )

Finally ,another food subject.The pears looked delicious,so going with the culinary theme I added blue cheese and a glass of Perry. (Perry is a sparkling wine made from pears.)