July Challenges

Only two challenges came this month. The milkmaid by Vermeer was an interesting one to paint. It was the challenge set by A Day Not Wasted.

This challenge was set by Paint and Draw together. I called it ...This year, next year sometime, never......

I challenged myself with this reference. Malcolm and I had been to Italy for ten days. One trip was by boat to Amalfi, a town built into the cliffsides, the scenery was stunning and very dramatic.
As yet I have not found the reference I want for my pigs and chickens, so they are still to come.

May Challenges

 The challenges were slow coming this month so I challenged myself. I made up this herd of Jerseys, there is something quite beautiful about these cows, so here is how I attempted to put them on canvas.

Paint and Draw Together put this wonderful challenge up - lights and darks and dissapearing edges.

 I couldn't resist and called mine  " yummy biscuits"

 A Day Not Wasted posted quite late - A Provencal Building.

There are a lot of abandoned buildings in the Provence countryside, but I thought bring in a little life.

March - April

This month started with Lent  and then Easter, so lots of distractions and challenges were late coming. So I thought I would find a challenge of my own  --- Sheep.

The first challenge was this butterfly, Paint and Draw Together.

 Fragile, so I thought water colour, but later i painted another version in oils

Running out of time with A Day Not Wasted I painted a watercolour and pen version of the Irish Headland. I was not at all pleased with the result - it was  rushed  and not  worthy of a beautiful scene.

There are two new challenges to come  -  a stunning sunrise, and some spring crocus ,but they may very well go into next month, I am not sure yet.

January - February 2013

The challenges this month went over to February and were not as many as usual. However a friend asked if I could paint a scene from Tuscany where she spends time in the summer. I was very grateful to do so. While the weather was cold and dull here I was enjoying the Tuscan sunshine that the picture exuded.

I enjoy still life pictures, but had to add a little extra.

We have been to Roussillon several times over the last few years and this challenge was very enjoyable. However, I can't believe how pale I made the wall of the Marie, it should have been really bright. I may work on it and bring it up to the more vibrant tone 

it should be.

This is the ammended painting - more colour, less insipid.

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.