Saturday 16 March 2024

Moonlight...

I painted this last week - I have had it in mind for a long time, but commissions for dog portraits had to take priority.  This is Otis swimming in the moonlight, referencing a snap taken last year on the Explore.org bear cams.  Unfortunately, I just cannot photograph the painting successfully.  The above picture is slightly too dark...
...and this one is way too light.  I have tried 3 different cameras and they just do not like this painting!  The true colours are somewhere between the two photographs.  This was watercolour on paper,and will be in my Etsy shop shortly.

On the easel - another bear...
 

Thursday 22 February 2024

Sweet...


 Last week saw my granddaughter's 3rd birthday and she had a little party with all the 'oldies' - grandparents, family friends etc.  Mr.B took a sweet photo of her eating a slice of birthday cake and I just had to paint it!  I used a new set of watercolours, Rosa, made in Ukraine, that I bought with a gift voucher received on my birthday.  They are quite different to the watercolours I usually use (White Knights) but once I'd got the hang of them I really enjoyed using them for this delicate little painting.  It was really good to paint something different - I've had a year of painting dogs - and getting my brain working!

No commissions at the moment - please get in touch if you would like me to paint something for you!  In the meantime, we're giving thebathroom a little makeover so the next thing I shall be painting is a bath panel and a set of shelves!

Tuesday 13 February 2024

More Small Things...

I've been working on a dog portrait over the past fortnight - here is Charlie, a little Yorkshire terrier done in Derwent Coloursoft & Drawing pencils on pastel paper.  This is for a surprise birthday present, so shhh!  I'm now free for commission.
My granddaughter turns 3 at the weekend - difficult to think what to get her for her birthday as she was spoilt rotten over Christmas whcih wasn't that long ago.  One thing that her mum asked if I could do was to make an Elsa dress to go with a doll she will be getting on her birthday.  I had to search the internet for measurements of this particular doll- thankfully I found them hidden away on a blog somewhere.  I bought some blue lining satin and some sparkly snowflake organza and went about drawing out a pattern.  I think it turned out well - it remains to be seen if it fits the doll!  If not, I am sure she will have some teddy or other that we can jam into it!
 

Tuesday 30 January 2024

Small Things...

I've been playing around with yarn while I waited for a larger project to be confirmed.  I bought a book called Amigurumi Dolls a long time ago but never made anything from it until now.  These little babies are about 2 inches tall and cute as a button.  I love the teeny-weeny teddy!
This one is also the same size.  Not sure what I will do with these, it was just fun to crochet them.
I've also knitted a Katmai hat from the book Knit The National Parks - Ithink this one has a home already.
These two baby Katmai hats are already on their way to their new home - twins!

On the easel - a new dog portrait, a Yorkshire terrier this time.
 

Wednesday 17 January 2024

Handsome Fellow...

I completed this yesterday - a very handsome German Shepherd dog that is sadly no longer with us - which is a private commission.  I have painted this in acrylics on Dalerboard - I have not painted in acrylics for quite a while and thoroughly enjoyed this one.  The subject was great, and the painting seemed to just flow right from the start - I love it when that happens!  In fact, I am quite sorry this one is over!

So now I am free to paint anything I want until the next commission rolls along.

I have also been knitting - this is a lace shawl/scarf knitted in a fine kid mohair mix yarn, pale cream coloured with a hint of sparkle.  It is light as air and very pretty - it will be in my Etsy shop in the next few days.

I am just finishing off another couple of baby hats, and after that I have no more work for the time being.  Perhaps I could get on with some Spring cleaning?

Friday 12 January 2024

Happy New Year!

 Sorry I've been so quiet over the past weeks - it's been a busy time, organising and celebrating Christmas, which was the best Christmas since Covid struck.  I have been working away on various projects, none of which are finished and ready to post pictures of just yet.

On the easel - a wonderful dog portrait that I am having so much fun with.

On the needles - a lacy shawl, just needs a few more rows; a baby hat, part of a commission.


Hopefully I will have something to show inthe coming few days.

Tuesday 19 December 2023

Charlie...

This is what I have been struggling over for the past couple of weeks - it is a private commission but is a surprise for someone so I only had some very basic photos to work from.  Also, this little dog has the most unusual eyes - I had to get several extra photos showonig them in order to make sure I got the colouring correct.  This was done using Dersent Coloursoft pencils on pastel paper.