After a long visit from some in-laws, my brain is too fried to paint. Or even put my studio where someone was sleeping back together. So here are some photos of how I entertained myself while visiting Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Nova Scotia with my sisters last year. I did not find any fossils (my sisters did though) so I decided to play with the rocks instead.
I have a painting in my head so I’ll be back to normal soon, whatever normal is.
I recently participated in an ATC trade. The theme of the trade was to learn from some of the great artists. It was interesting. I learned many things, mostly that I prefer to do my own paintings!
This one is based on Cezanne’s self-portrait. Acrylic, 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
This is based on a Monet. Acrylic, 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
These two are pencil sketches based on Waterhouse’s sketches. Pencil. 2.5 by 3.5 inches
I’ll be adding some works in progress posts soon, as well as some tips and advice on painting. As always any critiques or comments are welcome.
These are some older works. This first one is of my son, when he was a small baby. It was one of the first portraits I ever tried to do.
Watercolor
This second one is another miniature of a frog I came across. It’s about 2×3 inches. Watercolor.
This is a house I used to drive by in Northern New York. This was one of my first acrylics.
This was one of my first oil paintings. It’s of my cat Kitten. I’m thinking of doing another of her. She’s such a character. Oil.
This is a miniature based on Bob Rohm’s book “A Painterly Approach” available here. It’s a great book if you have a bit of experience with acrylic, oil or pastel.
Acrylic, miniature, 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
I’ve had a few people ask how I get such fine lines in my minis. Personally I use a very fine rigger that is quite threadbare and a rigger that I left to dry in a curved position giving me a nice arch. The arch gives wonderful control when painting fine lines. As with anything to do with art,the best thing to do is to look at all the advice that’s out there and choose what will work for you. The branches on this oak tree were done with the curved rigger.
Acrylic, miniature, 2.5 by 3.5 inches
Feel free to ask any questions or offer any critiques.
This is my lab Zeus who not being as silly as Sampson has never dyed himself purple.
Acrylic, miniature, 3×5
This is my neighbour’s cat Fletch in watercolour.
Watercolour, miniature, card size.
And last but not least, Pepper, my other neighbour’s dog. Getting all those spots right was a trip.
Pen and ink, miniature, card size.
Yes I did, I’m not even sure how I liked myself. But I did. I mean I do like myself, that’s not a problem. It just seems a bit presumptuous to “like” myself on the internet.
Here’s a little lighthouse scene. This was done based on a lighthouse I saw while whale watching in New Brunswick near the Maine border. It’s an acrylic miniature, 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2011
Alright, so I’m not the most technological person. But at least now I know what a widget is. It’s (and I hope the techno terms don’t go over your head) the thingy that puts little thingys over on the side of your page. Why? I don’t know. How? I couldn’t tell you. But I have widgets. Better than having fleas I suppose.
Here’s a crane.
Acrylic, miniature, 3.5 by 2.5 inches.
©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2011
I suppose my first blog post should be something terribly clever and interesting. But frankly I’d be impressed after diving into the blogging world with butterflies in my untechnological tummy if I could come up with a coherent thought. So instead here’s a pelican….
the purple dog painting blog 