The zinnias are still lovely at this time of year.
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The praying mantis, she finds them quite dear
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Such big yellow eyes!
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So many butterflies..
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They’d better scurry.
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For the frost is near.
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2016
All rights reserved.
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And no, this is not a political post.
Fall with it’s dramatic skies and dancing leaves is here with a vengeance. I really need to do some catching up on the blog.
This painting is a two inch square in acrylic and will most likely be bigger on your screen then in real life.
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This ink is more than double the size at 5×5 inches. This was part of a monthly miniature challenge on WetCanvas. WetCanvas has a huge reference image library, it’s a fantastic resource. Thanks to the member that added the photo I used as a reference for this.
In the original photo the wall was brick and there were solar panels everywhere. I altered those which is always a good idea when you have discordant elements. You don’t have to paint or draw exactly what is in a photo or right in front of you. The pens are Microns.
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This pumpkin in acrylic is from the same challenge. This quick study is 5×5 inches.
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This is also from a photo reference from WetCanvas. This was a fun one, it was a challenge to use restricted palettes.
This is the Zorn palette which is Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, Ivory Black and Titanium White.
Anders Zorn(February 18, 1860 – August 22, 1920) was a Swedish painter who generally painted people and figures. I’m not sure why he used such a restricted palette but after playing with it for awhile I can see the lure of the colors he used.
Fish on a plate, acrylic, 10×14 inches (not a mini!)
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I found some interesting shadows on my walls.
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And I fixed a staid apron by embroidering an elephant with a happy spoon on it.
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Meanwhile back at the ranch..
Sampson had surgery and thoroughly enjoyed his meds.
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Zeus also had surgery and was awfully affronted when I suggested that he was supposed to be sitting on the pillow on the floor not in my new chair.
They both recovered nicely.
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My sunflowers grew over 12 feet tall.
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We rescued these two birds.
This juvenile cedar waxwing was caught in a sudden heavy deluge of rain. he was fine after he dried off. Sorry about the fuzzy photo!
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This red breasted nuthatch, I found upside down on the porch, I think he hit the window. He flew away fine after a drink and some warmth.
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This came across our TV, then we had three very small tornadoes..
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And there’s a frog living in my birdhouse. He’s been there since early July.
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And I’ve taken at least one hundred photos of him,
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And he is smiling in every single one.
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🙂
©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2016
It is sweltering and hot and muggy and it’s summer!!
Yayyyy! Let’s go outside
And hang with the hummingbirds.
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Or dally in the daisies
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Or bounce with the bunny..
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Or go to the lake!
Acrylic, 12×9, with a palette knife.
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Whatever you are doing, enjoy the day!
Happy Summer!
Woohoo!
🙂
©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2016
This is what a squirrel looks when it scratches its back on a peanut shell.
Sexy, non?
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Apparently he became itchy while trying to steal seeds from the bird feeder. The local birds were not all that thrilled.
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Run, little squirrel! Run!
It’s okay, he’s safe, that was from February.
Spring is definitely in the air here.
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Meanwhile back at the easel..
The palette came out better than the painting!
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And at the drawing board. This is ink, 10x 3 inches. I’m debating on whether or not to color it in.
Close ups.
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Hope everyone is having a good spring!
©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2016
Zeus is itchy.
It’s his yearly Autumn Itch.
So I bought him some itch relief stuff.
Let’s read the bottle..let me see..we have
Deep skin cleansing….splendid, that’s much better than shallow skin cleansing.
Complete body cleanser..even better, not much point only cleaning part of it.
Soothes ….great stuff, nothing better than a soothing soothe.
Clams.. sure a good clam is..What?…I mean..Pardon?
Hmmm..Yup that’s what it says..
Soothes and clams…
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I’ve never had my dog clammed before.
Shellfish of me I know.
I wonder if it’s good for his mussels?
Sorry I’ll scale back.
I know it’s getting ruff.
It’s load of carp really.
Llama get back to the point.
It’s not like this happens aviary day.
It’s dragon on…
No use hanging around.
Or lion..
I’m just kitten..
Sea ya!
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2015
We recently saw a few of our reptilian friends at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.
This one in particular seemed glad to see us.
Such a nice smile!
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These ones were lazing about on the boat launch railings. I’m guessing they were trying to get somebody to take them out on the big boats. Turtles love yachting.
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These ones were having a spa day complete with mud baths and natural moss scrubs.
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This one appears to be stuck.
His friend seemed to find that amusing. Turtles are like that.
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This is a green sea turtle who was rescued. The blue bean bag thing is a weight pack/buoyancy device which helps her swim. She was hit by a boat and her back flippers are partially paralyzed.
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This is an octopus.
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This is a quickie sketch of a house in town. 4×6 inches.
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This an acrylic painting of a mason jar from a lesson in the book “50 Small Paintings” by Mark Daniel Nelson, a great book for everyone from beginners to professional and all in between. 4×6 inches.
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This is an acrylic of a farm near my house. 4×6 inches.
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This is Sammy playing Frisbee.
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This is the moon.
Because it’s time to say Good Night.
See you soon.
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2015
Please follow this link for available prints.
Thank you!
There once was a cheeky squirrel
who was driving my poor dog mad
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He mocked and he laughed and he chortled
Oh! He was such a cad.
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He used diabolic acrobatics
To show me his tummy bare
Hanging about on the feeder
He masticated without a care.
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And yet he is saved from my revenge
By a fact of no dispute
Thief and bandit he may be
But aw look, he’s just so cute!
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2015
Please follow this link for available prints.
Thank you!
There is a turkey in my yard
I don’t know what he wants
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He struts to and fro
And yells oh such nasty taunts
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He waggles his wattles
And snoozles his snood
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And he blocked the driveway
Cause he’s in a fowl mood
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But I will not let him
Get to me
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For instead I have painted
A watercolor tree.
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The End
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2015
It’s that time of year again.
Dummy was so excited to decorate the tree, he forgot to put his pants on.
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He thinks he’s sexy.
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No wonder we have so many peeping Toms.
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Yeah, I see you Tom Turkey.
That’s right, strut away all casual like.
But I know what you did..
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Sampson, I can’t believe you let them get that close to the house.
What do you have to say for yourself?
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Really!
And to think, I made a portrait, just for you.
Acrylic, 8×10
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Don’t worry Zeus, I made you one too.
Acrylic, 8×10
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What do you think of that, Zeus?
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Sigh…
Here’s a couple little landscapes too. Acrylic, 3×5
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Acrylic 3×5
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2014
Hmm, somehow I missed April.
I think what happened is that the spring came and I lost my mind.
But I did take some photos.
This is the Lock and Dam No 15, on the Mississippi River.
It is the largest existing roller dam in the world. It’s nickname is the “Washing Machine of Death”.
dum dum da dummmm
Nothing like a nickname that sounds like some cheap knockoff wrestling name.
“And in this corner, ladies and gentleman…the Washing Machineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee of Death!!!!!!!!!!”
And the crowd goes wild!
It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Lock and Dam No. 15 Historic District, #04000175 covering 3,590 acres (1,450 ha), 2 buildings, 9 structures, and 1 object.” I know where the two buildings and nine structures are but what the heck is the one object?
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This is a water pumping station. (I think)
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This was taken inside the car wash.
Because that’s how I roll.
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And I made my own planet.
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I saw a dinosaur.
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I painted a few tiny geese, with watercolor.
(I’ve painted these before but not with watercolor)
These are all ATC/ACEO size. (2.5 x 3.5 inches, the size of a playing card)
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And this is a sunset.
I’d like to claim that I meant to do that, but actually I was in a moving car.
And the camera was on the wrong setting.
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Much like the setting I used to take a photo of the “Blood Moon” which incidentally is a much better nickname then the “Washing Machinnnnnnnnnne of Death!!!!”
The blue is the star Spica.
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That’s alright, you win some, you lose some.
I also wrote a poem about squirrels which I lost.
I think the squirrels may have stolen it.
Oh don’t me give me that cute face..
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Ah well, have a good one!
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©Virginia Spencer, thepurpledogpaintingblog.com, 2014
All Rights Reserved
the purple dog painting blog 