Something a little different...

I was restless last night and felt like doing something different. I wanted to paint a pair of hiking boots, (BORING) so I thought I'd add an animal into the mix. First I thought of a squirrel or chipmunk but everyone has done that. Then I thought about chickadees, but that just seemed lame! Then, it came to me. I wanted a BIG animal that would have to be partly hidden from view behind the boots. I considered the draft horse on the farm across the road. Then I thought about a deer. But a BEAR just made sense. Bears come in silently and pop up where you aren't expecting. Surprise! Look who is in camp! So that is it. Here is step 1 of "Bear in Camp".

Grouse painting last night.

I had to decide the look and feel of the grouse painting and decided on trying to make it look like my back yard. Our two grouse move all around the property in the summer looking for food so it is appropriate. During the winter, we feed the grouse and they don't move while you throw food on and around them. Seed bounces off their heads and they occasionally duck. The one grouse is so fat that she looks like a football with legs. She is the shy one. The other displays typical male behaviour, checking it's territory and holding it's ground to people and cars. I worry about the fox finding them in the winter time. They sleep under the snow, but the fox is smart enough to check by pushing his nose under the snow and move another foot and check again. The fox tracks look like an organized search party.

I'll work again on the owl to try and finish it. I'll study the placement of the feathers before I start.

Pam

Just the feathers to finish now.

Just the feathers to paint on the owl now. I'm glad it's almost finished. Some of the paint is thick so I will paint on the grouse and cat painting for a while.

Pam

Finished Sky and Ice....Yeah!

I'm finally finished this painting and eager to get onto the owl and the grouse paintings again.

Here it is...."Sky and Ice", 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas.

Today work on Skylar and Gunner.

I've been working on the rocks in Skylar's painting. A wash over the whole thing evened out the colour.

I started the painting Gunner, of a black lab with hunting accessories. So far, the dog and trees are drawn and I started Gunner's face.

I put a wash over the whole owl painting to tone down all the dots of snow. They were overwhelming the piece. Now, just to finish the main branch and then finish the owl.

I hope to have Skylar and the Owl paintings finished shortly. My family had a small crisis this last week which took all my energy.

Finishing Sky and Ice today.

I want to finish "Sky and Ice" because it is a simpler design than the owl, which is driving me crazy at the moment. I need a break from that owl.
Here is what I did last night on the painting and I plan to work today and will post again.

Owl shadow.

Starting to add the darkest colours on the owl.
Putting some of the light on it's head as well.