A New Year Painting Challenge

My sister is an accomplished Watercolourist and has a deadline to finish 10 paintings in 10 weeks. YIKES

I am a supportive sister so I decided on a Challenge to paint along with her and finish 10 of my own paintings, one a week.

The challenge starts Jan 1st, 2010.

Watch both of us while we paint.








My sister's blog
http://www.ellenseasel.blogspot.com/

and her website
http://www.ellenspalette.com/

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Summer Tananger in November??

The birds this year are really screwed up! While my brother, the birding enthusiast was up for xmas, he pushed me to look at the photos I took of a bird I hadn't identified.

It was a Summer Tananger! What was it doing in Timmins in November? Maybe doing some early xmas shopping?

I can't wait to see what stops by my front yard next.

Pam

Christmas Day on the Rivers Edge

A walk Christmas afternoon supplied me with some reference photos for painting later in the winter. It was a mild day and the horses wanted to be petted at the farm across the road.

My driveway always gives me something to photograph. The blue jays were arguing and stealing each others tree caches. Lichen growing on the trees are good things to photograph with snow on them.

And Blackie welcomed me back home from my walk. All he wanted to know was whether I had anything new to feed him. When he saw that I was just taking photos, he flew back to his parents to bask in the sun.

I hope your Christmas was a happy one. Drive safe, the weather looks bleak for Boxing Day!

Pam

NORAD tracks Santa :)

Well, it's Christmas Eve tonight and NORAD is already tracking Santa as he works his way across the world.

Official NORAD tracking site.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas!



Pam

The Christmas Bird Count

I just finished doing my 4 hour feeder watch for the Christmas Bird Count in Timmins. I have to send in the results today.

Here is my bird list that visited my house this morning.

(Now sing this to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" music :)

On the 19th of December I saw at my bird feeder:

10 Pine Grosbeaks (as seen in photo)
7 Black-capped Chickadees
5 Blue Jays
3 American Crows
3 Canada Grey Jays (Whiskey jacks)
2 Common Ravens
2 Hairy Woodpeckers (one male, one female)
2 Pigeons (sing this one like 5 Golden Rings :)
1 Downy Woodpecker (male)
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Dark-eyed Junco (see photo below)
and 1 unidentified Sparrow

Merry Christmas Bird Count!



Pam

The transition to OILS.

Last night I put away my acrylic palette and set up a new palette for oil painting. I will finish all the works-in-progress with oil paints.

You might wonder why the change. Yes, oil paints may take longer to dry, they are smellier in the original formula and I have to learn to use them properly, but I love the look, the sheen, and the transparency of oils. Used properly, oil paints can look like they glow on the canvas. My acrylic paintings are starting to look flat, boring and dull. I want luster, excitement and depth in my paintings. A tall order for a beginner in the medium.

I started with "Canada Goose" a half finished painting started in acrylics.
I then added the first layer of oil paint. The shoulder and tail section of the bird haven't been touched yet.
(The photo reads a little yellow due to photographing it at night.)


I love the way the oil paint stays wet and I can mix paint right on the canvas. Acrylics dry in seconds unless you use a retarder and then they take forever to dry. Acrylics also dry 30 percent darker, which means you must guess what colour they will be when they dry. Oil paints retain there original mixing colour allowing me to mix the exact colour I want.

I already feel completely comfortable using the oils. Sometimes, something just clicks when you are creating. I think that I am going in the right direction and I will give myself an adjustment period before deciding on a complete switch over to oils.

The xmas tree goes up tonight! :) I'm getting in the christmas spirit.

Pam

Live sketching night at the Timmins Symphony.

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Conductor, invited The Porcupine Art Club to sketch live at their Christmas rehearsal.

I have 2 sketches from the evening and many photos to use as references.


I'll be trying something new in January. Although I have been using acrylics, due to the odour while painting in the house, I'll be trying Water Mixable Oils that are low odour. I like oils better than acrylics and the tranisition should be interesting.

Pam

Anyone loose a Pheasant??

Now these guys aren't supposed to be up here but one is pecking around my front lawn this morning. It's a good opportunity for photos but my windows are covered in freezing rain.

I'm sure that this pheasant escaped a local farm that is breeding them. He has wandered off for now but I'm sure the bird seed will entice him to return for something to eat.





Pam