Category Archives: Acrylics

Day 17 and Paint Party Friday, Acrylics

Day 17 of the 30 day challenge! Also joining Paint Party Friday because I have been painting! This is canvas number 7. (The other ten days of the challenge thus far were made up of pen and ink or acrylics and ink as I gathered acrylic supplies and started learning to paint.)

Daphne, Portrait in Blue
5″ x 7″ Acrylics on Canvas Board

Fortunately it occurred to me to scan this one. (Much better quality than my terrible pictures, as in the progress pics below.)

I have done several maidens in frames, and an art pal named Sarah Trumpp, doing a painting challenge of her own,  reminded me I might like to paint one. So I did! Lots of progress pics below, as her face went through various incarnations before settling on this one.

Here’s a few of the early tiny framed girls:

Three Maidens in Tiny Frames
Each 3.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Lost Portrait of Emily, Tudor Maiden Portrait, and Anastasia of the North. Because if I’m going to spend that much time on 2.5″ x 3.5″, it’s gonna get a nice name. :)

Thanks for dropping in!

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City Dog in Acrylics and Ink, Challenge Day 16

Day 16 of Thirty Paintings in 30 Days!

City Dog (Not Really a Dog)
5″ x 7″ Acrylics, tie and nose detail in ink and gel pen

Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hound (which I just realized I spelled with only one L), this fellow went through quite a few dramatic changes before settling here. He’s called City Dog but is not really quite a dog. Or cat. Or other thing you’ve heard of. He is his own thing.

Cityscape tie close-up

Many shots showing his various incarnations below. Thanks for stopping in!

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A Maiden Called Celeste, in Acrylics

Celeste in Her Favorite Hat
5″ x 7″ Acrylics on canvas board

If I wasn’t doing a 30-day challenge (it’s Day 15 already!), these might all get lots more time. But I must keep moving forward! And I still need sleep and to go to my regular job. So, despite the fact the hair and fabric would be improved with more detail, and the background got no attention, I must call it done. No ink this time, just paint.

I referenced this image to get the sketch started but I prefer not to copy a photo very closely. She looks strangely familiar to me so I might have some particular image in mind. Or maybe just the style. Any ideas? (1970’s McCall’s pattern  illustrations?)

Thanks for visiting!

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Little City in Acrylics for Day 14

Day 14 of the 30 Day Challenge!

City Under Yellow Sky
5″ x 7′ Acrylics, OTHO and Zebra ink pens, white gel pen

Photos outside would be much better! But it’s usually dark when I am taking them. Arrgh!

I added white gel pen at the very last shot, to try to give a bit of definition. Overall I’d call it a bit messy. Not sure about the pink landscape in front. But it is done, for Day 14. My 4th acrylic painting, this one also with ink outlines.

I’m not happy with the colors. They all seem a bit muddy. They seem to need white for increased opacity, but that also seems to dull any brightness. I should get a book. Or watch some acrylic painting videos. Ink on bumpy canvas isn’t so great either, so I really need to try some illustration board or something else smooth. (I did try gesso and sanding, but I think I was rushed. Because of the challenge!)

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A Maiden in Acrylics. Fancy Hat Included.

It’s day 13 of Thirty Paintings in 30 Days!

Exotic Maiden in Fancy Hat
5″ x 7″ Acrylics with brown Uni-ball Vision Elite ink pen

I feel like I could continue to work on this for another few hours. Some spots are still messy, and some colors could be improved (though they are far less dreadful than at the beginning – see below). Facial features could use some work. But, I am writing this at  thirty past midnight on a work night, and we’ve got 17 more days of paintings to go, people!

So this one is done (for now). A detailed pencil sketch made a lot of difference. So did outlining with a smooth, dark pen. No way I could have completed all those lines with a tiny brush and 1. make it work tomorrow, and 2. kept my sanity.

I didn’t use a reference photo because I’ve been drawing so many women in crazy hats lately. This one is Maiden Number 141. Photo references can make a big difference so next time I’ll try to use one. Thanks so much for stopping in!

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Dr. Jekyl and Mister Hound

Red Hound Dog
5″ x 7″, Acrylics on canvas board

Hello fine visitors! If you happen to be from, or are familiar with, this Thirty Paintings in 30 Days Challenge, of which today is day number 11, and which I am trying like the Dickens to complete, I would just like to say:

If I don’t finish in the normal way, I reserve the right to use the approximately seventy-three hundred versions of this painting as at least, maybe, four of the 30 paintings. A small sampling:

Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hound
Various stages of 5×7 acrylic painting

Thanks for stopping in for the occasional horror of my novice acrylics adventures! As you can see I’ve fallen back on some things I am familiar with, like outlines. And swirly backgrounds. Behold the transformation below. (All tips and criticisms welcome!)

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Monochromatic Elf for Challenge Day Nine

Day nine of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. This is an experiment with ink and gel pen over an acrylic background. I’ve convinced myself that the actual acrylic canvas process will be greatly improved with various additional products I hope to pick up this weekend like acrylic glazing liquid and tiny jars with lids.

Blue Elf in Field of Loops, 2.5″ x 3.5″
Ink, marker and gel pen over acrylic

This blue elf is Maiden Number 139. I think I prefer the next to last image below, before the white gel pen. Should have stopped there. Knowing when to stop is not something at which I am an expert!

Thanks for the visit!

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The Challenge Continues, Mostly in Ink

It is, in fact, day eight of the Thirty Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. I skipped day seven in hopes of catching up on the weekend. Work has been more tiring than usual, probably because of the recent holidays. Bah!

Posh Treehouse
2.5″ x 3.5″, Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

This stylish abode belongs to a gnomish clock maker. He is inside right now, cleaning the hands that belong to that clock window on the top floor. This is Tiny House #34.

It is for this reason that I am also submitting this illustration for the topic “Time” at Illustration Friday, from which I have been absent for ages! Topics are posted each Friday, and anyone who illustrates the topic in some way is invited to submit their link.

Hound in Progress, 5″ x 7″ acrylics

Above, we continue the gripping adventure of the unfinished hound. As you can see, I really need to reference a photo for the direction of that hair on his face. Stay tuned! Thanks for stopping in!

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Day Six. The Acrylics Fight Back.

Day SIX of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

My first acrylic went well, but subsequent attempts have proven frustrating! I’ve got several small canvases in all sorts of stages, but only this little red tree to show yet. (The 5×7 hound dog is still far from done [see below]. Alas!)

Red Tree Hollow, acrylics, ink, gel pen on canvas paper
Treehouse of the Bird Maker, Copics, ink, on Bristol board
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards

My two latest treehouses, the left one mostly acrylic. I experimented with fine line pen and white gel pen. I did not get the Micron nib pen to work very well over the acrylic, but the gel pen went on quite smoothly.

Hound in Progress, 5″ x 7″ acrylics on canvas board

The unfinished hound. I think he was cuter and goofier in the first one with the orange details. And then it went another direction. Curse you, acrylics! It shall be one hundred different hounds before it’s “done”.

Perhaps, in addition to the daily painting, I’ll just keep doing updates on this one for the rest of the challenge month.

p.s. If you are one of the two hundred or so really spectacular painters from the challenge, I hope it is not too painful to see things this early on the learning curve.

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Inked Elf Maiden and Acrylic in Progress

Day five of the 30 Day Challenge! So, I think I may alternate ink and acrylic days. Mostly I just don’t think I could do 25 acrylic paintings in the next 25 days! (Particularly with full work weeks ahead.)

Elf Maiden
2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, white gel pen

Here is the finished elf maiden from yesterday. She is Maiden Number 138 of 200. Her name is Maire and she is a veteran of the Blue Goblin War. Some of her jewels are military honors.

And this fellow may show up finished tomorrow. Or might not! The only thing I am sure of is that the background will not be green.

Pup in Progress, 5″ x 7″ Acrylic on canvas board

Thanks for stopping in!

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