Acrylics 2018 – March Restart

12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress

After painting every day the first 30 days of the year, I was waylaid by a (small) separate art obligation and then February happened. But now we’re in March. (HOLY COW IT’S MARCH) I am switching from animals to people.

12′ x 16″ acrylics in progress, March 6-8, 2018

I’ve been watching a lot of portrait painting videos. Some acrylic, some oils. The oil painters often do an underpainting in acrylics. I think about adding oils from time to time, but for now I’m going to stick with acrylics until I feel comfortable with them rather than add more complications! (I will add links to some of my favorite portrait painting videos next time.)

And here is the 12″ x 16″ hound dog in acrylics which was the last painting at the end of January.

12″ x 16″ Hound Dog in progress, Jan 26-28, 2018

As I wrote on Facebook: As a side note, many days I feel I cannot post things without acknowledging the absolutely grotesque political environment in this country. I hope we are all trying to help in small ways, however we can. But I can’t be a painter if I don’t learn how to paint. So I’m going to keep doing that. Be kind to each other!

Hello to Paint Party Friday. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 19 through 25

January 19, 2018. 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 20, 2018, 16 ” x 20″ acrylics in progress, aardvark!

Jan 21, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, Aardvark!-2

Jan 22, 2018, 16″ x 18″ acrylics in progress, aardvark!-3

Jan 23, 2018, 9″ x 12″ acrylics in progress, young panda

Jan 24, 2018, 9″ x 12″ acrylics, young panda

Well I do think this young panda is quite cute. Someone suggested it looks like a finished painting. When I stopped I did not think it was finished because I keep seeing things to fix. But it IS the most finished painting in these first 24 days of acrylic painting.

Jan 25, 2016, 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, hound dog

I started this hound after watching this Lachri Fine Art video about painting in a looser style. These early underpainting stages look terrible! She says the early stages always look like she painted them with her feet. On the other hand, they are *slightly* less terrible than earlier this month. :)

As a side note, if I could just add this comment to the universe: Please send Mr. Mueller and his team some extra strength and fortitude to face what’s coming. A dying animal is most dangerous.

Thanks so much for stopping in! Hello to Paint Party Friday!

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 12 through 18

Hello again! Here is this week’s production.

Jan 12, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

On January 13, I switched from taking photos on the easel, to taking photos in the bathroom. So, the lighting is slightly better. Plus I am able to make some adjustments in Adobe Elements. But, many apologies for the subpar photos! Also yes, I need to do something about the terrible lighting at my easel! Dangit.

Jan 13, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 14, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, eagle. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 15, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 16, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 17, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress, bat. www.theslumberingherd.com

16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Jan 18, 2018, 16″ x 20″ acrylics in progress

Also! I have started an Acrylics page so I can list all the articles and videos that have helped me the most. I will try to remember to put a link in my acrylic painting posts.

Hello to Paint Party Friday! Thanks so much for all the nice comments. :)

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 6 through 11

Hooray, still at it! Though as you will see, one day produced only a background. But a background painted in acrylics! (The whole of which got painted over the next two days – a llama with a completely different background.)

I actually spent two days on two different paintings this time. I would not call any of these finished! Don’t know if I will ever finish them, and it doesn’t really bug me! It’s all practice.

Jan 6, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, theslumberingherd.com

Jan 7, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics in progress, theslumberingherd.com

Jan 8, 2018, 12″ x 16″ acrylics, a background.

Jan 9, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 10, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

Jan 11, 2018. 12″ x 16″ acrylics, www.theslumberingherd.com

I have learned a few things in this first 11 days. Mainly this. A thing I already knew: paintings look TERRIBLE for the first 85% of the progress. One must keep on. :)

Acrylic Painting 2018. Days 1 through 5.

Hello!

It is Day Five of January, 2018 and also Day 5 of acrylic painting.

Some of these are terrible! None of them are finished. Some may never be finished, but that’s ok. Really!

January 1, 2018
12″ x 16″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 1. I started this first one on a background I did back in August. Which is just the most recent time (before this one!) that I decided i was really going to do painting for reals.

Jan 2, 2018 12″ x 16″ acrylics, progress. This is where I started and ended today

Jan 2. Started this one today with the left image completed. Also from last August! Anyway, I worked on it for a couple hours and ended up with the slightly fluffier, still far from complete, right side image.

Jan 3, 2018
16″ x 20″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 3. 16″ x 20″ is big! Though I’d like to do bigger. This one started with the blue background previously completed, you’ll never guess when! Last August.

January 4, 2018
9″ x 12″ acrylics, progress.

Jan 4. Terrible! Holy cow. I think the nose has some promise but otherwise pretty bad. Started this one on a white canvas. Painted a quick blue ground. Might try to rescue or might paint over. Going to need lots of canvas, after all.

Jan 5, 2018
12″ x 12″ acrylics in progress. Started today with the background.

Jan 5. Not too thrilled with this one either, after 3ish hours. We’ll have to see if I give this one another go. Either way, I think tomorrow it’s back to dogs. The fifth day was rough. My brain was telling me I could take a day off. But no. Nooooooo. Not giving up today. :)

Thanks so much for stopping in! If you leave a comment include your site so I can visit back.

Hello to Paint Party Friday!

Back! (Again!) Pet Portraits & Sharpie Shoes

Hello and thank you so much for dropping by! In this post you shall find three of my favorite projects from the past year.

Dog Portrait #1, January 2017, Deb’s Little Monster

Deb’s Little Monster, 9″ x 12″(ish), mechanical pencil (with photo reference)

Dog portrait #2, Dec 2017, ChiChi Machete Apple-Head 2017, an Xmas portrait.

ChiChi Machete Apple-Head, December 2017, approx 6″ x 8″ ink, www.theslumberingherd.com

ChiChi Machete Apple-Head, December 2017, approx 6″ x 8″ ink and Copics, www.theslumberingherd.com

Not that anyone asked, but I have not accepted any pet portrait commissions. For one thing, approximately a kajillion excellent artists are already doing those! Also, portraits are stressful.

Sharpie on Canvas Shoes, December 2017, Colorful Doodlin’

Sharpie Shoes, Dec 2017, 1 0f 3, www.theslumberingherd.com

Sharpie Shoes, Dec 2017, 2 0f 3, www.theslumberingherd.com

Sharpie Shoes, Dec 2017, 3 0f 3, www.theslumberingherd.com

My First Sharpie Shoes Ever, Stats:

Hours to complete: approx 15 (with Miss Marple or The Great British Baking Show reruns in the background).
Method: None! Just doodled. Drew some shapes. Colored stuff in. More shapes, more coloring. Most areas required multiple layers. It went quicker on the second shoe because I had a better idea what I wanted.
Reception: Quite nice. People are telling me to sell these. Probably not, though. Would have to charge… hmmm. Quite a lot. :D

p.s. Thank you Metafilter for the push to get back to my blog! Admittedly, a variety things probably need updating around here. Categories and tags, for instance. I don’t even. But we’ll see how it goes!

Hello to Paint Party Friday, it’s been ages!

Art Auction Benefiting the ACLU!

Here are some of the excellent items currently up for grabs in the second annual Art Into A(u)ction, started by the stellar Ann D’Angelo with a tiny bit of assistance from me. Many artists have contributed artwork to benefit the amazing and tireless ACLU – a stalwart defender of our constitutional freedoms.

I’m Down with RBG (5.25×5.25) and Todd V. Rochester Community Schools (5×7) by Ann D’Angelo, and Soul of Liberty (12×12) by Ginger Danz

Better Swim! (9×13) by Sarah Trumpp and Doreen Poutine (12×12) by Karen Leigh

Resist!, and Zoe and Ruby Meadowlark, each 2.5″ x 3.5″ ACEOs (by me!). The Meadowlark art cards are a set.

Elven Daydreams (9×9) by Danielle M. Williams, and Bella Red (7.5×11) by Sal Scheibe

This is just a fraction of the 40 items (with the possibility of more added during the week). I put several of the word art pieces from my last post in the auction as well, and there are loads more things. You could take a look if you like! No obligation!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to have new art soon. Hello to Paint Party Friday!

Art for the Revolution

Hello visitors! First, this is primarily an art blog and not a political blog. Though frankly I wish the fundamental values of kindness, inclusion and rejection of hate were not political. Others don’t agree, including those who have recently gained power. So, humankind is experiencing a kind of setback. I suppose it may have been inevitable for the pendulum to swing so violently right after our excellent if imperfect Black president. Anyway, here we are.

I have been continuing to practice – most recently word art with ink and Copic markers. I hope to make the jump to painting this month. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Do the Most Good (quote by Hillary Clinton)
9″ x 10″ ink on Bristol

Do Unto Others
9″ x 11″ ink on Bristol

Justice for All
9″ x 11″ ink on Bristol

My Facebook art page is updated more frequently, if you’re over there. Hello to Paint Party Friday and thanks so much for stopping by!

Creepy Art for Halloween! Ink and Copics

It’s been quite some time since my last post. It was a sad one. About my dog. But, I have continued drawing most every day, so here are some of my faves since my last post which was holy cow! August 21st. I do not know where the time goes! And I do not like it going!

That Time Scorpius Lost the Halloween Wager, 6″ x 8″ progress shots

Here is Scorpius, a baddie from the show Farscape who most certainly does NOT normally wear a bunny hat, made for AnnD for a Halloween secret swap! The four atcs below are from the same pack of swag!

Bride, Creepy Prom Date and two sets of Circus Creepers! Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ art cards, Copics

The next group are my favorite cards made recently or for the illustratedatcs.com Halloween-a-thon.

Six creepy creeper cards! Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ Copics, fine liners, gel pen

Also these creepy eyeball ones!

Creepies with Creepy Eyes
Each 2.5″ x 3.5″ ink and Copics

Thanks so much for stopping by! I shall make no promises about forthcoming posts because I will post when I can. I do post recent art more frequently on my facebook art page. Hello and thank you to Paint Party Friday!

Our Boy is Gone

He had a steak his last day. And a princely ride in a dog carriage.

Wilson is gone. The sweetest that ever was. He loved us. We loved him. I think it was September 12th. Could that much time have already passed?

Our boy Wilson

His water bowls have less water every day and will soon be empty. The water is cloudy but I can’t bring myself to move it or clean it or touch it. I picked up some of the rawhide bones, but left others. In every room. He trusted us. We let him go.

Wilson Curtis After being skunked April 2015, and kitchen Sept 2015

Wilson Curtis
After being skunked April 2015, and kitchen Sept 2016

I want to take it back. I changed my mind! But I couldn’t. His daddy Bert couldn’t.

He felt too bad too much of the time. So much coughing and trying to catch his breath through so much of his waking hours. And seizures. And staring off. He never complained.

The most helpful thing we read in those days before deciding was a vet, whose name I should have kept. He said, if you don’t have any doubts, you waited too long. I read too many horror stories from others who waited too long, all the pain and terror, and wished they could go back.

She came to the house. He ate snacks to the end. Of course he did! When she said he was gone I didn’t believe it. So warm still. Just eating a snack! Just moments ago. Wilson’s daddy Bert helped the vet carry the stretcher to the van. It drove away.

I talk to him still and try to pretend he is there. He is not. I am careful with my feet when getting up from my desk, so as not to jostle or wake him. I look at his pictures and tell him I’m sorry.

Our boy has gone. He was the sweetest and cutest that ever was. Ever ever.

Wilson Curtis aka The Cutest. September 2015.

Wilson.

The Slumbering Herd Art Blog

Artist: Cindy Dauer