DSDF End of the Year Portrait Challenge

"Dave"
Approx. 5"h x 8" w, watercolor on board

Reference for "Dave"

Here is my painting for Karin Jurick's DSDF end of the Year Portrait Challenge. I chickened out last year, but was determined to take part for 2009. Karin got a huge response this year and it is very interesting to see the final pieces. Make sure you check it out!

My entry is done in watercolor and I really tried to use looser strokes and concentrate more on warm vs. cool colour to get my form. It was relaxing to do, probably because it isn't a commission and there wasn't the pressure to make it look exactly like someone. I pretty happy with the result :-)

And here's wishing everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2010!!!

Passin' Thru

"Passin' Thru"
5"x 7" Watercolor on board

Here is my painting for this week's Different Strokes from Different Folks.

Karin challenged everyone with a rooftop landscape. While this isn't my usual subject matter, I did try it but just had to add an animal...I thought my lonely pigeon fit rather well :-)

I also made it a bit more challenging for me personally and limited myself to 3 tubes of paint: violet, yellow and cobalt green (The pigeon has a jewel drop of pure cobalt green on his neck, but you can't see it very well)

All in all, I was rather surprised at the result and might try painting it again in the future. Check out the DSDF blog to see the complete challenge and some of the really wonderful takes on this subject matter.

Another place....

"The Pina Colada Sarong"
Watercolour on board 5.5"h x 9.5"w

So I sat down today and painted this week's Different Strokes for Different Folks Challenge.

It was a beach picture and seeing that it was dull and rainy here today, not to mention colder than average for springtime, getting lost in a warm beach subject wasn't hard. Nor was it hard to image myself looking as good as my "model" does in her bikini...:-D

I was stumped when I came to the pattern on the sarong; so many choices, but I wasn't really happy with any of them.
The image I had painted so far was very strong and dynamic, so, following a more lighthearted vein, I put a twist in this piece and painted the sarong pattern with pineapples and cute, frothy drinks.
Now I'm sure all you more mature readers will remember that famous song, "Do you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain...." hence the title: The Pina Colada Sarong!

Here's to better weather ahead (and better jokes)!

Wigs-DSDF Challenge

"Wig Security"
Approx. 5"x6" Watercolour on hot-pressed WC paper

Well, I tried to get this week's challenge done...unfortunately, I blew the deadline....March 4th? Ha! I had down March 11th . So, while you won't be seeing this on Karin's blog, I will post it here.

Busy, colourful, exciting, this is a painting I wouldn't mind doing larger some day. And for those interested, the "security" in this painting is provided by a real dog.
Yep, that is what they look like :-)
Don't believe me? Check it out; The Chinese Crested Dog -- more pics from these breeders here and here.
With all those crazy wigs, the Chinese Crested unique "hairdo" is what I immediately thought of. Mind you , these are big dogs in little bodies and are hardier than they look!