Roses and Valentines Day

Okay, here is another Valentine idea. Pen and ink on plain old paper with gouache fill. Original is 2.5 x 2.5 inches. I like the idea but I think I am going to do it again on better paper and take a little more time drawing.

Love is in the Air

Here is another Valentines Day card I finished today. It is also up at my Etsy shop. It is done in pen and ink with gouache fill in on Smooth Bristol Board. The first time I have worked with Bristol Board and I really like it. The previous card was done on Bristol paper, the difference between the two is that the board is very thick and sturdy. The image is 4 x 5.5 inches.

Valentines Day

I thought I would do a few Valentines Day cards in my Etsy shop and this is one of them. It is done with pen and ink on Smooth Bristol paper and is 4 x 5.5 inches. I haven't done cards in a long time and it is kind of fun to think up a series that goes together. These ones are all completely different, the only thing they have in common is hearts. The other one in my shop is colored pencil and I am working on one right now that is pen and ink and I think I will fill in with gouache. I have a few other ideas that I need to get on the ball and draw/paint! I should have started sooner and now I am already thinking about other holidays... planning... scheming<--(thank goodness for spell check!!) Okay, back to the drawing table.

Illuminated

I am fascinated by the art of illumination and every once in a while I try my hand at it... this is one of my attempts. Pen and ink with gouache fill in on watercolor paper. Now I would use a smoother paper... now I have smoother paper to use. So maybe I will have to do another one of these soon.

Abyssinian Cat

Same as the others. =)

Cocker Spaniels

A couple of cutie Cocker Spaniels done in Charcoal and gouache on watercolor paper.

Exotic Black Cat

Black cat done in charcoal with watercolor eyes. Aprox 8 x 10 on watercolor paper.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Well, not completely different, I do have some animal pictures up here but for a few days I will put up some of the pet portraits I have done in charcoal. Most of them have colored eyes (except this one) done in watercolors. This is a scan of a photocopy so the quality is not so great but hopefully you get the idea. His name is Ripley. The original is 5 x 7ish.

Sunflower #2

Another 8 x 10 acrylic painting. A sunflower also from Misty's yard. =) In contrast to the Honeysuckle painting this one was done with very thin watered down layers. I wanted the semi rough texture of the gesso to show through.

Honeysuckle

This one is done in acrylic paint, Golden brand to be exact. Love their products! No they are not paying me, I just really like their paint. =) It is 8 x 10 done on watercolor paper. Oh yeah, they are honeysuckle that grew in my yard. I took a lot of pictures when I had that yard and now I am glad I did because I have reference pictures to last me a lifetime... well, almost.

Sunflower

This was taken from a photograph of a sunflower in my other friend Misty's yard. My friends have nice yards too. It is different from the others in that it started out as a pen and ink then I put watercolor over it... I did not like the results so I thought I would play around with colored pencils over the top and ended up liking it after all. Funny how that works sometimes. It is 4.25 x 5.5 on pen and ink paper.

Blue Cornflower

Blue Cornflowers done in gouache on watercolor paper. Also from a friend's garden.

Fuchsias

This is a bunch of fuchsias that I did a while ago. They are also from my yard (I used to have a pretty nice yard). I was thinking at the time that they would make a nice stationary or letterhead. I still think so. They are also done in gouache and are on a piece of paper measuring 5.5 x 4.

Arched Door, Siamese and Hollyhocks

This is the door that started all the other doors really. I thought I wanted to do them in colored pencil but after finishing this one I found it very difficult to make it look the way I wanted. I thought I would try gouache and see if it was any better and was really pleased with the results so I did the rest that way.

Mi-ke the Squeaking Cat

This is another picture I did of Mi-ke. Yes, she does squeak, not meow. This is done in gouache on watercolor paper and is 5 x 7.

Mini Pet Portrait

Another in what appears to be (much to my surprise) a series of animal and pet portraits. =) This is one of my cats, Mi-ke. Doesn't she have amazing green eyes? They are kind of a sea foam color and very vivid. I like painting her eyes and will post another picture of her that I did tomorrow. Done in pen and ink, watercolor and gouache.

Tuscany Rose

One of my favorite roses out of my old yard. The velvetiness (not a word, I know=) and dark red when you see the actual rose is amazing. Nice scent too although very slight. Also done in gouache on watercolor paper. 4.25 x 5.5 I have a picture of my cat Mi-ke that I did in gouache that I will post tomorrow.

Pink Cosmos

Another flower done in gouache, this time from my neighbor's garden. She had an amazing yard! The only time I really like pink is in flowers. Pink is not allowed anywhere else in my house. =)

Peach Rose

This is a rose from my garden in a house I used to live in. It is done with Gouache on watercolor paper and is aprox. 5x7 .