Day 549

Notice that when I imposed a time limit, I made much livelier sketches that still captured the essence of the subject (in my humble opinion).  

Day 548: More experimenting

One of my favourite art teachers, Steve Rose, says, "If it comes into your head, try it." I wondered if a surface of collaged pages from vintage books would make an interesting surface for a pastel painting... so I'm trying it. A couple of coats of clear gesso add "tooth" (grittiness that "grabs" the pastel) without obscuring the collage. 

I don't know where I'm going from here... we'll see!  

Day 547

"Ryan Brown, Structural Engineer"  Pencil drawing with magazine collage, 15.5 x 11"

Done! I hope he likes it. My original idea was to collage the whole thing using pictures of structures (buildings, bridges, etc.), but it would have taken many hours. Besides, I couldn't resist doing it in pencil... all those yummy values to render!

Day 545

 "Petroglyph: Animal". Watercolour painting mounted on wood panel, 10 x 10"

I got the topcoat done on this one (and fixed a little technical problem). 

Day 543

My technical experiments with alternatives to framing watercolours under glass continue. Today I cut up an older painting to make these two smaller pieces and mounted them on 10 x 10" wood panels -- the first step. When they're dry I will coat the fronts and finish the sides. 

Day 541: Another work in progress

Over a year ago, my nephew Ryan graduated from Engineering Science (University of Toronto). I told him that as a graduation gift I would do his portrait. Then I had an idea for it that was more ambitious than a drawing... 

Between being a bit daunted by the project I envisioned and being busy preparing for art shows, I let the months slip by. Poor Ryan probably thinks I forgot about the portrait. 

 I'm still not sure I can pull it off, but today I finally took the first step. We'll see! 

Day 538

"Light and Dark". Doodle in my art journal, done while attending my friend Lynn's event The Bridge on that theme. Teddy performed my song "Shining Light" with me, singing harmony.  

Day 535

Title TBD. Watercolour, 8 x 8"

This is a bit "out of season", but I'm trying to plan ahead here: I'm thinking of printing sets of Christmas cards (to sell) featuring "winter wonderland" watercolours like this one I just painted. Any interest out there?

Day 533

Day 533

I made such a pretty dinner for myself today that I posted a picture on Facebook. People asked if it was my art of the day. But I did the little sketches just to be "legit".

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Day 532

"Three Birches"  Watercolour, 12 x 16"

I finally tackled the last of the three little watercolours I had as demos at the Riverdale Artwalk a couple of weeks ago. Tomorrow, back to the stripy pears! (One of these, "Venetian Pear III", was accepted into the Colborne Art Gallery's open juried show. Yay!)

Day 531

"Reckoning"  Art journal, acrylic ink

I started a new art journal today. Throwing some paint at it seemed like a good idea. I named this chaotic little abstract for today's awful events in the U.S.A. Will lawmakers finally reckon with toxic politics and gun violence now that they have become the victims?