Is it Friday Already?

All week I have felt like it was Thursday and then Friday just crept up on me.

Today I am linking this post to PPF and Mix it up Monthly. The theme for this month over at Mix it up Monthly is Cafe/coffee.  It started first with a sketch in my little sketchbook and I then ended up turning the original sketch into the final painting.

She is painted in acrylic, inktense pencil and oil pastels. I didn't spend a lot of time on this and the more I look at it the more I realise that I'm not really happy with it.

This is a subject which is close to my heart as I love to visit my local  coffee house for a latte. In fact that is where I am off to now.

Thanks for visiting x

WOYWW

This week there are a couple of things on my work desk, one completed painting and one WIP.

 Here are a series of pictures of the different stages of the girl on the right.

I started with gouache and watercolour

.Then added some oil pastel.

Then I added some more gouache and watercolour and finished off with some more oil pastel.

Hope you like her.

Why not pop over and take a look at other peoples desk's by clicking on the badge in the sidebar.

Thanks for visiting. x

I'm Back..........

Yes, another post. And so soon after my last one.

That's because I have another painting to share with you.

Hope you like her.

Little Map Girl.

This months challenge over at Mix it Monthly is to use a map as one of your materials in your art work.
I have been wanting to join in all month and even though I love the look of the use of maps and was really up for the challenge every time I sat down to do something I just got a mental block. I think it was due to the colour prompt which included shades of greys and pinks. However, as we approach the end of the month  I have completed something at last.

I mostly use acrylic but in this piece I used water colours, water soluble graphite pencil,white gouache and oil pastel.

If you want to see what others have been doing with maps over at Mix it Monthly click on the badge in the side-bar and take a look.

Thanks for visiting. x

Meet Lily

As I mentioned in a previous post I have recently discovered the water soluble graphite pencil and I am having fun using it in combination with gesso.

Lily

This is my second try at  using water soluble graphite and I am quite pleased with the result of this one and I look forward to working on some more pieces.

The weather is warming up now here in the UK but yesterday was a bit blustery and the cherry blossoms were beginning to fall. It was like it was snowing pink snow......Beautiful!!!!

If this is your first visit back here since last Paint Party Friday I want to once again thank everyone who left such beautiful comments on last weeks PPF post.

If you want to see what others are up to on Paint Party Friday click on the badge in the side-bar.

Bye for now. x

Tea Bag Art.

This week for WOYWW  I am showing you a much cleaner desk than usual as my son has taken his Gcse art work to school leaving my desk empty and ready to be gradually messed up again.

This week I have been working on a painting on a tea bag. After drinking the tea when it has dried and minus the tea leaves you are left with a lovely stained bag. I attempted a tea bag painting once before and I opened it all the way up but this time I just removed the staples joining it to the string and emptied the leaves out and left the back still sealed up at the back.

I originally sketched her in graphite pencil with touches of Graphitone (water soluble graphite) to create darker areas. Her face and arms are painted in white gouache with a touch of white oil pastel and  her hair and dress in watercolour.

Afterwards I thought it would be good to add the string and tag back to the bag but I had already thrown the original one away so I replaced it with a handmade.

Something I was particularly happy with in this piece was something that it is not instantly noticeable about the shading used on her face and neck. Instead of using the usual flesh tones I just felt that an olive green would work. Especially with her white face.

In the past when I have tried to substitute natural skin tones with other colours it hasn't worked out very successfully.(Probably trying too hard.)  With this piece I just felt that the olive was the right choice and I think it works. It is very subtle but I know it's there.

For anyone who visited my desk last week and saw the beginnings of my last painting and are interested to see the finished piece you can see it here.

As always, sending a big THANK YOU to all of you who have been kind enough to leave such lovely comments, especially on my 'Moments of Happiness' post. Because of the meaning behind that painting it has become very precious to me and so have your touching comments. x

Linking this post to WOYWW.

Something New

This is my first attempt at using a Derwent Water soluble Graphitone pencil.

Although it is called a pencil it is,in fact, a graphite bar. It is not encased in wood like  an ordinary pencil.  As you can see my pencil is in two bits owing to me dropping it on the floor. But it does sharpen well as you can see.

 This little lady is in Graphitone pencil and Gesso.

One thing I have discovered is you can't seem to erase any mistakes so I am not really happy with her but I wanted to share my first attempt here and hopefully I will improve with practice.

Thanks for visiting. x