Winter Elk Progress

I have been feeling very happy because this weekend I was able to paint! I drew this picture last week and then decided to work on it yesterday (saturday). I was very excited to see how fast it went. I am sure it is due to the fact that my background is very simple. 

I really had no direction as to where to start so I just "started". Sometimes you just have to! So I did put in some snow in the background and then started to do my under painting on the elk. 

I really didn't feel like waiting for it to dry so I just started to try to put in the details. As you can see I had to erase some of his nose. So the wet paint mixed in with the snow, making it looks dirty. 

After about an hour, I had gotten pretty far. So I just kept going.. 

Farther...    I was getting ready to get rid of the "erase" marks by his face and legs and I thought, I do like the smudges by his nose because it gives off the sense of breathing. However I thought it looked too dark... So I tried to fix it.. I should have just left it!

It is now Sunday and I am this far. I am going to go ahead and let it all dry for now. As you can see, I tried to make his breath so that it was coming out in a powerful snort. I don't know how I feel about it. I might have to go back and make it how it was before.

If you keep up with me and saw the last elk painting I did, you can see that the hair on these animals are so different. In the winter they really get long hair! So this elk here is much more fuzzy than the last one and a lot smaller in size so the detail was a bit harder to achieve. Either way, I think when it is all done and I have added more highlights and shadows, it will be perfect! 

Hope you are having a great weekend as I am!

What does an artist see that others do not?

I was on facebook today and I came across a post by ArtistNetwork. They asked: "As an artist, what do you notice that others don't?"  

I read some of the answers and they made sense to me. They mentioned light, shadows and things like that. I started to think about it and I gave my answer. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I thought, what if Leonardo isn't talking about seeing shadows, light or even nature but seeing the truth in himself?
When I responded to the facebook post, I tried to think of my own personal struggles while learning how to be an artist. I hope you understand that I don't think that my answer is better than anyone elses of course. It was just from my own personal experience. What I said was, "it takes a lot of patients & courage among other things to be an artist... even very talented artist have a hard time with it. But to keep pushing fwd, to keep learning and wanting... i think that is where a true artist sets him/herself apart from others. But, that is not the truth, just my thoughts!" 
After I wrote that, I wondered if that is what Leonardo was talking about. Was he talking about the artist seeing the truth in himself as well as in art? To tell the truth, I haven't read that quote in its original context. I probably should and then maybe I would know but I am glad it took me to that thought. 
Just something to think about...     

Sometimes giving it away feels better than selling it!

I drew a Bull that I saw at the fair. I decided, because it was practice with my Pan Pastels, that the first person to love it on my fan page was going to get it. My lifetime friend put a heart up when I showed it off at its ugliest stage... 

I really expected people to really give me what for! But she loved it right away. 

I had just that night to work on it because I was getting ready to head to California for a summer trip and I wanted to make sure I had it finished before then. She still lives in the small town we grew up in and where I was going to go to visit my family.

I rolled it up and packed it in the car with the kids. 

I didn't get to see her unfortunately. We both were busy and couldn't cross paths in the time I was there. However, I left it with my family and she picked it up. When she thanked me and told me how much she loved it through email, it made me "so" happy. I felt like I was a very lucky person to have a friend like her. 

I am so thankful that I am able to paint and draw well enough that I can make people smile. 

I can't imagine what I would feel like if I couldn't feel like I do today. I don't want to know. 

Help out a fellow artist? Vote for me. Thank you!

Hi Bloggers! 
I have a quick favor to ask. If you have a few seconds will you please do me a favor and click on this link that I have posted here and vote for me? I am trying to get some free art lessons that would really come in handy for the next year. I am trying to because a full time artist and I really need to brush up on my perspective skills and my skills at drawing portraits. This class could really help me with that and I will be able to build up my confidence and technique in order to become a full time artist. Thank you so much for your support! 
VOTE FOR FRANKIE

Again, I want to say thank you! 

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UPDATE: Finished Commission

     The painting of this Weimaraner was a challenge. Unfortunately I can't seem to find a finished photo of the painting.This painting was a commission for a nice man in Texas. The size is approximately 26x30 oil on Canvas.

     The one on the left was the closest to finished but you can't see the bottom of the painting. So I added the one to the right to show you what it basically looked like down in that corner. I am kicking myself because I can't find the finished photo. There was a little more detail on the dirt such as rocks and walnuts that had fallen. I am really sorry. When and if I ever find it, I will add it right away. 

     This painting is 24x16. Oil on Canvas. I finished it right after I finished Mikey. It is of the Lower Falls in Yellowstone. My family and I went there last summer and it was so pretty that I had to bring it home with me!  

     This rabbit, 24x16 oil on canvas, I started to work on last November and wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with her. She started off way different because I was in such a hurry to finish but when I looked at her she made me feel like I didn't try hard enough. I don't like that feeling. So I added some grass and some babies. I am happier with it now. 

     And last but not least, here is my major project that I started and finally finished. The Elk. It is the same size as Mikey, 26x30 something, oil on canvas.

     Now that I am looking at it, I remember that I forgot to take off the marks I left at the top with charcoal. They are from when I was trying to decide how to do those pine needles. I "really" struggled with the pine needles. I have a lot of photos of the process that I went through and I will post them shortly and you will see how crazy it was for me. Even though he is so pretty, I am so glad to be finished. I really want to move on and do something else. 

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