Sketchbook

Works in progress

Swan Boat

This turned out so well, I though I’d put it here too.Swan Boat

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A Little Otter

Here’s a little fun thing I’ve been doing today. I find after completing a large painting, I am at loose ends. I have a hard time getting going on something new. This is a great compromise I’ve found.  I can go into my computer sketchbook, and throw some bits together and have a new image in an hour or two. I’d come up with a clever saying for it, but I’m done for now. Perhaps you otter. Little Otter

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Otters and Mermaids This Time

Here is the latest image I’ve been working. See some old characters? Probably. But some new fish added. Trying some new backgrounds with new brushes.

I find it fascinating in this new medium, as I have just discovered, that you can create your own brushes. As an artist, over the years, the hunt for the perfect brushes had become practically a holy grail. Expensive little things too. You would not believe what you have to pay for about 16 bristles just because they come of the hind end of a rare rodent’s tail. Or so they say.

But back to the com-painting. If you need a brush that they don’t have in the list, you simply create it. No pruning it with tweezers when a hair get out of place. No babying the tiny brush with the perfect point, to keep it going through just one more painting. And I am still just scratching the surface.

So, for the viewers, I hope you like it. For artists out there who see these, and who like me, thought never in a million years will it do what I need it to, you have GOT to try it. It is a blast.

Mermaid Play

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No Otters This Time

Don’t get me wrong. I love otters. There are not many critters that are cuter. But, as an artist, I am the first to admit, they are hard. If you try too hard you end up with something that looks like a dyspeptic gopher. Not enough effort, and you end up with something worse. Simply not cute.  So I took a break for some mermaids.

 

Mermaid Garden

Mermaid Garden

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Can’t Have Too Many Otters

Several years ago, I did three images for the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was one of the high points in my career.Otter Raft

In looking back at them now however, I notice that I only put one sea otter in them. It was a beach scene.

I find is odd now because one the  things the aquarium is so famous for is it’s sea otters. It is the most popular exhibit. Not to mention it has a otter rescue program, where surrogate otter moms, raise orphaned pups till they are ready to go back into the wild.

They are about to re-open their exhibit after a big renovation, so it has been in the local papers a lot and much more information on their web site. So, I have had otters on my mind and thought I’d spread my wings a bit with my computer paintings to include them. I’m still perfecting them but thought I’d fling this try also, to go with my Spring entry.  I have to say, they are very hard to capture on canvas. More than one try ended up being hurled into the recycle bin.

This one I was satisfied with. I hope you like it.

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Spring Is In the Air

Spring is in the Air…or is that just pollen. I’d like to write some clever lines but I had fun on the image and that is enough for me.

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Paris Skies Feast

This time I’m branching out a bit. Trying my hand at a computer assisted Paris one. Back to learning more; frustrating as well as fun.

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Merry’s Fairy Fun

I suppose I should have a whole category for this subject. I remember as a little kid, poring over picture books about fairies, and elves and fantasy in general.  I wanted to crawl inside them, they were so beautiful. I wished I could paint pictures like that, create little worlds of flying creatures. Eventually, that is exactly what I did.

So in life, when I feel weighed down, it is with real joy that I paint one of my little friends, put wings on her back and fly away with her. And sometimes,  tell the truth, don’t you wish you could too?

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