Like a Tiger *grrrrrrr*

So, after much angst and gnashing of teeth, I have finally finished my first animal oil painting! I couldn't post it here when I finished because I was giving it to my husband as a surprise for Christmas and I know he has sent this link to people...

I'm pretty damned happy with it. I am especially pleased with how the feet turned out given they were looking awfully like horrible blobs for a while there! It's 16"x20", and I've had it framed in a dark almost-black wood (which as it turns out is slightly warped so I need to take it to be redone).

Oh, and Jay's reaction? He was rapt :D

Dinner!

Okay, first a quick warning: this picture may disturb some people. To me it is nature in all it's stunning and savage glory, which does indeed involve the animals I love to draw having to catch and kill their own food.

That said, it's not exactly gory, so don't worry about that


I came across this picture and it attracted me immediately. I don't know if it's because I was feeling kind of like the zebra at that point in time, having just been handed bad news from work However, drawing it was pretty therapuetic, I must say.

It's about 10x15", on drafting film, using Polychromos and Prismacolour pencils.

Wow

I didn't know what else to title this one :) I know you've already seen this one, but there's a reason I'm showing it again - I've just found out it's won first place in the Novice category at a show I entered into about a month ago! I am so thrilled! It's a very small competition, but there was more than 1 entry so I did well I think *heh*

A Man and his Horse

It has been 1 year since I started drawing! And in a fit of vertigo-induced madness I decided it was a good time to try my first horse, my first material and my first person all in one big new drawing! Who on earth thinks this is a good idea? That's correct, crickets chirping...

Anyway, this is approximately A4 size, and for those that don't recognise him, it's Jay and an anonymous horse from Moonlight Retreat, a fantastic holiday cabin down on the Great Ocean Road near Apollo Bay. Coloured pencil on drafting film. Jay likes it, so we'll be framing this one to go, well, somewhere :)

And Baby Makes Three!

This is the last Snow Leopard for a while :) It was a bit larger, about 12x18 inches, drafting film, coloured pencil. Ref photo by Albert Valentino from pbase.

I have also just about completed my very first picture with a person in it. It's still freaking me out somewhat, so stay tuned...

Snow Leopard #2

I can't think off a snazzy title for him! Any suggestions gratefully received :)

He's a smaller one this time, only 6x8". Coloured pencil on drafting film, and the reference image was from the fantastic Albert Valentino - he has a whole heap of new photos I suggest you look at! It's easy to try to draw something that's been captured so beautifully.

But I want to play!

I like lion cubs.

Wow!

Two pictures in two weeks. I've never been so productive :) It's amazing how inspiration takes you when you're sitting at home for 5 days straight...

11x14" on drafting film, with coloured pencil.

Pantalaimon

It's been a while since I've posted anything: first there was the dancing chipmunk disaster (aka Leaping Cougar), then a tiger head that just does not want to be finished (it told me so! Honest!).

Then, I found this cute little critter, and just couldn't resist. Apparantly they are quite vicious little things, but I've just read His Dark Materials (Phillip Pullman) and wanted to see what a Pine Marten looked like. The scan is definitely not perfect (I guess neither is the picture ).

It's 10x14 on drafting film with Polychromos and Prismacolour. Thanks to Paul Lantz for his fantastic reference photo - I highly recommend looking through his pbase gallery!

I've been tagged!

Now, I actually only read 3 blogspot bloggers, and they've ALL been tagged, so I guess I'm breaking the chain and now my great-aunt is going to die and leave all her money and 33 cats to my cousin-twice-removed whom I secretly hate...

Anyway!

1. My greatest shame: I like to kick mushrooms. I do not know how this started, but the joy I get from reefing a wild mushroom up the butt is beyond compare. I try so hard to control myself, especially in an established garden, but sometimes I just cannot help myself.

2. I do not know my left from my right. Pathologically. I will say left and be absolutely convinced it is, but it almost always isn't.

3. I hate almost all movies that are about boring real life. My idea of hell is to have to watch Bridges of Madison County and The English Patient. I also hate comedy where it is really obvious what's going to happen (ie Seinfeld, Something About Mary). And I cannot handle violence of a certain type on tv: I could easily watch 300 and Braveheart, but had to leave during Hotel Rwanda and Donnie Brasco.

4. I secretly (er, once secretly, now open for all to see) love Hudson Hawk.

5. I am scared of moths. And snakes. And heights. And I am TERRIFIED of the ocean.

6. My eyes are blue, with a distinct black ring around the iris. I like my eyes :D

7. I cook a mean spaghetti, lasagna, beef bourginon and roast chicken. However I cannot "bake". Cakes are a disaster in my hands, and scones have the consistancy of petrified rocks.

There you go! All my secrets for you to see :)

Snow Leopard

I seem to be finishing approximately 1 picture per month, which I guess is not bad given they take me a while. This one is just a bit larger than A4 size, on drafting film with coloured pencil (Prismacolour and Polychromos). I can't wait to get it framed, I think it will look great.

The reference photo is by ltshears of morguefile. Thank you!

So, as you can see, I'm not overly prolific. I do work full time, and my artwork is very much a part time thing I do for fun. I am intending on entering a competition and an exhibition this year, but am not intending on going professional. One, I don't think I'm up to scratch yet, and two, I really do want this just to be something relaxing. I have drawn something for someone else, but didn't enjoy it as the subject matter didn't appeal to me - this is why I don't want to do commissions :D It takes all the fun away!

Anyway, here is the latest picture I have finished. It's a reference photo from Stock Exchange, by ltshears.

I'm pretty sure I'm starting to develop a "style" - not sure how I feel about it yet, it's definitely not the realism I intended to pursue at first. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I have the patience to put in the hours required for photo-realistic work!

So, now to find my next piece...

My Van Gogh

Alright, so it's March...

The FineLine Artists group http://www.finelineartists.com/ do a project each month where they study a particular painter and then produce a piece in that style. January was John Singer Sargaent, and February was Van Gogh. I decided to play along and see if I could produce anything decent.

I'm not really a painter - I like the slapping on of paint, but I don't consider I have any talent in this area. I would like to develop some :) But we'll take it as it comes. Without further ado: my Macro Hibiscus in the style of Van Gogh!

So. There it is :) Looks slightly phallic to me, but then again it is a close up of the flower's sex so that's probably a good thing! I do like it, and I have to admit it was FUN to paint!

My first post

This is a new blog, and I cannot guarantee it won't end up like my Live Journal, or diaryspot or any one of a number of journals I've been excited about in the past. I must admit, the main reason I'm signing up is to post on wilderhearted's journal.

However, it might be about time I had somewhere to put my art work, so Budding Artist is born :)

I'm a 30-something Aussie who picked up a coloured pencil last August just to see what would happen.

Welcome!