Friday, December 05, 2008

cardinals

(4x7)

(5x7)

I often download and have a go at Karin Jurick's weekly reference photo, but have never finished in time to post to her blog. For the reference used below we were given two weeks, but I still couldn't make the deadline, and wouldn't have posted. I thought this photo would be good for me to try--it's buddha (I collect buddhas, but not this one, the happy buddha) and it's dark (I need practice with darks).
Yesterday I worked and worked on it, and wasn't happy, so I kept going: still not happy.
Then I took out a fresh piece of paper and painted the cardinals.
On the bottom one I got too fussy with the leaves, overdid them.
The top one isn't "finished" but I decided to stop.

(5x7)

NB: Today this month's Virtual Sketch Date photo will be posted.

I also have to thank Nancy for tagging me. The paintings of shorebirds she's currently working are awe-inspiring--check them out.
I'm a little frazzled/scattered at the moment, but will get to fulfilling my obligations as a tagee soon. In the meantime, I continue to add blogs I come across and like to my blogroll, which is getting quite unmanageable, but I hope you'll follow a link or two.

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11 comments:

Annelein said...

Hey Laura,
Thanks for your comments...always fun to read what everyone has to say. I like the poinsettias and also the cardinals. I have a cardinal painting I did last year and will probably post that sometime next week. 'tis the season!

Teresa said...

I like both the cardinals! Relieved to hear I'm not the only one who has trouble stopping on a painting. Sometimes someone just needs to take my pencils away from me!

laura said...

I remember your cardinals, Annalein--the ones with snow, right? Absolutely gorgeous--my favorite cardinal painting, in fact!

Me too, Teresa. In the case of the buddha, it was going (gone) so badly, I thought I might as well keep fussing--maybe I'd "fix" it, and if not, so what? Do wish I'd restrained myself on the holly. Next time!

shl said...

Oh, yes, it IS finished! It has a Japanese purity that needs not another brushtroke.

Cathy Gatland said...

What amazing red birds - and the paintings are lovely. I don't really see the trouble with the holly - it just looks so seasonal. (I didn't even get to start the DSFDF project last time, in spite of intentions to do it!)

Ruth said...

I miss our cardinals. I've seen none yet this winter. Your paintings make me happy, since I can see them here.

cathyswatercolors said...

Hi Laura, Buddha has great colors and play of light on dark. It is always hard for me to save the whites,but when I do I really enjoy it. The yellows and the colors in the flowers are really nice.I appreciate all of the artists on your blog role. thanks for sharing all of the info.

Mineke Reinders said...

Love the backlighting on your Buddha painting, and the colors too. Wonderful! And the cardinals are great too, I love the top one especially, very elegant.

Sanghi said...

Great combination of colours. Keep up ur work!!

A Brush with Color said...

Your buddha is beautiful--I like that it's almost abstracted here--wonderful! And the cardinals--so elegant! They're lovely! I so enjoy your painting.

Judybec said...

love the "unfinished" cardinal at the top... he's got that cardinal "perky-ness" I have the same problem of not knowing when to stop...it's best just to get up and walk away sometimes. I think your work is lovely!