30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 20!!

 

"Looking to the Future"  $145  Watercolor and Acrylic  (11" x 11" image)

Well, what do you know?  I made it 2/3 of the way through the challenge!!!  These last 2 paintings are a set.  I dug out an old painting that had failed, and used it for the background of these silhouetted birds. I wove the dark pathway to lead to the bird, and increased the contrast by adding white acrylic to the light areas.  This painting and yesterday's painting are meant to be a set.  If you are interested in buying both, the set sells for $275.  Redoing old paintings is fun to do.  I may be digging into that pile more often!  So, there you go!  Never throw anything away!  My sister reuses coats and suits to make beautiful computer bags, and handbags.  It must run in the family!  To check out her work, go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/FunctionalArtWA  She also has a Facebook page and it you "like" it, you will receive any new posts when she has new products.  https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalArtWa/posts/297572400374192 

30 Paintings in 30 Day: Day 19!

"Love is in the Air" $145  watercolor and acrylic  (11" x 11" image)

I had no time to paint yesterday, so this morning, I played "catch up" on my 30 day challenge.  I decided to look through my failed paintings and grab one that might make a good background.  The failed painting was too busy (surprise, surprise!) with no focus.  So, I decided to add a silhouette of 2 birds. I knew I didn't want to just paint the birds as if they had been stuck on with construction paper, so I negative painted around some of the lines that went right through them.  I also brought back more contrast in the painting by painting the light shapes with white acrylic paint.  I like the energy of the swirls, which prompted me to name this one, "Love is in the Air".  Now, I've got a card ready for Valentine's Day!  If you're interested in giving your sweetheart this painting, contact me!

Redoing Old Paintings

Back on November 23rd, I posted a blog about redoing old paintings.  I promised to show you what I would do with that painting, and FINALLY, I'm showing you what I did.  This painting started out by Gail Speckmann, and then, we exchanged paintings and allowed the other artist to paint on our “old dog” paintings.  I turned her traditional painting into an abstract, but as I'm often prone to do, I got too busy with tiny shapes.  So, now, this painting had 2 beginnings with “not-so-good” end results.  That's when I turn them into journals.  Although these take about 2 hours to complete, and I only sell them for $25 dollars each, they aren't the most productive use of my time, but I really enjoy making them.  And they always expand my imagination.  Sometimes, I think it is fun to turn off all the "rules" of painting and just have fun!!!!  I cut the pattern out, then coat the top side with gloss medium.  I paint the inside with an opposite, WOW color, and then enclose them, using self stick Velcro.  Adding grommets and/or brads complete these little journals into gifts of love.  Really fun to do!!!