A Month of Pumpkins Day 30

I was determined to get at least one acrylic painting in this month and after two unsuccessful attempts, I got lucky today. I do prefer watercolor for the ease of mixing. I never have to worry if I run out of paint. I know exactly how to get my color again and no fussing with white paint or worrying about the paint drying out.

This still life is very similar to one I posted last week. I really like this arrangement of pumpkins and art supplies.

One more day to go. Feeling happy and sad at the same time.

A Month of Pumpkins - Day 28

This is the Pum-King. I've been wanting to paint him since about a week into my project. I just wasn't sure what he was going to look like. This is how he revealed himself to me today and the robins wanted to be part of the show, too. As I continue to work on my illustration, I realize it's best to go with my first instinct even if I don't know exactly where I'm going. Somehow the image works itself out once I put my pencil to paper. It's best if I don't think too hard. Also, there are lots of little things around for inspiration like the robins who were happily jumping around in the leaves the other day when I got home.

A Month of Pumpkins Day 27

The countdown begins....four more after this and I want them to be really good. I'm not putting any pressure on myself, ha... I revisited my illustration from Day 7 because I was very happy with it and wanted to do something similar so here is a Pumpkin Mama and her babies. I just had to add the robin. When I came home yesterday there was a whole flock of them in my yard.

A Month of Pumpkins - Day 21

Thank you to all who have posted. I know people are watching and I know it might be intimidating to post for the first time but if you met me in person, you'd realize how artsy I am meaning quiet and introverted. The comments really do encourage me so please comment. I've jumped in with my give away not knowing how many prints I will make but I will keep my promise. 

This is a trading card. I used to do a lot more, and now that I've been working in larger sizes again, boy, did this feel small. I also used a piece of 300 lb. cold press watercolor paper which I actually hate. LOL. It might even be rough instead of cold or maybe it's just the brand but I really hate it. If I give it another chance, I think I"d soak it in water first. It's like painting on cardboard and the scanner picked up all the ridges in the paper. Enough ranting. I erased the ridges in Photoshop, and here it is. Hope it's not too boring. I needed to do something quick because I teach my watercolor class tonight and I've had a busy day. Guess what we're painting in my class?

A Month of Pumpkins - Day 17

You ever have one of those days when nothing comes out right? I'm struggling with an acrylic pumpkin painting and have decided that part of my problem could be my reference photo but the other part of my problem could be that I have to mix acrylics and I'm just not liking what is happening so...it must be my reference photo, right?

 "Mouse Meal" is an art card that I painted in 2007.

A Month of Pumpkins Day 16

Just got back from a whirlwind 11 hour round trip but I started this one the other day so I didn't have to start completely from scratch.

A Month of Pumpkins Day 15

I'm halfway!!

This is exploring the theme I started yesterday when I didn't have as much time to work it out. I'm also going to post this on Watercolor Wednesdays for this week's theme "Cat Magic" so hopefully, now you understand the illustration better. The more I paint with watercolor, the braver I am getting and I dared to explore with paint on the paper not sure exactly where I was going. I don't know if you can tell the difference on the screen but I used hot press watercolor paper and every time I use it, I like it more and more especially for illustrations. It takes a lot of abuse and you can build up your color if you're timid without making as much of a mess as with cold press.

A Month of Pumpkins Day 14

This is a little one. I taught my watercolor class tonight and sketched this before I left. I did something I haven't done before but I will definitely do in the future. I made little ears out of my kneaded eraser and put them on my pumpkin so I could actually figure out how it might look. I won't necessarily use kneaded erase though it was handy but I'm all for making models and maquettes in my future illustrative work.

I may also post it for Watercolor Wednesdays theme this week of "Cat Magic" or I may try something else tomorrow. Nothing like a deadline to motivate me. ;)

A Month of Pumpkins Day 13

This is another reference from my friend Theresa. Thanks, Theresa!!! Her dog, Belle, is the star along with her pumpkin co-stars. I started sketching this on a 7 x 5 piece of watercolor paper but my brain couldn't draw the dog that small and once I got the dog drawn, it would only fit on a quarter sheet of watercolor paper. This is my biggest pumpkin painting so far this month though I have one waiting in the wings ready to paint. Believe it or not I haven't run out of ideas yet....

A Month of Pumpkins Day 11

This painting started out with my cat in front of pumpkins. I was going to leave the background white but it looked like it needed something more so I added the cornstalks. Well I wasn't sure if that was enough so I added the greenery to the foreground. Then heck, it needed a foreground and sky. This was a build as you go painting. :)

A Month of Pumpkins Day 7

This one is in honor of my husband because today is our 21st wedding anniversary.  :)

A Month of Pumpkins Day 6 / Watercolor Wednesday

I'm using one painting for two blogs today. I posted this on Watercolor Wednesdays for the "Bewitching Hour" theme, too. There are pumpkins in this one. :)

A Month of Pumpkins - Day 2

Two days down, only 29 to go. :)  Here's another pumpkin painting in my month long goal to paint a pumpkin painting a day.  To bid on this painting on Ebay, click here.

Illustration Friday - "Beneath"

Beneath...hmmmm....It's hard not to think scary and the idea just flowed into my sketchbook in about 5 minutes. I traced it, scanned it and cleaned it up a bit. I'm not really experienced in digital art. It took forever to clean up where the scanner had picked up spots I had erased. Probably would've been a lot easier to retrace it! This was really fun to though.

Every child's fear be it sofa or bed.

I decided to paint this after I posted and here's the colorized version...

Mummy

I've got to get all my Halloween illustrations out of my system in the next 2 days. I actually drew this one for Illustration Friday back when the theme was "wrapped" but never got around to posting. It's a friendly mummy. ;)

Illustration Friday "Fast"

Couldn't resist combining the theme with Halloween.
Have you ever witnessed this?
watercolor 7 x 5