Two mixed media pieces from this year

It hasn't been the most productive year for me as far as art goes, but I've still been making some art.  Here are a couple experimental mixed media pieces I drew this past year.

This portrait of my bearded dragon, Zuri, was done on a 10" X 7" retro boomerang birch panel by Trekell.  I had the perfect image of Zuri and her long shadow to fit in this unique shape.  The small size called for very small marks which I decided to do in colored pencil over an acrylic paint base.  I'm digging the interesting texture it created.

This kitten is named Mittens and I drew him for an online art swap.  I used a little bit of everything in this drawing - acrylic paint markers, watercolors, colored pencils, and India ink pens.

Some more shots of these two pieces.

2025 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition entry

Here is my entry for this year's Trekell Pet Portrait Competition.  This competition requires artists to use a special shaped birch panel as the support.  This time I painted eight of my chickens, some who are still alive and some who have passed, all gathered in a circle with the sun behind them.  Although it was not my original intention, it looks as though it is from the point of view of a bug on the ground.  So I've titled this painting "You Are The Bug."  One of these special hens I have painted several times before - can you spot her?

Random Project of the Week - Red fox watercolor

I painted a red fox in watercolor recently as part of an online art swap.  I really enjoyed painting this little study and leaning into the softness that can be achieved with watercolor.

This time I experimented with a different technique to transfer my sketch onto the paper.  I photographed my sketch, edited it digitally, then printed it out in a light purple color onto the piece of watercolor paper.  I think this method worked very well for this particular piece.

 

The original pencil sketch (plus notes to myself!).

BIRDTOBER 2024

I finally finished the BIRDTOBER bird art challenge!  BIRDTOBER is an art challenge hosted by @kaylafiskbirds in which artists draw a bird from a list of prompts every day in October.

 

After failing to complete the challenge the past two years I was determined to finish this year.  I decided to do very small ink and watercolor sketches this time.  The size and medium helped me from getting bored as it allowed me to do several at a time, quickly and easily, and I actually enjoyed the process of choosing the species, sketching, inking, then painting all 31.

 

 

THIS YEAR'S PROMPTS

1. Hooked bill
2. Forest dweller
3. Ooo shiny!
4. Red
5. Warbler
6. Adorable
7. Backyard bird

8. Corvid crew

9. Marsh

10. Vagrant

11. Flycatcher

12. Nest

13. Grasslands/prairie

14. Swifts and swallows

15. One word name

16. Eyering

17. Fruit-eater

18. Long-distance migrant

19. Starts with the letter B

20. Elegant

21. Introduced species

22. Beach-bum

23. Grouse/quail

24. Common

25. Precocial

26. Conservation success story

27. Flock

28. Nocturnal

29. Water-lover

30. Secretive

31. Black-and-orange

2024 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition - Second entry

 This is my final entry for the 2024 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition.  I painted my late Boston Terrier, Sissy, chasing a butterfly among the wildflowers.  I have many photos of her trying to catch flying insects and she looked as though she were dancing.

 

Eastern Towhee in colored pencil

Getting back into colored pencils this week to test some new art supplies.  I drew this Eastern Towhee on Bristol vellum paper.  This is the first time I've used this paper and I can say it gets my seal of approval!  I already have ideas for more drawings I'd like to use it for.