Why A Duck

This was a challenge over on wetcanvas.com in the colored pencil category (April's challenge).
So, yeah, colored pencil on bristol. I spent a lot of time on this one and really enjoyed it. Obviously I didn't mask or tape off the borders and didn't finish the left side, but I like the finished product.  One thing that was different about this that I did was wipe it all down in a swirling motion with a cotton pad. That leaves a  nice sheen. (I did that instead of blending it out with a colorless blender.)

Angel in Cemetery

A drawing from a photo I took while on vacation last summer. We visited a famous cemetery and this statue was beautiful.
Pencil on 9x12 Canson heavyweight drawing paper ( a really lovely lovely paper! I recommend it!)

Blackbird

My first attempt for the Paint And Draw Together: Challenge 19 - Red-winged Blackbird  (Thank you, Azra, for inadvertently alerting me to this blog - rubs hands together in glee! I am so enjoying challenges!)
Done on a canvas panel 8x10 that had been previously used as a pallet. I sanded it all down to a relatively smooth surface (thus the rough look here) and then jumped in. The darkest portions were done with quinacridone red and cobalt blue with a touch of burnt umber.  Alla prima in about three - four hours. Really had fun with this! (Took a photo and after it is really dry, I may scan it to see if it I get a better image)
Oil on canvas panel 8x10

Green Shoulders

So this is really a 12x12 canvas (scanned and cropped) and I had intended to do the ten minute studies on it. BUT I set down the groceries and placed the fresh bananas on the counter and the next thing I knew I was about four hours into this painting. SNAP! Just like that. What happened to all the painting ideas bouncing around inside my head? (Oh, believe me, they are still rattling around in there...)
I am not sure if compositionally-wise this works - mostly because the uppermost banana leads the eye off the canvas ( but I still like it)

And then - as my Grandfather would say - "They ate that."
oil on canvas 12x12

Menu Decisions

While on vacation last summer I  surreptitiously took a picture of a couple making a menu decision. I still feel a little guilty about it - but I really enjoyed painting them.
Oil on canvas
10x8

Sheldon Cooper Spock

I do not watch much TV. Mostly because I am usually drawing but also because I cannot wrestle the TV remote away from my husband. Anywhoo, one night when I did have the remote - mostly because he wasn't home yet - I watched The Big Bang Theory..... and became an instant fan. Jim Parsons is the funniest genius-nerd ever!

And, yes, Sheldon Cooper would give even Mr. Spock a headache.

colored pencil on bristol

Chicken Tonight?

rFor the http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenges CHICKEN!

9x11 oil painting

Zip(po) It

I got a nice compliment from my daughter with a "wow!"
For the http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Challenges
8x8 oil on canvas
Now off to paint a chicken!

Skimming

So I was fighting off a cold (successful! Thank you Zicam!) and feeling a bit blue along with the weather and just needed... color!

Colored pencil on velum

Western Bluebird

So we had a wild spell of wet weather with some forceful winds and all the western bluebirds gathered on the northern side of the house for protection. They'd dash out under the oak tree, snatch bugs and dash back under the eaves. They were soaked and I snapped a good enough pic of one to draw from.
Colored pencil over watercolor.