Painting Dakota

It feels good to paint! I'm in love with this painting I created of Dakota. My favorite part by far is his epic beard! I have never painted a beard so I was nervous that I might looked like it was not actually attached to his face. It turned out much better that I expected and I am happy that it looked like him.

Here is the link to the speed painting video I created for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPISx8MlRsA

Elena Deer

Here is 8 Month Elena's painting. I loved finding a little bird sitting in flowers on the deer's antlers! Check out the Facebook page at here to see the speed painting video!

Tshirt design idea

Here is a t-shirt design I want to work on. Obviously I will have to work on the actual type, but this is the general idea of what I want it to say. I really like the idea of the standing fisherman giving the idea of a cross from far away.

Family Tree

Sometimes, you just want to paint a tree! Also, I needed an excuse to hang a bunch of family photos and I know that I never hang things very evenly, this way I just need to make sure they are hanging on a branch!

Bottle to Glass

Dakota and I decided to be crafty today and try to use old glass bottles and turn them into glasses. After watching a few how to videos we decided to test it out ourselves.

First you score the glass, we put it in an empty can to help keep it straight

Then you heat the line that you scored

After heating it, stick it in ice. You might have to heat it again and ice it again. We had to do it twice

Sand the edge smooth, this is the trickiest part

Now you have a new cup :)

More Fish Paintings!

 More fish paintings inspired by Dakota! A quick look into what my sketchbook looks like lately. I'm exploring color, line, shape and of course.... FISH!

Watercolor Tiger

Here is a work in progress! This tiger is coming together nicely and I am loving the colors I have so far. I am painting with watercolor again so I am slowly adding layer by layer. I have to be careful that I don't have to much water on the brush so it doesn't take off any previous layers. At least that is how I have been painting with them lately. As far as process goes... I DO NOT DRAW IT BEFORE. When I am painting from life or a photograph with watercolor I have been "drawing" with the paint brush first. Usually in a really light blue color. I roughly map out shadows and outlines and then slowly add more details as I go, starting with the lightest color first.