Paradise Found, with bugs

Today was way fun. I did the tiny bugs I wanted to add.

Ladybug

cricket


Lightning Bug


Spider

Then I painted twirly bits of light on the moss and reworked the green apple. I'm really close, maybe less than a week away from done. I just have to scumble another layer on the background and highlight the yarn. I had so much fun with the bugs today I might find a place to add a honeybee, a beetle and an ant.

More painting, less fussing

Back on the horse that threw me yesterday.
Started with the angel- it's a metal garden ornament that's also painted. I'm fairly happy with it. Please ignore the leaves. They aren't done yet.


Added detail to a few of the dratted leaves along the top edge, but moved on to the twine before I started chewing the ends of my hair in frustration. It's a funny color, not the usual tan of jute. It's dyed green to supposedly blend in, but of course it's a shade not found in nature. The top is faded by exposure to sun.


Just finished working on the front glove. Quite pleased with it.

I think I'll do the other glove, then a few more leaves that are down in the moss.

Paradise Found, not without some cussing.

Covered in paint, which is not usual, mostly variations on green. Did the half-visible printing on the seed packets. Painted the (insert curses here) leaves down the right hand side. They look ghastly close too, not so back from, say, eight feet away. What was I thinking? Don't know how to go forward, can't go back. Must do another round on the gloves and angel yard ornament, but I am too horrified at the state of the leaves to get any closer. I have stalled out at this point.
Just realized that what I need is a pair of blinders, like racing horses wear to keep from freaking out at what's in their peripheral vision.

Cash money and seed packets

From this point on I expect I'll be working on a different painting every day. I would like to get four new pieces done in time for my debut at Mason Murer in March.
Here's the progress on Equilibrium. I mostly painted cash, plus the center weight. It's fun to paint money.


Today I worked on the seed packets, the snake, the pale blue sky up in the corners and highlights on the digging fork of Paradise Found.

In the queue - progress report on the South of Eden series

Working on several canvases at different stages. Here's the line-up.
Paradise Lost - Probably a third done. With a big push, it'll be done by the end of February. I did the watering can today and the mossy band across the bottom has a zillion more twiddles and fidgets of moss, leaves and pine needles. Only a trillion more to go. Next - all those leaves along the top. It's the priority. 30x40
Grind - One layer all over, so maybe one fourth done. The wood grain is interesting and the husk is looking good. I hope I am better with corn now that I've done spin. The coins are a beeyatch because I'm working from four or five references. At the end of today I painted the needles. I tapes them to a a board for angle, and set them next to the grinder for scale. They turned out to be so close to life size, I ended up holding the needle in my left hand and painting with my right. I went with no cap because a needle is dangerously sharp and adds that element to the painting. Also, I can always add the orange, but it would be very difficult to try to get rid of it. They worked out great. You would have thought I'd been painting hypodermics all my life. Now that I've made the decision to include this element, the title will revert to Corn & Consequences. 16x20
Spin - close to complete. just one more round on the darker area of the corn and a little glaze on the dark area of the yarn. A week or two to dry, then varnish. Want to enter it in a show with a Feb 8 deadline. 24x24
Seasonal - Two layers of snow done, no fruit started. Very small - 8x10 - but the white is really slowing me down. I'm thinking of it as a study for a larger version that will be 85% snow.
Harrow - maybe halfway, maybe less. It depends on how long a field of knee high grass blades take. But it is my least necessary piece. I can finish it whenever. 14x18
Equilibrium - Started yesterday. Did part of the chest top and the dark green silk background. Miles to go. 18x24
Calibration - gridded and gessed canvas, gridded reference. Prepped to draw. Tons of elements, a lot going on. 24x30

I know it sounds a little crazy, but they will all start popping off the line and out of the studio. Much like Metamorphosis. That's the plan anyway.

Paradise Found

Spent the morning painting away on Paradise Found. Worked on the bucket, the jute twine, the moss here and there, the bird house and the snake. It's supposed to be in a show at the Swan House in March, so it's the priority. One of the good things is it is so large there is always some place dry on it to work. Tomorrow I will tackle the watering can and glove. Every time I work on it I'll throw another layer on the moss and tangles of grass.
Next week I'll start doing the leaves, maybe three at a time.