TALKING AND WORKING

I am a member of Churchtown Art Club (which is on facebook) and this weekend we had an exhibition.  Three of us work on the day, answering questions about painting and the club.  Here is what I managed to painting while chatting.  Some of the paintings went awry, but hey, I had fun.

Brusho and bleach.  If you can spot her, there is a nude hidden away. Her face has been bleached out as it was awful, I will adjust sometime in the future

This was my warm up exercise to see how fast the paint was drying and if my brush was working!!  Painted the whole sheet yellow , then nagatively painted around the Budapest Parliament buildings, upside down. Not easy for the first painting of the day.

Eccinachea (can't spell it).  I have to concentrate when doing my nemisis, flowers, and went a bit awry with the r/h flower.

This painting is from a photograph my Sharon Whitley, and was a challenge, thank you Sharon.  Brusho, Ink and bleach.  End of the day when I was flagging.  But the most fun of the four to paint.

Have a lovely week everyone.

EASTER CHALLENGE FINAL PART

Well over the Easter Weekend I asked for people to challenge me to paint anything.  So here are the final ones.  I did 16 in the end, and enjoyed every one.  Good to be taken out of your comfort zone.

Annie Arkwright couldn't stop Humpty Dumpty from falling off the wall, but she sure could put him together again. -  Valerie McNeill

Cat - Joan Violet Stretch.  Well he scared me when I was painting him!  He wasn't supposed to look like this. Spooky or what.

Annie Arkwright in a basket of Easter Eggs - Phil W Cawthan and Christine Owen.  Boy was she sick that night!!

Local View and Miniature for a doll's house - Capt Elaine Magliacane and Stephanie Guy.  The people are way too big, this is a large bridge, so will have to guache them out.

Woodland Scene -Sue Caton (looks like a forest fire is about to start, but just wanted to use transparent orange, my new 'in' colour.

So I thank each and every one for their participation and for stretching me and giving me confidence.;

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Luv from Polly xx

EASTER CHALLENGE PART 2

Over Easter I asked people to challenge me, any subject they liked.  Here's the next batch.

Martine Weare a friend of mine - playing in the local U3A Ukelele Band

Catharina Engberg - Photograph of a birthday celebration meal at Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant.  That little pot is as heavy as can be

Debbie Nolan - A little duck

Lesley Nugent (of Nuggleton fame) - obviously an Owl, but I just wanted to paint it differently, so it is in fact a Zowltangle!

Pamela Williamson - Year of the Sheep or Goat and this one is a little pygmy goat.

Hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Easter. Thanks for popping by.

EASTER CHALLENGE PART 1

Been busy so far, thank you for your challenges on here and on facebook.  I usually have 4 days to myself while my hubby spends his time at the golf club.  But due to unforeseen circumstances this is not the case this year (much to my dismay much as I love him)  So undaunted I have tried to fit in your challenges, between spending time with him.

To this end I have traced some for speed, and worked smaller than I normally do.  Nothing larger than A4.

Here's the first 5 for your perusal.

Annette Goatley's challenge a talking carrot! Sorry 'link' maker not working.

Annie Arkwright from Accringoton - card shark or Ace of Hearts, or is it money slipping through her fingers? Beverley Wells   and sorry Bev my 'link' maker isn't working.  

Chris Owens - a line of marching children

Sue Clinker - Chinese Year of the Sheep.  Hope that symbol does mean sheep!  And sorry Sue my link button isn''t working.

Jacquie Finney - Camel in a sandstorm

Whatever will I end up painting today?

Hope you are all having a Happy Easter or a Happy Anything at all.

A POSH ALPACA

Well so nice to get back to near normality .............   and back to my beloved watercolours.  Wanted to do something simple so used the pic of an alpaca.  His name is Algernon.

Have a great week, and stay healthy, or I will send Algernon round to tickle you with his curly wurly hair.

BLACKPOOL ZOO, FINITO, FIN, END

I have so enjoyed painting from the photographs I took at this delightful zoo.  I just knew I wouldn't rest until I had the ideas out of my system.  I don't paint many animals, so it was also a challenge. And most of you know I loooove a challenge.  Here are the final ones.

This one speaks for itself and it is frightening how so many species are in crisis.  Using mixed media like this was inspired by Lorraine Brown - do check out her work which is brilliant and innovative

Monkey Puzzle!  What shall I eat first?

Final flourish - Pretty Polly Parrot in Brusho.


Problem is, what on earth is going to inspire me next?  Nothing in the pipeline.  Perhaps I may read a book, tidy the garden, go for walks, do some baking  ...................   Well, whatever you are doing have a lovely autumnal weekend.

POLLY PARROT & FRIENDS

What a variety this week, both painting and in 'real life'.  Ending with a few days reading a scary Thriller!!  Well they say variety is the spice of life, and that is me all over.  Jumping from one subject or action to another.  Strange in our household as hubby likes routine. He could live to a timetable. Not me, when I finished work I never wanted to live to the clock again. Opposites attract (well most of the time) ha ha.

Polly Parrot & Friends

Did this at the art club I belong to.  Many distractions and chats.  So, obviously, if you want to paint loose, talk away and you may have a happy unexpected fun painting.

Yes, this Lemur's tail did wrap around like I have painted.  I did an under painting of ultra first to establish the shadows then used a restricted palette to paint this lovely chap.

Blinking blogger - got another pic but can't download it where I want it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will have to leave it for another day.

  

Most of my pics from Blackpool Zoo are now done, but not quite.  Really been fun painting animals for a change. Got to think what to do when I have finished.  What a wonderful hobby, so much variety to feed my eager arty brain.

Have a great week and take care..

Luv' from Polly xx

BLACKPOOL ZOO PART 2

I was so inspired after my visit to this smallish but really excellent zoo, that I have painted some more studies.

I so wanted to paint the silverback but kept putting it off (lateral displacement reared it's ugly head). Then I went in with Quin, Gold and thought, you dip stick, he is a silver back, not a cowardly yellow back!  I put dark colours next to his back which pushed the yellow away.

Then I used colours that Beverley Wells used in her flowers, as she got really dramatic darks with them.  Winsor Violet and Winsor Green Blue, with a touch of transparent red brown (which is like light red but transparent).

I am not happy about his arm area which I should have faded out, as it isn't clear on the photograph.The colours are too blue on this pic.  I am blowed if I can get accurate colours when I take a photograh!

Quick study of an elephant, nothing much to say about this.

Painted in 3 colours that you can wash out if required. Burnt Sienna, Ultra and Raw Sienna.

This, whatever it is, was a bit muted, so I washed over the top with W&N new colour transparent orange, which added a bit of zing!

I've been busy, busy, busy so time for a rest for a while. I'm going to investigate zentangles for something completely different.

Hope you have a stress free week :)

ZOO INSPIRATION

Well you guessed.  We went to the zoo this week.  One of the smaller ones in the UK.  Blackpool. Which is really known for it's tower (like the Eiffel in Paris) rather than a zoo.  We were really surprised, we expected it to be run down, but it wasn't.  I kinda don't like animals caged up, but they do a lot of work at the zoo and have regular talks during the day about conservation.  Which we thoroughly enjoyed.  Really shocking though, how many animals are endangered and nearly endangered.

So I endeavoured to paint some of the animals I saw.

These are what I painted this week. They are only smallish studies.  When I paint small I tend to be more precise as I use smaller brushes.  But I have one or two in mind where I can use bigger paper and be bold and free.

This wasn't going very well so added some brown pen.  These little fellows were in the childrens area.

Front and back view of different Penguins.  I just wanted to mix the paint on the paper for these, except the black, which is ultra and burnt sienna and is part mixed in the palette and part on the paper.

To state the obvious this is a sea lion not a seal.  Be blowed if I can remember the difference now to tell you!!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend to one and all where ever you are.

PESKY FLYING ANTS

Firstly,  thank you all for following my blog and to those who comment a big thank you.  Please, if you follow me on facebook, don't feel you have to respond on both posts. I am trying not to spend so much time on the internet, but find looking at other blogs is inspirational and I hate to miss anyone, and really do try and catch up with them all.  Though I am sorry I don't always have time to comment.

This blog is annoying me, one minute I'm signed in then I am not!  What is going on?  Fingers crossed I can post this without any trouble.

Well it's hot here and muggy, so out come the pesky flying ants. Loads of them all at once.  Birds diving to catch this delicios bounty.  So I thought, perhaps they are not so horrible after all and proceeded to find a little picture of one in a 'spot that insect' type of book, and armed with a magnifying glass looked at one trapped in a spiders web. Here he is.

I decided to zuzz him up a bit, so he didn't look so creepy.

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

Had such a busy week.  Gardening mostly, so painting with plants!  Anyhow here is my arty news.

Easter Challenge, kept til the last and done with care.  Sue D'Arcy-Masters husband is connected with the Southport Lifeboat Station, and challenged me to paint the old station (a new one is going to be built) with the boat in front of it. So this is what I came up with.  Guess what, they have had it framed and it is going up in the new building when it is finished. How lovely is that!

I wanted something to put in pencils that have been kept at the back of a drawer.  I thought I might use them if they were to hand, so made these.  I stuck on all the Easter Challenges that you out there set me, so I can remember the fun I had over the Easter weekend painting them. Empty baked bean tins and glue that doubles up as varnish were used.

And I took my last brusho mini workshop.  I think they all enjoyed and learned from what I passed on from my workshop with Joanne Boon Thomas.  This is one of the paintings we did (we managed 3 in 2 hrs) and this was by the far most successful of the ones we did.  More brusho is being ordered and the word is spreading.

I am hoping for a quiet relaxing week this week.  Putting my feet up and the odd afternoon tea.

Enjoy whatever you are doing, wherever you are.

EASTER CHALLENGE - THE END

Here are the last paintings (bar one which I cannot publish yet) of my Easter Challenge, where I asked you bloggers and fb friends to give me subjects to paint over the Easter Holiday.

Anenome - Ruth H Harris (nervous doing this as she is a beautiful flower painter)

A neighbour asked me to paint her house Carol Hodge, this picture was taken when we had such a long cold white winter

Albert Dock, Liverpooo - Val Downie - She suggested somewhere locally.  I took this picture in the summer. It is right near the Beatles Story exhibition, and the band were singing Beatles songs.  I cropped the painting so the conentration was on the father and son Liverpool Football Club supporters

Lupins - Judith Farnworth - very kind of her seeing as I don't like painting flowers!

Neglected corner - Joanne Boon Thomas - Brush and bleach.  Spot the Easter interlopers

Self Portrait - Laura Moore - rather flattering I think!

Sloth - actually two and the picture is from PMP Clare Smith.  Found this looks rather stripey, perhaps a new rare species of lesser striped sloth.

Thank you all for commenting and following my Challenge.

Now then, have a wonderful weekend (early wishes) but won't be posting for a while as I am burned out painting.

EASTER CHALLENGE PART 2

I'm doing an Easter Challenge..... I asked people to take me out of my comfort zone and suggest subjects for me to paint over the Easter Holidays, as I am not doing anything else.  Here is my next batch

Chicken - Debbie Nolan.  Guess what kind of egg I was eating.  Just for research you understand, for this painting.

Easter Bunny - Ngaire Magalotti - an Aussie friend on facebook.  Actually the orange in reality is really bright.  Transparent Orange

Farm Equipment - Pamela Williamson.  Far too tight painting this, wasn't happy with it at all

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury and the photograph is by Theresa Jones on PMP. - Idea from Sue Caton.    Supposed to be a drizzling and misty day. I am having trouble linking this to the photographer so apologise to her and will get it sorted as soon as I can.

Hat and gloves of the old fashioned Easter kind.  - Celeste Bergin.  Thanks for bringing back memories

Chicken - Dana Mallon.  A chicken mad lady suggested this one.  It is done in Brusho!

I do hope you are having a brilliant weekend and are not feeling too sick with eating loads of chocolate.