So, books are another trope I come back to now and then.. kind of like grilled cheese and tomato soup.. Books are good for a rainy day.. or a sunny day on the beach, or to listen to while I'm painting... and, as a former children's librarian, my connection to and love of books is well engrained. and don't even get me started about book banning.. oy... Anyway, books are a refuge for me.
And then there are ducks.. :)
As soon as I paired this little girl on these books, it just felt all over warm and fuzzy.. This one is a simple image mostly about my love of books and cute little animals. I'm also loving the brushwork and saturated colors.. ♥
The Warm and Fuzzies, Oil, 8x8, Click here for purchasing details
Lately, one of my favorite animas to paint is the Scottish Highland coo. I wish there were a farm near me that had a herd of these adorable, furry creatures, but even though I am surrounded by lots of rich farmland, so far, I have not located one. That won't stop me from painting them though.. Its funny to me that although you can rarely see their eyes, they somehow still always have such adorable expressions. Funny how that works.. This sweet gal is munching on daisies and chicory (two of my favorite flowers), hanging around with a few bumble bee friends.. I'm ready for warm days and while lots of folks don't care for the bugs that come with warm weather, I love seeing the bees and welcome them to my yard!
Two thirds of the way through this challenge and I'm happy to still have some ducklings to paint.. There are more than a few folks out there with whom ducks resonate, and its true that these guys don't stick around for long in my studio.. I try to put something new and fresh into each duck I paint.. This one was largely about his expression as he 'breaks the 4th wall' so to speak. It makes me smile to think that this little guy is engaging with the viewer, inviting you to, I don't know, come on in, sit down and have a quack (or something) :)
Getting a tad technical, I also went a little nutsy with texture as I enjoyed painting impasto (thick, juicy paint) throughout the composition..
I don't remember the artist who said this this, but his belief was that, while all the elements and principles of art are important to make a good painting, the 4 most important aspects of a painting are value, edges, shape and texture. Generally, I agree. You will notice that I consider these 4 things carefully in every one of my paintings.. So, while this may just look like an innocent little duckling waiting for a quacker, look closer to see how I handled each of these four devices.
