What I've been up to...

...is trying to get moving again.  It has been pretty difficult to start painting with oil and acrylic, but these two commissions helped me figure out what paints, mediums, and materials I now have, and what I still need.

This acrylic, large scale painting on canvas was commissioned by someone who wanted a painting similar to what I had done years ago as a watercolor on a full sheet of watercolor paper.  I like the muted tones and washes using air brush medium.  It has the colors that the woman requested, as well as a slightly Asian feel, which fits into the woman's home of things from China she had inherited from her mother's travels.

Here are some process photos:

I followed this painting up with a en plein air quick 11x14 acrylic, and came home and worked on it some more.

This oil commission definitely presented the most interesting thing I've ever painted--the pug's tongue!

Some process photos:

I also have thought about what to paint or sketch again of the immense amount of favorites I lost in the fire.  Although I will probably not redo much, this one had to be redone.  A favorite graphite sketch on paper.

Some others I have done...

A Canadian publisher had promised work and asked me to illustrate this book 8 years ago.  I did all the watercolor illustrations and sent them to Canada, not hearing again until this year, where I received the book and all the original illustrations back.  I don't think that the book layout is what I would have chosen or that it will necessarily do well, but I am so thrilled to have my paintings back and have had the experience of doing these paintings!  I hope to illustrate more children's books soon.  Here's a little overview: