Coral Rubble

I think the background is done. But like w/ everything else, I'm sure I'll find places that just need a little more. I hate when I do that. Sometimes, enough is enough. I like the way it looks now. The fish is just going to "POP" off of the canvas w/ that as the background.

A little info on WHAT "coral rubble" is....it is the dead "skeleton" that is left of the coral. It's the broken pieces that lay on the ocean floor and on the shores. Especially on Bonaire. Lots of rubble on the shore!!! You must wear hard soled booties to get to the water. 'Cause it'll hurt your feet bad!! It's like rocks, very hard. In the shallow areas, before you hit the reef, there is a lot of the rubble. And that is where this fish is at...

Now that I have this much done, I really hope the fish doesn't take too long. I don't think it will...

I find AMAZING how I can get these HUGE paintings done so fast! When I paint little, it takes me forever...I guess because of the detail. It's so little and takes a long time to get it right. Painting big, the same detail is there, it's just larger and I use a larger brush. Some things look, to me, like they are really small, but I've learned....if I can see it, it's BIG!!! And everything else is BIGGER!!!! I can't believe how much I am loving painting like this. I may be reaching my goal...I just need to get this one done to attempt to get into the artshow by August 15th....But, the show isn't until November. :)

Background, a reason to buy new brushes...:)

This fish is in Bonaire. There is a lot of coral rubble there. That is what he is swimming over. I got it pretty good in that one corner, but the rest, I'm not liking it. And it's not even close to being done...the coral rubble/background... Well, I just uploaded the pic and I got it ok in 2 spots. It should be pretty easy to do, I just need to DO it!!!

I had to get A new brush to do the background and ended up getting 5!!! I love brushes, so it's ok. I'll use them, so, IT'S ALL GOOD!!!

Ocean Surgeonfish

I'm just starting on this, so it's pretty rough. Actually, it looks like camo to me!! But, it's all "undertones" right now, then I'll add more on top of that, then start the fish.

I wish I could think of more to write about, but hey, a picture's worth a thousand words!!!LOL

New Painting...

Here is the new painting...well, it's drawn, that's it so far. But I gotta start somewhere. Now that it is ready for paint, I can just go at it when I can. It is an Ocean Surgeonfish. They are common to Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Of course, mine's from Bonaire!!:)

Also, a pic of the 2 canvas's in my studio. I just use the "living room" of the house. We have a family room and don't use the living room. So, I have taken it over. It's the biggest room, and I need that.

I hope to start painting tonight or tomorrow.

F'Angel, Frenchie, whatever....

This painting is 36" x 48". It is a French Angel fish, w/ some color added. I love color!! I wish there was a way on here to show it full size, to really get the feel of it. He's big!! Scroll through my blog to see it from almost start to finish...

I think he's done....I may do more as time goes on. Or I may not. I just don't know right now. I really like this painting. I've never felt so "close" to anything I've done before. This painting just gives off some "vibes" or something. Sounds weird, I know, but there's just something....

The top fin and the tail are the furthest from you, so the detail had to stay minimal, or it would pull them forward. Then he would look like some kind of double-jointed fish.LOL And that just doesn't work. I know as I stare at it, I'll see things and make changes. I'm going to try not to. I know, I keep saying that.

I'm just ready to start the next one. It's going to be big too. I want to get it drawn out tonight. Then, whenever I get a chance to paint, I will be able to. I just can't committ to painting right now. There's just too much going on. Things that are much more important than me painting. More important than anything. So, IF I get time, I'll paint. If I don't, it's ok.

A VERY Old Painting

I did this, well, I don't know how long ago. It is "the camp", property owned by my ex husband and my kids, in the Ocala National Forest. It's been in the family since the late 50's (the property, not the painting!! I wasn't even in a family in the 50's!!!). The cabin has always been there and is very rustic. I painted it for his mother many years ago. I've never had a copy of it, til now. Ya gotta love digital cameras!!!:)

I'll have the French Angel done tomorrow. Today we went diving and then I cleaned dive gear. So, no painting today.

Almost....

July 12, 2008

Ok, I haven't posted in a few days...but I have been painting. The problem is, what I am painting just hasn't been looking right. Sometimes I feel like I just totally forget how to paint! The dorsel fin was looking like mud, and that is NOT good!! But I woke up real early again today and fixed that. And then there's the tail... Well, it is the farthest thing from you, so it's supposed to be fading into the background. But the way it looks, it just looks like I made the tail shaped wrong. I know that a French Angel does not have a split tail that goes to 2 points, it has a solid squared off tail w/ rounded corners...if I paint it to look like that, it's just too much detail and brings it too far forward. So then it looks like it's curving towards the front. And that aint right!! I know I'll get it, but it just drives me nuts when I can't figure out how to get it right. That's what I mean by "I forget how to paint." Yes, I do realize that I think TOO much!!!

I will get this done, there's not that much left to do. Maybe 2-3 hours worth....if I stop thinking too much!!LOL

THANK YOU to everyone for your comments. That really helps me.

July 8, 2008 - Second post for today...

I don't know if this will post right...I haven't even done anything yet, and it says "ERROR", I don't think that's a good sign. I posted this morning and didn't have problems. Well, let's see...

So, I've been painting these spots. There are 3 different colors, because of lighting and distance. AND the reason the pectoral fin is so large is because it is the closest thing to you. It's a perspective thing...

I hope that these look ok, and that I keep thinking that they look ok, 'cause that was pretty nerve racking!!!LOL

Now I have to start on the fins and tail. Not too much detail there, especially the tail, because it's the furthest away.

I still need some highlights on the pectoral fin to make it "jump" off the canvas. Depth. There's actually still a lot to do, but I think the hardest part is over and I survived!!! Whew!!!

I think IT'S TIME!!!!!!!LOL

Time to do some more.....

This BETTER post right!!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Until I know that these will post in order, I'll just use the date for the heading...I may just do that anyway!!

I'm working on the yellow "spots" on the fish. Geez, it is making me sweat!!! I do not want to mess them up, 'cause I REALLY don't want to repaint the whole body! That would suck! So, I have walked away for now. I just can't get the right "stroke" for them. And the brush I'm using is crap! I'm going to try a different one later....or I'll have to go buy a new brush. ANYTHING to buy NEW BRUSHES!!!:)

I like the way the pectoral fin is turning out. I've added a lot to it since the last pic post. But I don't want to finish it until I get these spots done...just in case I have to touch up any edges where I've over painted...Like coloring outside the lines!!LOL

I have not been painting as much as I would like to. This should be DONE! I start thinking about what is next, the "spots", and start dreading doing them. That is not right. Like I say, IT'S JUST PAINT, YOU CAN PAINT OVER IT!! But I don't want to redo the body!!! Oh, it's a vicious circle!!!LOL

Hopefully I will be posting another pic today with my French Angel Fish almost done!!:)
There, I've set a goal!!!:)

Posted 07/05/08 - I really AM painting!!!

OK, so I didn't paint yesterday, AT ALL!! That wasn't good, but it was a holiday... So, today it's taken me some time to get going. I'm working on this pectoral fin, adding some highlights to the dorsel fin, things like that. Mostly just playing around... I don't think the fin is done, but I kinda like it. I am sure that will change tho!! I know it needs some highlights on it, where light is hitting it...and I don't know, I may redo the whole thing.

Now, you have to look at it, remembering that there are spots all over the fish. The spots that you can see on the fin are actually on the fish body, not on the fin. But, it's a transparent fin, so you can see them.

I'm not sure at all about the one ventral fin. (The lower fins in the front) It looks like it has some flame thing going on....That WILL change!!

OK, so that's what I'm doing today....and that's what I'm thinking about changing. Hey, it's just paint, you can always paint over it!!!:)

Just bloggin'...

So, today I won't be painting. It's my youngest daughter's last day w/ me before SNORKEL CAMP!! How cool is that?? Anything to get her ready to dive with me one day!!:)

Anyhow, we are going to my mom & dad's for the day, so no painting. Maybe tonite...

It's driving me crazy to not be painting!! I'm wanting to start on the pectoral fin...I like doing fins like these. I call it "Painting Clear"...That's where I have to paint so that it looks like I'm using "clear" paint, so you can see through the fin.

That painting I've added up there is an example of what I'm talking about. That one is "Juvi Drum" that I did last year. One of my first "fish" paintings. The fins are transparent so you have to paint in a way that you can see through it. It's actually pretty easy to do. I just paint what is in the background, kinda messy, then add very watered down white over that, then add some color to where the veins or lines are in the fin, depending on the color of the fish. Now with the French Angel, I have to do the background of the body of the fish, very blurry, then add the detail of the fin. It should be easy. I wish I could just do it NOW!! But, then I'd never make it to my Mom's...

Tomorrow I'm sure I'll be adding more pics of "French Angel" to this. I like having this blog. I feel like I HAVE to keep it updated, which means I HAVE to paint. That is what I need!! Some good ole decipline to make me paint!! This whole blogging thing is good for me! Maybe I should start one about my diving, then I would have to dive more!! There's a thought!!!:)

Now that I think I know what I'm doing on here.....

Here is what the French Angel looks like this morning. I did some work on it earlier. I don't sleep well! There is obviously A LOT of work left to do, but the whole reason for this is to see it as it's created...so, here it is!!:)

I am going to try my best to not "rag" on my paintings on here. I have always been my worst critic. So, if you see something and it just don't look right...well, believe me, I KNOW THAT ALREADY!! Just give it time and it will, or I'll tell you "This looks like CRAP!!"

I hope you enjoy following me from start to finish on ALL of my paintings from now on!!!

HI to everyone on BT!!! I wouldn't be doing ANY of this without YOU!!:)

Pics of the French Angel

Now, I know, they are gray, white, yellow, that's about it...But it wouldn't be art if I didn't go a little crazy, right???

Well, uploading photos is odd. They are not where I wanted them, and not in the order that I posted them. Odd...

There's my painting. That was actually yesterday, it already looks completely different...

I'll add more later!:)

Well, this is a first...

I'm just starting this thing, I don't know what I'm doing. Well, I know I'm typing, but do I have a profile? Do I need to be adding a pic to that? Anyway, I guess I'll find that out as I go...

The reason for this blog is to show my art from start to finish. Just like I used to post on BT. I may not put the "finished" pic on here, because of copyright stuff, but I will post it on my website...one day, when that is ever right. Maybe I'll just use this and not even have a website.
ANYHOW, this is where I'll post my "in the works" painting pictures. So, now anyone can follow from canvas w/ some pencil drawing to the Grand Creation that I make!!!LOL

Right now I'm working on a French Angel Fish. It's 36" x 48". I am enjoying doing this painting, I believe, more than anything I've ever done. I DO LIKE PAINTING BIG!!:)

I figured out how to add pics to this, but they are on my other computer. So, I'll have to "blog" from there later and get this party started!!!!