30 in 30 Challenge - Day 30

The last to be posted was really the first one I did to get ready for the challenge - because I had a day off and knew I would have some 11 hour days like today. 
The Challenge has been good for me, but I'm glad it's over, for now.  I'm ready to get back to painting some larger works and getting back to trying some new things that I need more time to do.  I will set new goals - still trying to get some reasonable ones to work toward.
But right now I need to rest and recharge - I have another project that is due this weekend - and then I will get back to it.

Prancer
13"x10"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - Day 29

I sure am glad this challenge is almost over - I have started to feel really pressured to get these paintings done.  I have challenged myself with some new subject material, including cows and crabs and angels, but I'm feeling like I don't have the time to fully explore them because I am in such a hurry to get them finished!
I worked on four sketches today, but this is the only one that was finished. 

Heifer
5"x7"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - Day 28

Just two more days in the challenge, and I wanted to end it with some of my favorite subjects: cats, dogs, flowers, etc.  So here is a warm-up I did for a painting I will do next month in acrylic for a friend.  I love this guy's sweet expression and beautiful green eyes!

Maine Coon
7"x5"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - Day 27

Worked on this angel on Sunday, from the same reference I used last week, just a different focal point.  I just had to include that elaborate hair!  Worked harder on getting the shading under the jawline. 
I think that's it for the angels right now, I need to finish the challenge with something fun!  Just three more days, but I still haven't met the 30 paintings goal that I should have completed by the end of the challenge.  Well, you have to have a life outside of painting, right???

Angel Hair
7"x5"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - Day 26

Angel series - continued. There are several angel statuary in the historic Union Cemetery in my hometown of Brewton, AL. This one is the most lovely, and the photo was taken on a January morning in soft morning sunlight.

Union Angel #1
7"x5"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - day 25

I started this one while I was having my car serviced - don't feel like I ever really got in the zone with it, then I just wanted to finish!

Camellia 1
5"x7"
Watercolor on paper

30 in 30 - Day 24

This little guy was done the day before the official challenge started, but I knew there would be days like this when it will be unlikely I will put paint to paper.  So here he is.

I love this guy's gentle expression, so I used pastels and a light colored mane.  He'd be awfully pretty in a little girl's room!


Pale Paint Pony #57
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 - Day 23

A total departure from what I usually do - I painted this from an image I found on Morguefile in order to prepare for a series of paintings I'm planning to do soon.  I may try to do some of the small sketches from my own photos this weekend.
I thought this series of shadows and lights would be simple, but it turned out to be much more difficult than I thought it would be - the shadow side of the face needs some work, I think.  Well, it's late and I'll think about that tomorrow!

Angel Face 1
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140#paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 22

The final painting in the Osprey series was a doozy - the angle of the wings was a challenge, as was the lighting of the reference photo - it was a distance shot, so very dark and a bit fuzzy.
I like the background of this one better than the last one though. 
Even though this is the last in this series, I will be painting ospreys again, they are exciting subjects!  And my husband has suggested a second series of Bayside Dock birds!

Osprey 4 - Headed Home
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 21

This Osprey painting continues the series started Sunday.  This is the osprey immediately after the dive, with the catch of the day!  They are not always so lucky, sometimes they come up empty-uhh-taloned!

Osprey 3 - Snatch!
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 20

I stayed an extra day at the Bay house today because we had a the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.  So I did more bird watching and more painting on my Bayside Birds series.  I love this diving angle, it has such a sense of movement to it!  Had to come home before lunchtime, so it cut my painting time a little short.  Got more done once I got home, though!

Osprey 2 - Dive!
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 - Day 19

Another project has taken my time the past few days, but I found a bit of time to paint this evening.
We love watching the birds at the bay house, and this is one of our favorites! They rarely get very close to the shore - it's too shallow for their diving, but this reference photo was taken when one hunted close by.


Osprey
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Day 16

This is the last of the ponies I painted Sunday.  It was actually third in the sequence, but I wasn't happy with his nose, so I went back and added a darker background in front of his face.  The reference photo for this one was a gray horse, so it was difficult to find good darks on him.  I like the peaceful expression on his face.

Grazing Pony 4
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 15

This was the final painting of the four I did on Sunday, and I think it's my favorite.  I sketched and painted all day, and by the end of the day, I really wanted to push it with some hot bright colors!
It is pleasant to look at this one today - it's been gray and drizzly and getting steadily colder all day.  By Thursday morning, it may be snowing!  But I have this hot bright pony to look at to keep me warm!

Grazing Pony 4
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140#paper

30 in 30 - Day 13

An unusual angle, I know - but that's what made it so challenging!
Not any time to paint today - this was another from Sunday's marathon!

Grazing Pony 2
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 - Day 12

I set up four paintings at once on Sunday, and this is the first one I did of the four.  All four were grazing horses from different angles.  The idea was that I could hang them in a row and they would look like my own personal herd!

Grazing Pony 1
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140#paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 11

OK, so I got a little behind.  I was frustrated with my Day 8 painting and tried to re-work it, and then, well, got frustrated.  So after 11pm Saturday night, I painted this little guy.  I had already sketched him out days ago, and I just needed to finish him.  First crab I ever painted.  Probably won't be the last!

Going to try to get back on track today while my husband watches football.  Did all the laundry, vacuuming, kitty room cleaning yesterday, so none of that to worry about today!


Blue
5"x7"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 - Day 8

 
I really struggled with this one - from the drawing to the painting - I just don't think it's right.  Must be the eye on the right (his left eye) - I may have to scrub it and do it over.

I'll look at it again tomorrow!

Paint Pony 57
7" x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

Reworked both eyes and the left side of his face.  A little happier with this one!

30 in 30 - Day 7

This one was rough.  A friend suggested the subject, but I just don't know!
Another long day today.  It will be incredibly difficult to keep painting every day if there are more like today, which I know there will be!

Special Request
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 - Day 6

I had hoped it wouldn't happen this soon, but I am resorting to posting one of the 'warm-up' paintings I did the day before the 30 in 30 Challenge officially started.  Today was just a slammer of a day, with classes starting back, and trying to get all of the online stuff done with a new system, that I have found myself after 11pm with nothing painted today.
 

The reference photo for this painting was the first reference photo I used when I started the pony paintings in August 2011.  You can see that painting then near the beginning of this blog!  It's very different from this one - lots of juicy color!

Pale Paint Pony 56
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

 

 

30 in 30 - Day 5

Whew!  Almost didn't get this one done today!  I piddled around a bit getting the paper on boards so I wouldn't have to do that again this week, and, of course, had some house work to get done.
My challenge today was the size of my painting - I redrew this three times before I decided to start from the inside and work out! 

Now that I look at it again, the bright orange spot near his nose is fighting for focal point attention.  May have to go back and look at that again.

Paint Pony 55
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# Fabriano paper


30 in 30 - Day 4

A cat for today!

Hadn't planned to do a cat, but I saw a friend's photo, and was inspired!  That's the best time to paint!

I may have to go back and fix the chin/jaw area, I'm not quite happy with that, but I mostly stayed in my 1 hour time frame!

Jack
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Challenge, Day 3

Tired of Ponies? Not me!  But I thought I'd give them a rest for a day or so and paint this white peony.  I've done it a time or two before, and it always turns out differently.  This time, since I'm trying to do it in an hour, I went very strong with the first washes so I wouldn't have to glaze over them again.  It's strong, but I like it that way!

White Peony

5"x7"

Watercolor on 140# paper

30 in 30 Challenge - Day 2

I know - another Pony!  I'm using this week as a warm-up, and I do that best with my vivid pony paintings!

Today was so cold that I wanted some warm yellow in this one - that, and a warm orange underpainting by Kim Santini - inspired the use of some cadmium colors in this one!

Hope this one warms you up too!

Paint Pony 54
7"x5"
Watercolor on 140# Fabriano

Thirty in Thirty Challenge - Day 1

I put off doing this until almost too late, so I admit it looks a little rough.  Had to go back to the day job today, so was a little whipped this evening.  But I went ahead and got it done.
It's small - just 7"x5" - and I don't really like working quite this small, but I guess if I want to get one done every day, I will have to keep it this small.  I'm not sure I will keep with the same theme the whole 30 days, but since I was tired, I sort of fell back to the ponies!

Paint Pony 53
7"x5"
Watercolor on paper