Hawk Moth redux

8" x 8"

watercolor and colored pencil

Wasn't overly happy with the last one so I did it again.

Dumpling Squid watercolor

Dumpling Squid

6" x 4"

watercolor

Quick little sketch of a dumpling squid.... came across a picture the other night while looking for octopus reference... they're about a cute as you can get, I want one for a pet now.

Hawk Skull again and Seashell

Well, I've been staring at the latest skull painting I posted and although I still like the simplicity I decided to darken up those ribbons a bit....

I've also got distracted from my skulls by a lovely seashell. Here's a progress shot....

Hawk and Ribbons Watercolor

Ribbon-Tailed Hawk

9" x 22"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

This image has gone through many versions... originally I thought the angle of the skull made it look like it was accelerating rapidly, so there should be some exhaust-like shapes billowing out behind it... after many sketches of that idea it was abandoned because I just couldn't incorporate the "flowy" feeling I like to have. I then thought of ribbons, but only secondary to some cans bouncing behind and other "just got married" decorations. However that didn't last long because I thought that much going on behind the skull would draw your attention away from it and I want a feeling of movement done as simply as possible... so ribbons alone... light, airy, flowing.... Hope you like!

Black Vulture and Ivy watercolor

Black Vulture and Ivy

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

I think this is a case of abandoning a painting.... I look at it and think there are areas I should still be working on... but I like it so I'm not messing with it anymore :)

Moa Skull Watercolor

Moa Skull

12" x 8"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

A moa was a large flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand that is now extinct. The markings on the skull are a very loose representation of the facial tattoos of the Maori, also indigenous to New Zealand. I purposely kept the skull "tattoos" inexact because, as I understand it, to copy a Maori's tattoo is like stealing their identity. My only purpose in representing them here was to tie the bird to the people it once lived among.

Cat Skull Watercolor

Cat o' Nine Tails

20" x 11"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

Had a few issues photographing this one. I've been setting my paintings up under a florescent light next to a window in the kitchen but blues and greens together do not photograph well for me. I know next to nothing about photography and am no good at tweeking the color on the computer. However, this morning was a very bright sunny day and things came out wonderfully outside. 

Bird Skull Watercolors

Osprey and Cala Lilies

22" x 9"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

Feathered Owl

14" x 28"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

Cat skull update and new 'support system'

I remembered that I'd once heard a watercolor artist mention that she stretched her paper over a frame like you would linen for an oil painting, so I googled it. Apparently this isn't as uncommon as I'd thought when I heard about it so I thought I'd try it. I now have 2 5x7 watercolor paper canvases... so far I like working on it alot, no warping, no having to tape it down, it's lovely. I'm doing the cat skull and I think it's coming along ok so far.... here's a work in progress shot...

Forgotten long nosed armadillo WIP

I mentioned I'd be working on a cat skull next, and I am, however I remembered this piece I started a few weeks ago....

I came across this little guy in my search for interestingly shaped skulls and thought he was just about the cutest thing I'd seen in a long time. I think I'll finish him up first.

Animal Skull Watercolor Paintings

Of all the subjects in the world why skulls? This thought has been bouncing around in my head for a while now and I think I have an answer. As a tattoo artist I've been surrounded by them; in the flash art, the paintings my fellow artists do for themselves, and as knick knacks all over the shop... sometimes models, sometimes the real thing... but always the same thing, human skulls.

For years I've mostly ignored skulls as subject matter, I found the idea of drawing endless pictures of the same thing frightfully dull. Animal skulls, however, are widely diverse but with all the interest (maybe more) of a human skull as a subject. Lots of nooks and cracks, large smooth areas, not to mention that some of them just look completely alien.

My biggest hurdle as an artist has always been completing a 'body of work', I lose interest halfway through and go on to another subject. I'm planning on completing at least 10 skull paintings, not a large number but hey, start small right? Below are the skulls I've done so far...

Moa Skull

Saber-toothed Tiger Skull

Chihuahua Skull

Burrowing Owl Skull

Osprey Skull

Greater Flamingo skull watercolor

Well, I finished it....

Learning to use watercolors is turning out to be good for me. I have a tendency to 'noodle the details' and watercolors do not allow me to be as anal about it as usual.

Next project... a cat skull

WIP

The latest watercolor of a flamingo skull is plodding along.....

I plan on darkening some shadows a bit and painting the dragonfly.... I'm thinking royal blue and teal.

I've been asked to do an ATC of a frog and hopefully will be able to polish them both off tonight... I tend not to sleep at all on Sunday nights. I will be holed up on the couch with my art supplies and endless episodes of 'the L word'.   I really dig Shane lol.

2010 ready, set, go....

Wow, what a lame blog this has turned out to be! It's not that I haven't been creating since my last entry... in, what, April?... I just either haven't thought it was earth-shatteringly important enough to share (fear of rejection anyone?) or I just forgot this blog existed for months at a stretch (really?? yup).

So, in the interest of lighting a fire under my ass and facing my fears, I will be introducing you to my latest subject of interest..... skulls. Animal skulls to be exact. I have also begun watercolor painting.. and I mean begun as in maybe a whole month ago.

This is the skull of the greater flamingo...


Obviously a rough sketch... the plan is to turn it into a finished painting tonight and then actually post it here!!! Tune in tomorrow boys and girls, and feel free to verbally flog me if I slack off on my first post of 2010.