Noelle's boys
Don't worry..I know it's not Christmas..but it seems to be right around the corner and I don't know how in the world that happend.
I have to say..the older we get..I think..the faster the days go by.
American Thanksgiving..is the 24th of November..a day short of one month from Christmas..I admire that they do so much in one month!
And I hope everyone has a Happy one.
You know I love painting and am useless from my mind..
or flowers or landscapes...it is as if I cannot translate 3d into flat..
..I must go back to "Drawing with the left side of the brain",there is an acetate sheet to help you to do that..I am always so impatient to progress that I regress...but give me something I can try and copy and I love it..I just read in the book ..A Little Life..that I am a copyist..
BTW..the book is sometimes very hard to read..not for it's length,702 pages..but for the suffering some have to endure.
It is graphic..and sad.
It does however show us that some people are incredibly loving and kind and nice.
It's just that sometimes..one is so marked..there is no turning back.
..the painting to the left is an old Christmas card I copied..you just look at the card..and draw it on a watercolor paper and then paint to your liking..the middle one is really a pink and blue birthday card w/ a chicken or two..I changed the clothes and colors and left out the chicken..the one to the right was also inspired on an old card I kept..
This is what I love doing because..I am sometimes happy enough with the results..flowers..kill me:(
Yet I LOVE them.
Not all my Christmas cards are hand painted..just a few..
because I love some bought cards too..I was just feeling inspired..I have to start early enough in the fall..because we are 12..there are stockings to fill..(8)and gifts to wrap..and I hate wrapping a multitude of gifts..I love wrapping individual ones w/ special attentions given..mass wrapping is..ok let's get this over with..
That's the spirit!:)
The 3 top Christmas cards were painted with..different paints different companies..
I would be hard pressed to tell you which was what..sorry!
But I did want to tell you about 2 little sets I bought ..
that I like***..
The sets have all the cute appeal you could want w/ the black shiny metal case w/ thumb holder underneath..(VG quality)..
All the paints are wrapped in clear then paper wrappers..all numbered and they come w/ a card to paint the colors w/ varying transparency..
I am not an expert at doing this..but am trying to do this w/ every set that comes to live with me..
I bought The Tropicals..and The Classics.
I painted the reindeer w/ the Tropicals..
my first try.. as a copyist of course.
for some reason the reindeer looks paler here..and I will add glimmering snow and place it on a card backround..
I asked Jacques.."Do you find these colors chalky and dull?" Or vibrant?
He said vibrant..
..granted they are not JUICY like M Grahams or Daniel Smith or Sennelier..but I love them.
My daughter's friend's adorable little boys..painted with the Tropicals also..Ipad photo..I am not well suited for phone pics or Ipad ones..she posted this photo on FB..and I tried to COPY the photo.
It appeared to be taken on a wharf..the day was dull..and 2 ducks were swimming by..
Fun fun little kits for travel..or home.
Try finding a pratical beautiful case like this..plus the plastic half pans..and paint for the price.
I don't want to sound cheap..
but all my pearls are not real.
**** These are not for first class watercolorist aficionados..just saying;) Artists that swear by certain makes..I guess they would call them student grade.. I am a student so they work for me and my small pleasures..I did buy 2 sets of more artist grade paints but I have yet to open them.
When I bought my Fiat..lol.. the car connaisseurs came out of the woodwork..and said..OH NO!!
I said OH YES.
6 years later..I still love it..well you can't love a car..so I still like it.
My Grumbachers are the chalkiest paints I have and many artists swear by them.
But these little Prima sets suit me wonderfully..and I do have more expensive ones.
PS no one told me to write this:)No one paid me..not sponsored..but the day I got these I wrote an Amazon review after opening 3 colors and trying.
Don't know if you can make out a bit of the name Bill on the table..my brother carved that when he was a child:)maybe it does not show in this area..
Caroline carved her work of art on one of our couches..all I could say was :"Wait 'till your father gets home"..
~ That was my line.
So if you are not getting cards ready..etc..you can..
You can start making bird treats:)...
And getting some of the ornaments organized♥
Footnote..
Leonard Cohen passed away last week:(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7WmzfYy00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGorjBVag0I&feature=share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o6zMPLcXZ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q
And Flanders' Fields..
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-in-flanders-fields-remembrance-day-2016_n_12908096.html
All the above are so worth listening to..take the time..sit back..and ..perhaps be ready to be moved.
