Pintail Duck WIP~

This is one of my Duck photographs and it is of a Pintail duck. This painting will be my more traditional Pen & Ink with watercolor pencil wash.

Took me a few days to roughly pencil it in.

Find that it is better to put the Ink down first, then add the color. Tip: Ink goes on easier straight to the paper, so you should do that first if you can.

You can also see areas that I just started adding color, like I would with Traditional water color, working from light to dark.

I must subconsciously like stripes... was trying to get away from Cat fur stripes but instead... I am painting Duck feather stripes. LOL And this Duck as thousands of them.

Here you can see how I am rough inking in the Ducks head. These are the first layers of feathers. I will be doing 4 to 6 layers of ink on the head alone.

Paragon ~ Fractal Abstract

Was starting to do my reflections in my abstract digital painting but instead of doing just circles, I decided to try adding some Diamonds and this is the result I ended up with. Is created with AD3, with my algorithms.

Photos of Spring ~

Took a walk in my woods yesterday and came across a little tree frog. I love the play between the bright green frog sitting on a blackberry vine, against the dullness of last years leaves on the Forest floor.

My Katsura Japanese maple is just starting to leaf out.

Daffodils just started to bloom finally, full month behind the folks in the lowlands.

Spinning up the first ply of Coopworth

This Coopworth comes from a Shepherdess in Mid/Eastern WA area. It is very fine and soft compared to the other Coopworth fleece I have dealt with. The photograph shows the first ply being spun up and the Roving next to it. Color is soft silvery tone. This will end up being a 2 ply yarn.

Dancing Hummingbirds~

The hummingbirds finally let me get close enough to take some photos. Enjoy!

Corsair painting is Finished!

I put the finishing touches on this old Corsair just this morning. It is sitting on a dirt run away with an ominious sky in the back ground. I have used my favorite 140lb hot press paper, Watercolor pencil and Ink.

Another Abstract ~ Angel Fish

This is my latest Digital Abstract, have named this one,
"Angel Fish". Imagine fish in a future space aged aquarium, swimming side by side amongst bright colored interior...

FG-1D Corsair WIP~4

After about a week break from painting to work on my yarn, I am again working on the Corsair.
Have been working on the lower engine detail and the underside of the fighter. Slowly working layers of color to get the best depth I can.
Still a lot of detail to do.

First Skein of British Top with Silk nearly finished

This is the Green British Top shot through with 35% Tussah silk. Above is the full skein and you can see the beautiful luster this yarn has. I will have another full skein just like this one in the next couple of weeks. Would make a stunning sweater!

Close up of the yarn.

The penny helps show the width of the yarn. I will measure it later with the wrap method.

The skein has had its final wash, in Eucalan wool wash and is now being set. (Flash washed out the color.)

If you are interested in this skein please check out my Esty store.

Working on the Yarn

I am almost finished making a Two Ply Yarn from green British Top shot through with Tussah silk. Silk colors are green, purple, red and blue.
Should have it finished by the end of the week, then I need to wash and set the skein, only then will it be ready for sale and offered at my Etsy Store.

Here you can see me Plying the yarn.

Here is some Blue Faced Leicester just finished up into a two ply skein.

Here you see the same skein still on the skein winder. Can see the width of the yarn via the penny. Sadly I do not knit so I not sure how to let people know the size of the needles they would need. Is something I need to look into.

Spinning the BFL into a Skein.

FG-1D Corsair WIP~ 3

Continuing to work on the engine, have been spending time working on the lower engine components.
More shading to the body work which needs to be built up slowly to get the best depth.
Added one more wash to the blades.
Should only be a couple more weeks before it is finished.

FG-1D Corsair WIP ~ 2

I spent a number of hours penciling detail in, around the engine. Started adding color to the inside of the engine and props.

Am taking my time adding the dark shading around the engine, added another layer of color on the props. Still lots of color to add to the engine. It looks like it should be simple to paint but it is anything but simple. Also working on the wing shading.

More to come.

FG-1D Corsair WIP ~

This is the photograph I took, that I am using for this piece. Is of my Favorite fighter the FG-1D Corsair, Navy didn't like them much as these planes were pretty much blind when landing and taking off. Other wise they were a good fighter.
It will be done in Watercolor pencil with a small addition of Ink. Not quite the way I normally do my paintings but I wanted to try to do most of this painting in watercolor.

Here I pencil in the rough shape of the Corsair.

Just started on a murky type of sky background.

Adding the first layers of watercolor and a bit of ink in the dark areas under the wing.

Bit more layers of color, 2nd wash of color on the left wing, first wash of color on the props.

More color and just started adding a bit of depth.

Question- I was asked how I used my watercolor pencils?

I use a larger square brush for the background and yes I use my watercolor pencils. Use them "about" like you would use a cake of watercolor. Except with the pencil it is easier for me.

Use Wet to Wet method for the backgrounds.

I wet my brush use the pencil to rub color directly on my brush and apply paint to the slightly damp watercolor paper.

Detail is done in the same way but just with a smaller brush, can be wet to wet or wet to dry. It takes practice to learn how much watercolor to rub on your brush.

On paintings like this, I never put watercolor pencil to paper as it will not give me the results I want.

F-14 TomCat Work in Progress~Finished

Added a bit more detail and now the painting is scanned in. If you are interested in purchasing items with this painting, please check out the links to my online shops in this Blog.

F-14 TomCat Work in Progress~4

Added more color to the top of the Jet but still need to finish up on the drop tanks.

Think I am pretty much finished, might add some more detail but I will let it sit a day or two and come back to the F-14 with a fresh eye so to speak.

Then I can get it scanned in.