Day 158 - 166

The Arctic Circle Figure Skating Club

(day 166)

Wow! I can't believe it's been over a week since I've blogged. I have been getting up and painting furiously everyday (except yesterday) and making good progress on finishing the calendar. One more month to go and a few touch ups through out the year. It should be done early next week and then off to the printer.

January always has to be really cute because it is the only page you can see when the calendar is packaged, I think this fits the bill.

(day 164)

November is all about family

Love Monkeys

(day 163)

(day 162)

(day 161)

Cupcakes in Paris

(day 160)

(day 159)

"I want to do what you're doing"

Coco painting cupcakes and kittens in Paris

(day 158)

drawing the scene

no picture

Side note to self: Post at least every other day.

Day 155, 156 & 157

The Deal

The deal was, to create a finished piece of artwork everyday. The challenge, I have to finish my 2012 calendar. I thought I could do both, but the moment of truth is I HAVE to get this project done. So until then, I will work daily, but on the calendar. Might be interesting.

Day 157

Started July and finished August

Dog Days of August 2012

I thought it would be fun, since I have been painting dogs to include as many friends in this month as possible. Every calendar (except maybe the first one) has a picture of my dog somewhere, lately it's been august, because her birthday is August.

Friends from top to bottom and left to right: Susan Wilson's new dog that has no name yet, Kristianna's dogs, Miles & Krystal, Ginny Nelsens 3 westies, Charlotte, Tartan and Celtie, Stephanie's golden, Tandy, Lisa's golden, Stark, The Great Dane Mother of the little Dane, Woo Woo's Ipod Nano pug. Bottom row: Elizabeth's puppy Maxime, Lisa's princess Lucy, Christine's Matilda, Mike's welsh terrier Willy, Mark Camp's lab, Leonard, a much needed Beagle, My Beloved Belle, Mary Kay's poodle Roman, and the wild and crazy Bruce who belongs to Lisa. And at the way bottom is Minnie who is Tamara's little love.

Thank you all for letting me use your pets (unbeknownst to you)

Day 156

August

Day 155

August

Day 154

Stark

Still working on morphing two photos of this pup. I'm close, so close that I've started the canvas.

Day 153

Sammy

Excited! I think I captured her! Well, I like the painting, for the most part, (personally I really like it, but being a Minnesotan and all, I could never fully admit it).

And her she is in real. I love her old face. I love her frosty white eyelashes, but couldn't quite get them in the first two painting, but I think they work in the third.

Here is the progress report, comparing all three

Day 152

Woo Woo's Ipod Nano

(second try)

Today I tried to add a few pounds to Woo Woo, round him up a bit.

Day 151

Woo Woo's Ipod Nano

My sad little attempt at capturing Woo Woo's Ipod Nano on paper. I just have to laugh and keep painting. I am definitely going to have to paint him again.

Yesterday I had breakfast with my good friend Ginny and my new friend Susan. Both dog lovers. I don't even know if that is adequate to describe their relationships to the pet world. They rescue dogs, show dogs and live in an alternate dog universe. Wonderful women. Thanks to them the animal world is in a much better place.

Ginny Nelson & Susan Chapman showing off their westie wear at the Wayzata McDonalds.

I have to post the picture I used, even though I didn't even come close to justice. It's just that Woo Woo's Ipod Nano is about the cutest little thing on four legs. Look at that face.

I think this is just about the greatest name ever for a dog.

This photo was take by Susan Chapman.

Day 150

Lucy

I hear she's a princess so I added a crown. Coco wants this dog. The artwork and the real pet. She picked her out on facebook as well. Lisa, you better watch out next year when we visit you and you come up one pet short you know where to reach me.

Day 149

Sammy

Practice day 2. Looking good girlfriend! Today I liked all my backrounds. I could have stopped at the first one, but this art in my head was similar to the last one so I made myself keep going. I was smart though, because I scanned as I went and you can see the progress.

On the final, I added another coat of lighter blue and the green backround. I have to admit, I this this old girl is looking good!

Here I have add a blue over the darkest grey.

I love the original in just simple grey and charcoal, it is so different for me.

Bonus!

I tried it on canvas.

(it looks better on the blog than in real, but I will fix that)

Day 148

Sammy

Practicing on those goldens.

Day 147

Bruce

When you are given the name Bruce as a small pup, you just know your life is going to be anything but dull. This guy has just jumped out of the swimming pool. I love his big giant head juxtaposed to his skinny wet body. He might be little but I'm betting he has a personality the size of Australia.

Day 146

Stark

My friend wants me to do 3 dog portraits for her. So over the course of the next few days, dogs are on the agenda. This is Stark the Golden retriever Goldens, which are ever so popular are ever so hard for me to paint.

Day 142 - 145

Day 145

I worked for several hours on the pictures of the new dogs I am suppose to paint, and in the end I painted over over them with white. Then I realized that I had nothing to show for my days work.

Day 144

Teapot

(take 2)

I'm giving up the brit series for now and going back to working on dogs.

Day 143

Teapot

I thought if I could do the cute Viva la France series how hard could it be to do a Brit series?

Day 142

Whoops Day

Day 141

Let Them Eat Cake!

Day 3 of the series

Voila!

(I will get these on esty by tuesday, enjoy the Labor Day weekend)

Day 140

Viva La France

Day 2 of the series

Day 139

Marie

Tomorrow I'll paint the Eiffel Tower and then a big piece of cake on Saturday and my trio will be complete. I am looking forward to the mini project. Viva la France!

The colors in real are so much more vibrant, I am disappointed in the way this shows up. I might be a nerd but unfortunately I am not a geek.