A Work-in-Progress and Blogging Perks

I really don’t like anyone seeing my paintings before they’re completed. But it’s a funny thing about blogging, I share more here than I probably do IRL (in real life). Are you the same way?

So I decided to share this WIP with you. It’s a really special painting for a really special lady. A few months ago I offered a custom painting as a giveaway on bouffe e bambini and this painting is going to the winner.

I had intended upon giving away a really simple painting but the winner told me she loves my Sweet Blackberry a lot.

When I saw the photos of her darling kids, I knew I had to try and paint something for them.

Now, I’m not a portrait artist. Far, far, from it. But I love painting little kids. Especially little ‘mixed’ kids because they look like all of my nieces and nephews. And my grandson.

Besides her son and daughter, the winner loves sunflowers so I’ll paint those in the ‘field’ and have some large ones in the foreground.

I started off sketching the kids above.

Then I changed my mind and made them a little larger. Might as well  ‘bite the bullet’ and commit, right?

I promised myself I wasn’t gonna take ‘forevah’ to paint this. (I’ve already taken waaaay too long just getting started – I don’t want to make her wait another 3 months!)

So I kept reminding myself to just paint, step back, take a look, paint some more, step back, take a look. I have to force myself to do this, otherwise I’d still be working on just one little nose!

Their faces look a little blotchy in this photo, but not IRL. Plus, the more I add, hair, clothing, all the little details and colors, the more the faces will look ‘right’.

I hope.

I haven’t ‘captured’ her daughter quite right, but I’m gonna just keep painting and see how it goes. When I paint pet portraits, it often takes me a while to ‘feel’ the animal’s personality, and then get it right in the painting. I hope I can do the same with this little girl.

And I’ll share more WIP photos. Of course.

Okay, so speaking of Giveaways (and, just in case you’re wondering, I plan on offering more paintings) I haven’t entered that many on blogs. Usually I just leave a comment when I visit and sometimes that enters me into the contest.

I completely forgot that I had won these little guys from Myra @ The Casabella Project. They’re little notepads that are waterproof so you can stick ‘em in your shower.

Why not? I mean, how many times a day do you get an idea – like for a blog post maybe? – and you forget to write it down? Now I’ll have a notepad even in the shower!

But that wasn’t all I got in the mail yesterday. I also got a really cool painting tool called UStripeIt. Just to try out!

I’m beginning to feel like a real blogger – winning prizes, trying out products.

I’ll do a full post on the UStripeIt soon, but let me just tell you – it’s AWESOME!!! Wall stripes, chevron stripes, diagonals, squares – all easy-peasy with this gadget.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll even offer one as a giveaway myself! (just like ‘real’ bloggers do!)

So after receiving two packages in the mail yesterday, I was a little let-down today with just junk mail and bills.

Then I got a phone call from a neighbor at our old house. Federal Express had delivered a package for me.

From Plaid.

As in Plaid Folk Art paint. And Plaid Folk Art painting medium. And, and, and.

I wasn’t expecting a package from Plaid, obviously, since it went to my old address. So I was kinda excited.

The good news? A box full of paint. Wooo-hooo!

The bad news? There was also a letter in the box, rejecting my offer to design paint tutorials for Plaid.

But, hey, no worries. I got a box full of new paint colors which, in my book, is better than a new outfit.

I’m dead serious.

Maybe I’ll try and get rejected from some other companies too!