Interesting Beginnings

"Curly"  Mixed media on watercolor paper 20 x 16 inches

                                              Available at MarySchiros.artspan.com

   I love making interesting under paintings to work from.  Sometimes those under paintings are pure experiments in color combination.

I started this one with experiments in mixing oranges and blues, then roughed in with white acrylic the mass of the sheep, I wanted to  work up.  From there I worked back and forth with acrylics, inks and charcoal.
   Just thought it would be fun to share the process of how "Curly" was painted.
Thanks for looking
Mary

Raining Cats and Cows

Bessie's Close-up,  14 x 11 inches, on canvas panel

"Blue Moo"  14 x 11 inches on wood panel

"Sun and Stripes"

For the last couple of days I have been finishing up some more cow paintings.  Between cats and cows I have been having a good time working with color and critters.  The 30 paintings in 30 days challenge had really kept me on a roll and it is hard to believe there is less than a week to go now.  Hope you have enjoyed this month as much as I have.   Added the latest 2 cows to my site on Artspan,  schirosart.com

   And my crazy cat is headed to a new home in New Mexico.

Mary

Embracing my wild side

14 x 11 inches "Just a Cold One" Mixed media on paper

                                            

     30 painting in 30 days is happening again in Jan.  I have done this challenge from the first one started and plan to give it a go again.  This time I am putting my oil paints away for 30 days and going with mixed-media.  Going to explore working loose, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and seeing what happens.  

     I have started following an Artist by the name of Robert Joyner at his web site Paintloose.com  and he has really inspired me to work with mixed-media.  

   Thought I would share a few paintings with this loose approach today...

And just so you know I actually did 4 beer can paintings with just one beer...just I am not too wild after all :)

Ok how about some coffee now...

16 x 12 inches mixed media on paper, "Blue Steam"

                                                 

14 x 11 inches, "One More  Cup"

                                            

Hope you all enjoy the up coming month it should be fun.

Also hope everyone had a great Holiday and wish everybody a wonderful New Year too.

Mary

 

What if?

Day 16 of 30 paintings in 30 days...

"The Group"  Watercolor and ink 14 x 11 inches

     Today instead of starting a new painting I decided to ask myself "what if" while going through some watercolors that were complete, but I was not really happy about.  I was curious what adding some ink lines to the paintings would do.  What did I have to loose...nothing.

    I got so involved with this I ended up reworking 3 paintings today.   The Tulips were first, next up a couple cat paintings...

the original watercolor

Added some line work with ink....

But didn't stop there, decided a cropped version looked much better....

"do Not Disturb"  6 x 8 inched matted to 11 x 14 inches

   One more to go..added some ink work...

Then again did some cropping, (one of the things I love about watercolors is the ability to crop them if needed)

"So"  8 x 6 inches matted to 14 x 11 inches

All in all a pretty productive day :)

Mary