Attempt #2: Why I Love My Six Year Old...

He can look at my second attempt at painting a pastel portrait of him and lovingly say "I like how you made me purple, Mummy!". 

Give me an "F"

Give me an "L"

Give me an "O"

Give me a "P"

What does it spell???

Back to the drawing board...

[Sigh!]

Thanks for stopping by, see you around soon!

Kate
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PS:  In case you are curious, you can read about the back story by clicking here...

Why I Love My Six Year Old...

He can look at the below pastel portrait painting (using my new supplies) and lovingly say:

  "Why Mummy, this is the most beautiful painting of me I have ever seen.  It is mag-ni-fi-cent.  It even almost, kinda, in-a-way-looks-like-me except my face is not flat!"

Giggle, <sigh>.

It's good to try new things and new styles of painting, right?  I must confess that although this isn't exactly a masterpiece (I would classify it as flop), I do quite like the painterly style (or maybe it was just that I liked putting lots of purple pastel in his hair).

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I've been up to,

From

(Seriously now, when am I *ever* going to get better? Surely it will happen one day!) Kate
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PS:  Haven't forgotten my wrecked Mr Chuckles painting, it's just it is hard to feel inspired to finish it when I know deep down that I've wrecked it...
PPS:  What is with the two posts in one day?!  I am on a pastel roll, baby!  I can't even blame it on the fumes.

Trying Mr Chuckles (Part 3)

More work on Mr Chuckles.  (You can read the back-story by clicking here.) Today's effort is working on his hair and narrowing his face.  (Can you tell I'm scared of trying to paint his ear?!)

Sadly, I think I've overworked the painting now.  Sigh!  Oh well, at least I learnt something I suppose (you can't put ten layers of pastel on the paper without turning it to mud).

Thanks for stopping by, Mr Chuckles and I will see you soon.

Kate
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Trying Mr Chuckles (Part 2)

Hola!

Well, good news.  Mr Chuckles is out of his bedroom and is back to being his angelic self after being sent to time out yesterday for throwing the mother of all tanty's. (You can read the back-story by clicking here.)  The peace and tranquillity (for the time being) has enabled me to spend a little more time working on his portrait.  Here's where I'm up to now:

Still a way to go on his hair, ear and toning down the background.  I'm not happy with his purple neck either.  I'm thinking I may go for more of an olive green...  Crossing my fingers I don't muck it up!

Stay tuned for the next nail-biting update over the next day or two...

Kate
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Trying Mr Chuckles... (Part 1)

I love Mr Chuckles.  I really do...

And it is true to say that Mr Chuckles, my gorgeous son, is generally a very sweet, happy chappy.  However, holey-toledo and goodness me, when Mr Chuckles decides to get cross, he gets really, really, *really* cross (as demonstrated at this moment as he has just been sent to his room for being naughty. Excuse me, I digress).

Anyway, in honour of his happy and grumpy moods (and to reflect the current state peace and quiet in my house as Mr Chuckles sulks in his bedroom), I have started painting this artwork in honour of my eldest boy in all his grumpy glory, using all my new pastel pencils/pastels that I received for my birthday recently.  On this special day, I received some Conte pastels (the portrait set) and a set of beautiful Caran D'ache pastel blocks and pastel pencils.  Yes, they are really yummy (to use, not to eat). Here's what I've completed so far:

As indicated by the "Part 1" in the title, Mr Chuckles is not finished yet (being painted - being grumpy changes from moment to moment, so I really can't say how long till this latest moody episode is over).

Still, I'm pretty happy with how Mr Chuckles is looking so far.  For privacy reasons, I'm not prepared to post the reference photo, however I can tell you that he is definitely looking like Mr Chuckles, so that's a bonus.  As an added extra, I think perhaps I have finally managed to get his eyes right (they've been a nightmare to paint and something I've really struggled with!) and his skin stone is looking reasonably okay and not too day-glow orange.  Still, there is plenty of opportunity and time to for me to muck it up, so cross your fingers for me that painting continues to go smoothly!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and seeing what I've been up to.  See you 'round soon with the finished painting.

Kate
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PS:  If this painting is looking kinda familiar to you, it's because I've actually tried to paint Mr Chuckles with this pose earlier this year.  It was a F. L.O.P.  If you feel like having a giggle at Mr Chuckles the first, you can read about it by clicking here.

Poinciana - Sorry it's late, late, late

Bet you thought that I'd forgotten about this painting.

Well I hadn't.

It's been sitting on my easel for the past couple of months, periodically taunting me with:

"Come on Kate, Kate, Mate,
Stop being late, late, late..."

Yes, it is incredibly annoying to have an inner voice that  sometimes resorts to pitiful rhyming couplets that don't make sense.

Anyway, I knew that I nearly had the painting finished when a week or two ago a couple of plasterers were repairing my ceiling (leak followed by plaster sagging, let's not go there).  They said to me "Hey, who painted that tree thing over there?" (flicking dust over my sofa as they pointed in the direction of this artwork still sitting on easel).  I said "Me."  They said, "It's really good, you've got talent." I said "Thanks".  

(I suppose I probably shouldn't share that our conversation continued with "Hey, are you frying an egg in your fry pan for lunch?" and I said "Yes," and they said "It smells really good." )

Anyway, there are just a few little bits and bobs on this painting I'd like to rectify, but I think for all intensive purposes, it's done.  Only problem is now I've got to work out what I want to paint next.

Hmmmmmmmm...

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, see you 'round soon,

Kate
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Looking At The Ongoing Evolution of Me

I decided for a bit of fun to go through and create an "Art Finds Kate" self portrait timeline. Why do such a thing, you ask?  Well, it's because I find going through and looking at myself as time passes by to be a most interesting exercise.  I never knew before, for instance, how my eyes could be so wonky, or my lips so luscious...

Nah, only kidding! I'm not that up myself.  It's really to have an opportunity to compare artworks by moi to see if I have improved my drawing skills over time (or not).

Brace yourself and take a deep breath - here we go, starting from the very beginning and finishing with yesterday's attempt:

(Early 2011) We all have to start somewhere, right? I started this journey with no experience at all in art.  (I can see my issue with drawing wonky eyes has been evident right from the start...)

(Mar-Apr 2011)I tried to draw Twinkle Eyes and Me.  I look like I'm made of plastic - I guess at least I look happy!

(Mid 2011) Holy Crap - Kate in drag - what happened here?

(Mid-Late 2011) Awww bless me, I obviously decided to try for a serious look with this one. Pity my eyes are wonky and wayyyyy too far from my mouth.

(Late 2011/Early 2012) Seriously, what is it with my eyes? I think I was going for a "knowing look" here.  It's not, it's just plain *F*R*E*A*K*Y!

(Mid 2012) The next two portraits makes me laugh.  In this portrait my neck is so long it looks like I could reach into trees and eat leaves...

(Mid 2012) Whereas in this one I don't even have a neck. I associate the word "Turtle" with this portrait.  It think it's because my head looks like it is going to recede into my hat any second in horror after looking at my crappy drawing of myself.

(End 2012) Still a few problems with eyes, but starting to have a break through...

(Mid 2013) Today's offering. Eye placement to the right as you looking at it slightly dodgy, but I think the drawing actually has a greater sense of depth than earlier attempts.  I also think it isn't bad for 10 minutes worth of work without the aid of an eraser.  Also, kidlets and hubby recognised it as a drawing of me, so that has to be a breakthrough, right?

In summary, I can see I still have quite a way to go.  But you know what, I think I can see that I actually am starting to make some progress. I don't mind. I realised long ago that it was never going to be a quick journey for Art to Find Kate. I just have to keep trying and be patient.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing all of me,

Kate

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