Really? 350?

See? I told you I'd be back!

So today's post is Happy 350th post to me.

To be honest I didn't even realize it until I logged in and in the stats for my blog I noticed that my last post was #349. Yay observant me!


Anyhoo, here are a couple of updates for the two previous pieces I had featured here. Both of them have essentially passed what is fondly referred to in the coloured pencil artists world as "the ugly stage".

Freisian Stallion- WIP
8x10, Coloured pencil on Colourfix

True, every piece of art during its creation goes through an "ugly stage". The problem with coloured pencil, as any artist that uses them extensively will tell you, is that the ugly stage can last a long time. A veeeeery loooong time. In fact, it's often during these ugly stages that pieces get abandoned, like those errant single running shoes seen at the side of the highway.

Who gets so mad at their shoes, nay, a single shoe, that they feel the need to chuck it out the window while travelling at top speed in their vehicle? When they stop and have to get out do they regret throwing the shoe out the window? These are the questions that plague me... but I digress.

Silver & Cherries- WIP
11x14, Coloured pencil on Colourfix

So those are the updates for this week. My drooling ACEO isn't complete yet as I have another artistic project that I'm working on for my brother's abode. In typical guy fashion he has nothing on his walls and, as an artist, it pains me to think that there are nudist walls somewhere that are crying out for some decent clothes to wear. "Clothes", in this case, being art.

On that note I must go now and continue the noble quest of creating wall clothing. Toodles!

WIP's up the wazoo!

Sorry for my disappearance into la-la land last week. Schoolwork took up more time than I had anticipated and then the Other Half and I were away this week-end enjoying the odd Summer weather we've been having.

At any rate, I'm back today (and later this week... really!!) with some more art.

WIP's to be specific. If you recall from the last post (you can look below, I'm not re-posting the same image, consarndit!) there was the large piece I was doing of the silver jug and cherries. Here is another update to the piece:

Silver and Cherries- WIP

11x14, Coloured pencil on Colourfix

As per usual, I've done more to this one than I'm showing for today only because 1- I'm on dial-up and there are only so many pics I can upload at any given time before I lose my mind and 2- I have another WIP I'd like to share with you, dear reader. :)

The other WIP would be this equine piece:

Friesian stallion- WIP
8x10, Coloured pencil on Colourfix

Friesian stallion- WIP
8x10, Coloured pencil on Colourfix

Again, I've done more on this one than I'm letting on but you'll just have to contain your excitement to see how it turns out. Think of it like one of those "The Be Continued..." episodes of a show that you're totally hooked on.

I've also got an ACEO on the go that I'll share later. I'd like to finish it up and do an entire WIP post for that one because it features food and I swear the reference looked so good that I may have drooled on it a bit.

Speaking of food, I may as well share that I've been typing the last half of this post with a banana in one of my hands. Yup, that's right, my talents aren't simply limited to art; I can type while weilding a banana as well. Will wonders never cease?

Until later this week (with possibly a drool covered ACEO) keep on art-ing!

Done with dimples... for now at least.

"Lusciously Lit Lemons" ACEO

Coloured pencil on Mi-Teintes
Copyright Rita Woodburne

And there it is, my first miniature piece featuring some dimpled fruit!

Like I mentioned yesterday, considering this is the first time I've tackled lemons I'm content with how it turned out. Sure, I cheated a bit because half the darn thing is in shadow but I like to think of it as a baby- step towards including other interestingly textured produce into my artwork.

Having said that, the next WIP I have on the go is of a horse. So unless I include a carrot in the composition (highly unlikely) the only other piece I'm currently working on is another one that was left in limbo before my hiatus. It can be seen below:

Silver and Cherries WIP
Coloured pencil on Colourfix

I've actually gotten a bit more done on it than this but I'd really like to get this one wrapped up soon 1- because it's a large piece (for me) at 11x14 and would be the first large still life piece that I've completed and 2- it's been on my drawing table since the Winter and it's getting to the point where I'm almost certain that it's laughing at me every time I walk past it. Almost as if to say "Mwahaha! You'll never complete me and as such I shall inhibit your growth as an Artist for all eternity!"

Okay, so maybe that last bit was a bit over-dramatic but every once and awhile... I'm sure I can hear it snickering at me.


So, I've got a busy art, school and gardening day ahead of me and with a list of tasks lined up in front of me I feel I should get the rest of my day underway. You know, so my list of "things to do" isn't laughing at me as well.

Until later this week, keep on art-ing!

Dimpled fruit... yes, you read that right.

Hi there, dear reader!

So I'm back again with an ACEO WIP. I told you I was itching to get back into doing art; and what better way to start than with a challenging miniature piece? I say this one was a challenge because, for lack of better words, I've never done dimpled fruit before.

That doesn't really sound right, does it?

Lemon still life ACEO- WIP
Coloured pencil on Mi-Teintes

Anyhoo, this being my first foray into a still life with a dimpled fruit I decided on a nice reference pic featuring some lemons that I got from the artist forum WetCanvas!, although I can't recall the name of the individual that contributed the particular photo.

I think I find dimpled fruit to be a challenge because of the way I work with cp's. That is, I like to "block in" areas of colour and then start layering. When you have dimples and divets in things (not just fruit, although I can't think of anything else off the top of my head that presents the same texture) there are all kinds of considerations to make regarding lights and darks and sometimes, to be perfectly honest, that's just too much calculated planning for me.

Lemon still life ACEO- WIP
Coloured pencil on Mi-Teintes

That said, I was up for a challenge and since this is my first attempt I'm pleased with the results and hopefully I'll be able to start including all kinds of textured fruit now. Limes, oranges, strawberries, lychee fruit (okay, maybe not)... the possibilites are endless!!

This ACEO is complete but I'm going to leave you in suspense until tomorrow when I'll be posting again. Now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me I have a loaf of cinnamon zucchini bread that needs to make it's great escape from the oven.

Till tomorrow! :)

Here's Smirkin' At You Kid

Welcome back!

Since I'm just getting started back up I'm going to share with you one of the ACEO's I left off with before I disappeared into Never-Neverland (aka- the Bottomless Abyss of wedding planning). This was the image I had left off with waaaaay back when:

Guess who...

In case you've been living in a vacuum, it's a cropped image of the Mona Lisa. I did a rendition of Mona way back in highschool, except instead of being on a small 2.5 x 3.5 " ACEO it was on a piece of plywood about 3 x 5 feet. Try wrapping your noggin around that one.

This ACEO has long since found a new home but for those of you just squirming in anticipation to see how it came together you can see below:

Yes, that is the bottom of a pen next to Mona.

"After DaVinci- The Mona Lisa" ACEO
coloured pencil on Mi-Teintes
Copyright Rita Woodburne

Despite not having the pleasure of seeing this piece in person, I've always loved it for the expression on Mona's face. For a little tiddly-bit of history, this piece didn't come together for DaVinci so easily. Many moons after he completed it and us crafty little humans had developed the ability to x-ray things it was discovered that there were, in fact, several layers of paint and several subtle variations on Mona's expression. The ultimate result was this fine work of art featuring a saucy brunette with a quaint little smirk on her face.

Knowing that there were so many re-dos to this piece my own personal feeling on why he finally settled/ decided upon this particular rendition came about something like this:

DaVinci: I think I've almost got it. Yes, just a few more brushstrokes...
Mona Lisa: For the love of fudge, I sure hope so! How long have I been sitting here? I'm glad you've found me so inspiring and all but I have laundry to beat by the river you know.
DaVinci: ... yes, yes. It's.... almost... damnit!! No, I think I need to re-so it again.
Mona Lisa: WHAT!?! (insert several loud expletives here and imagine the Pope's hat popping off and spinning around like a whirlygig)

At that point I like to think that after DaVinci picked his jaw up off the floor he quietly made a few subtle alterations like changing Mona's mouth to achieve the somewhat smug expression we see today.

And thus ends this edition of Storybook Theatre. Do tune in on Friday when I give my take on just what Goldilocks was in fact doing in the 3 Bears' house.

Is it safe to come back out?

Wow. It's been awhile, eh?

So the wedding is done and life has returned to normal... relatively speaking, of course.

In fact, I’m writing this post from the comfort of my kitchen table on my new laptop that was given to me by my awesome brother as a wedding gift (thanks Mike!!)

It’s fantastic because I can do computer stuff from anywhere in the house (the kitchen being my fav location so far) and I can look outside at the horses in the paddocks and make myself a sandwich at the same time. What can I say? I’m a wild and crazy multi-tasker.

During my hiatus I must confess that there were times that I really missed blogging. I enjoy writing and sharing my art and reading the comments that folks leave as well as the email I receive from folks that are perhaps too shy to post comments.

On top of not having the time I wanted to dedicate to blogging I didn’t get to do a lot of art either. I’ve been taking courses at the local college via correspondence so that’s taken up quite a bit of my time and there was also the Lilac Tea back in May which, I’m happy to report, was a great success.

Lest we forget, it’s also gardening season which as regular readers will know, next to art is a fanatical passion of mine. All in all, I’ve been very productive over the past few months doing non- art related things and because of that I’m very, very eager to return to my creative endeavours.

It’s just a brief post today to get myself back in the swing of all things having to do with wasting bandwidth. So, to leave off, may I present some pics of myself and my new husband (the last one is my fav because it looks like I'm harping on him ;) ). Enjoy!! :D

Awwww, that's so cute it's making me ill.

Oooh... purty!

What do you mean you're staying here to have a drink with "the guys"!?