Day 17 Slate - Downy Woodpecker

11"x17"  Acrylic on slate 

We get a lot of Downy Woodpeckers at our crabapple tree, in part because it is getting old and is full of insects, and also because we have a suet feeder.  They can be pretty piggish about their eating habits at the feeder, staying for long periods of time and sucking down that seed filled fat.  I think I need to do bluebirds and cardinals, but I need to change subject matter for the moment.  I think I have a short attention span.  So this will be the last bird for a  while.

Monarch#1

8"x11" watercolor

I have a project this month and I chose to do watercolor.  WHAT WAS I THINKING????  I am not a watercolorist, I am an oil painter.  I can't tell you the amount of terror I experienced doing this.  So, what did I learn?  1) Maybe by the end of this project I will know how to paint monarchs 2) Do not get Phalo Blue paint (even watercolor) under your fingernails  3) They say watercolor is a challenging medium for good reason! 4)  If you don't challenge yourself you won't grow (at least I think that is true)

Peek-A-Boo Butterfly 5"x7" oil $100

Another butterfly with a completely different palette.  I love the value changes on the asters and the peek-a-boo butterfly at the top.

Dressed for Success oil 5"x7" $100

I struggled to get the proper shape of the flowers and the right values but still keep it loose and breezy.  I think it worked.