Tranquility getting closer

I think I got the rocks about done now. They have been really difficult, but I think they are ok for now anyway. I will need to do more on the water especailly where the rock shadows are, and I have lots more to do on the leaves, but you can kind of see what this will look like when it’s done now!  I am anxious to finish it!

Tranquility and the Super Bowl!

Well, the Super Bowl was on at our house. I just wasn’t watching it! Everyone else was, but I was painting instead. I am also reading about a diet that I plan on putting the boys on. I imagine in order to do that, we will all have to be on it! No dies or preservatives for starters! Good thing I know how to cook!

Anyway, I darkened the rocks on the left as well as putting a wash of plain water over it to run some of the colors together. I also put the rocks in on the right side, but I still have to do some darkening and smearing there after it dries. But I thought I would post another pic even though the rocks aren’t completed yet.

Beach Combing by Terry Honstead

I wanted to do this painting of my grandson because my mind has been on our upcoming trip to FL.  I can hardly wait and this painting represents everything good about being at the beach!  It is a 5 x 7 and I plan on entering it in the Artists of MN Spring Show for the mini.  If you are interested in this or any of my work you can see more at http://terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com/ or email me at:honstead@paulbunyan.net.

Water, Water by Terry Honstead

This one is done. I fell in love with this picture! (and maybe said that last time I talked about this, I am not sure.) But tonight I have finished it! The hardest and last part that I did was the shadow coming from the left side falling at an angle toward the water spigot. (thanks to all that told me the right spelling for that!!) I am still not real sure that I shouldn’t have done this in oil, but I guess I could still do it that way if I decide to sometime!. To me, that is what fits the picture the best, but I really do not like oils since the drying time is so long and with the kids that I have at home, I am always afraid that something will happen to my paintings before they dry!! The original picture of this painting was taken in Rome by my son or daughter-in-law, and I will always be thankful for the many wonderful pictures they gave me to “play” with!

A Little More Christmas!

I have been working on this for long hours and I still have a long way to go!  It is so detailed that it may be next Christmas by the time I finish it!!  I have the angel on the top of the tree and a lot of darkening and shading left to do along with more details.  It is coming along though, so I thought I should post a pick of where I am in it!

Christmas isn't quite over

I thought I would at least show you a pic of what I have been working on. I have plenty to do yet to get this finished, but I have done quite a bit in the last couple of days. Today I hope to work on it all day. Tomorrow I start a 12 week class for one student. I will be teaching her the ins and outs of acrylic and collage. I am looking forward to it! Tomorrows class will be all about the mediums and how to use them with the collage materials, or by themselves. But more of that tomorrow. Today I am working on this watercolor of Christmas. I just couldn’t quite let it go yet, even though the tree is now down in my house and my living room is back to normal again!

Welcome To My Lair

Well, as far as I know, I am done with my dragon on the door.  It has been a very process because it is so large.  Also since I did both sides of the door, it was an even longer process.  On the outside of the door where I was depicting the rock, I used light molding paste which I put on with a large palate knife.  Even after painting on it, that area retained a different texture than the rest of the door.  I used a transparent dark green and a quinacridone Crimson to mix the black background color.  The yellow underbelly is done with a textured yellow paper which I painted on as well.  I used a stencil that is the left over parts when sequins are made for the scale texture on the dragon skin.  I used some  on both the yellow (gold) and the red (copper)  The very last thing that I did was put a few patches of large mica flakes (gold flakes) on the "skin" to look like some of the scales were coming off.