CHALLENGE # 12 (the official one) - September 20, 2011 - October 18, 2011

csebeling wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 1:07 PM

Peaceful Duck_pastel.jpg

Quack! Quack! Here's my peaceful duck. 18x24 pastel. So happy on a rainy day!

arslanmh wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 1:17 PM

Cindy- Really nice water reflection and details on feather. The proportions of head and beak are much better than my version. I really liked it...

csebeling wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 1:34 PM

Thank you Yusuf! I think your ducks proportions were fine. Nice how the two versions can be so different . Your work has an airbrush quality that's very nice. 

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 3:23 PM

Cindy, I'm so glad that we can click on the images to get an enlarged version.  I really enjoyed looking at your duck enlargement.  Very impressive!  I like that you used the same blue on the duck and in the water.  That ties it all together so nicely.  Very attractive feathers on his back and side - beautiful colors.  Nice movement in the water.  Excellent work!

Joyce Lydia wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 3:33 PM

Cindy your duck is beautiful so full of colour and the feathers.look real...wow

csebeling wrote

on 10 Oct 2011 3:44 PM

Thank you Sammy and Joyce. Mr. Duck and I both enjoyed the rainy day. Now I have laundry and housework. 

holland2 wrote

on 12 Oct 2011 6:26 AM

Cindy - Great duck!  It's so big - WOW!  I agree with Sammy about the good repeat of colors in the water and feathers - LOVE IT!

I think we have had the same rain you were having and that Sammy had over the weekend - I'm ready for it to GO AWAY!

I've done a little more on my duck but I'm losing the tooth on the paper now - - it's getting muddy - - don't know if I want to go so far as to start scraping off colors - maybe, but not today.

csebeling wrote

on 12 Oct 2011 1:04 PM

I do believe I made a mess of this! Save the white!

holland2 wrote

on 13 Oct 2011 4:41 AM

Cindy - I agree with Jen - lots of energy and color with this one!  I really like it - even without the "reserved white"!  (I have a really HARD time with "reserving the white" - - it's sort of backward thinking and planning to me.)  Love your crop leaving off the table and base - love your composition, too.

I broke down and ordered the Caran d'Asche water soluable crayons Sammy recommended - can't wait for them to come to play!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 13 Oct 2011 6:08 AM

Cindy, I also like how you selected the bouquet and not the surrounding details.  I like how you zeroed in on he flowers.  I wonder about the strong black lines.  Are they pastels or another medium?  Is that your drawing or did you add those lines after applying color?

csebeling wrote

on 13 Oct 2011 9:08 AM

Thanks for the kind words on the flowers. After I made a loose drawing in pencil, I wet the postcard and put in some spots of color where I thought the blues and yellows and greens would go. Impatiently...I waited. I put in pastels for the red and blue flowers and drew some lines with the fountain pen my hubs made for me. And then I said "blah, where did the white go?" so I signed it, scanned it and threw it in the drawer. 

sandichot wrote

on 13 Oct 2011 6:35 PM

Hi all! I stopped for awhile to deal with deadlines and family affairs and I came back to have five pages to go through. Wow! you guys are really producing beautiful artworks. Each and everyone of you is earning my admiration.

Joyce- Love your Autumn leaves. I can't believe my eyes when I saw them. The leaves looks so real and they have shadows, dark and light in the right place and have beautiful coloring! Wow! You have come so far and now you are a real artist!

Cindy- You are so industrious. I love all three of your artworks. The three dears are beautiful. Colors are great. Love how you paint the ears. You manage to have them look different. The red angel is cleverly done with simple tools and is an eye stopper!  Your duck is very lovely. Colors are good. Love the beautiful feathers and the ripples in the water.Your pen and ink with pastels of the flowers are truly artistic.Put it on the wall not in the drawer.

Max- Welcome to the site. Please introduce yourself and show us your artwork. We can't wait to see it.

Jen- Your "Spooky things" sketch is not so spooky because she is smiling. Maybe she is really scary. Who knows.

Yusuf- Welcome to the group. Your duck is excellent. Love the shiny beak,eyes, and the fluffy feathers.

Holly- Your duck is beautiful too. Colors are great. I like the green water ripples. The flowers look real nice with the yellow green BG. They look finished to me.

Susan- Your flowers have beautiful vivid colors. You have mastered the watercolor so well.

Fred- I see Bennie and Ruthie are in for the Halloween treat but it gets scary at the house. I hope they are smart enough not to go in.

I hope I didn't miss anyone, if I did I am sorry. I will have to do the second round check soon.

Here is my rendition on the Fall Season theme. Not a great picture as I was trying the new "Interactive" acrylic set that I have just received. I found that I have mixed feeling about its usage. It does blend well when you are doing wet-in-wet but it dries flat. The finished piece looks very flat and dry (as in not evoke interest). No matter how much I dabbled on the paint it still doesn't look textured and dimensional. Regular acrylic is better in making textures. I'd rather use either the regular or watercolor than this new thing. I don't know whether I would change my mind if I continue to play with it more.

Anyhow, this is Interactive acrylic on coated 140 lbs. watercolor paper.

Titled  "Fall's in the Air"

Size 11"X15"

(There is a deer in it)

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 14 Oct 2011 4:06 AM

Sandi, I found the deer!   Nice, brilliant colors and pretty colors in the water.  The distant mountains look really good and as they progressively get less distinct, they give the feeling of distance and depth.  This is an interesting fall scene.

I understand your discontent with the interactive acrylics.  I'm not so sure that I like them either.  I tried them with batik and as I layered colors, they just muddied each other.