Rainbow Bisque

I was afraid to turn this drawing into a painting - fearing that I lacked the chops to paint the beautiful feathers of this bird. Then I remembered back to a previous painting (that furry, pink monster) and decided to apply the technique I used to paint hair for feathers and wings. The results kind of impressed me. I opted to use a loose wet-into-wet technique for the background elements. I wanted to add a splash of color without distracting from the primary figure. I think it all flows together rather well. The flowers the bird is standing on are actually really interesting and colorful - don't be surprised if they show up by themselves in a future painting.

There's something about these last couple months of the year that really saps my energy. A combination of the cold, the lack of sunlight, and the stress of the holidays really seems to stop me in my tracks. I noticed this during my last year-long project - with the finish line in sight, my productivity slowed to a crawl. It's a strange grey cloud that seems to all-but-disappear after the new year. This is where I start to think about my plans for the next year. What should I be doing? What is the next thing? How do I stay creative and happy in 2015? I have no idea, really. I've really enjoyed watercolor painting, and I don't plan on stopping here. I think I would really like to do some more drawing, too. I can see myself really challenging myself to draw every day - maybe turn one of those drawings into a painting every week. There's a part of me that really wants to try creating a game - a video game or a board game. I have a lot of ideas, and I would be able

I've been known to buy fruits and vegetables just to paint them - pomegranates are among my favorite fruits, so I also planned on eating this one. After being away from painting for so long, I was scared to even sit down for this one. I'm glad I did, though, because this painting re-affirmed what I already knew: watercolor painting is not just a fun thing I do, but an important part of who I am. I have a brand-new tube of ultramarine blue I can't wait to try out. Maybe it will end up in my next painting...