My Magnolias

I am putting these up to show Sketchup-ketchup, who has probably seen them before. I did these gouache paintings a long time ago. I think they may have faded a bit, or perhaps I would just be looking for more vibrant colour now. My painting class had the topic "Objects of desire", so I did these of the same flower, a couple of days apart.

Sad to say, the tree that produced this flower is itself a dying object of former desire... very tall, but very unhealthy. We have such sandy, limestone based soil... not nearly acidic enough to sustain beautiful glossy magnolias. Even in its 'glory' days, the leaves were a bit pale and anaemic.

The paintings are framed behind glass, so there are a few reflections to contend with.

I did love using the gouache technique I learned from teacher Leonie

Hat Lady again

I am putting this up again, after a little more work on it, and having photographed it in natural light, outdoors.Photographing accurately is not easy ! I think I have lightened it a bit too much, or perhaps my photo has just washed it out a bit. I'm actually quite pleased with the painting, and think I am going to stop fiddling now, as I do not seem to be adding anything!

The Hat Seller

Well here she is... the Hat Seller.
This has been nearly finished for ages, and I keep fiddling, not satisfied with the face, the background colour, the light. I suspect it was better earlier, and I cannot 'see' it any more.
I would appreciate comments re anything else I should do!
The photos are rather poor. It is very wet today, so I took them inside. Natural light is a bit dim, and any flash bounces off the oil paint.
One pic is from the side. I continued the image around the edge of the canvas, which I think is quite fun, especially where it shows the pile of hats on the table.

It is 12" by 16"

Painting by Numbers

We have our youngest daughter home from College in the States. For 10 weeks!! She's relaxing and enjoying home before starting the business of job hunting. She and her room mate decided to do one each of those complicated painting by numbers pictures, as a joke; but it's a relaxing mind-in-neutral activity ... both are serious rowers as well as serious students. She had got some way with this, when she announced she had the wrong colour for one of the numbers!! Her relaxed absorption gave me an opportunity to do this pencil drawing of her this morning, and she says it looks quite a bit like her, so that's not so bad, is it?

. I have done something funny to the mouth. Interesting how seeing it on the screen shows up things not noticed before. I think it has a little "Linder" about it?
Anyway.. here goes... "publish post"