Continuing with my woodland animal theme, I finished my Fox.
For my next painting, I have two photos I really like a squirrel or a stag. The stag is within a landscape, & the squirrel is standing on a fence post. Both involve painting the whole body, so a different challenge, that will push me forwards, as I regain my practice.
Any suggestions dear readers stag or squirrel.
I have a new paint box, & I thought it was time to test it out properly. I really enjoyed painting over the last couple of days, although I’ve realised a finer brush would be nice for adding details such as whiskers.
Digging around in my craft room/ studio I found a new box of pearl watercolours. Another one of those things I brought while I was teaching & then put away when time run out.
We went for a lovely walk round our local nature reserve, we passed many teasels. We also had a beautiful sunset yesterday too. I was inspired to paint this
Continuing with the water colour practice
Here’s my version of sunrise over Lindesfarne in watercolour. This morning I painted along to Mathew Palmer’s free live workshop from the society for all artists, from the comfort of my own home. Great instructions, easy to follow. Not a bad painting for a couple of hours. They have other previous workshops so I might be tempted to try another.
Happy New Year Everyone 🎉
This holiday I attempted another water colour. It became a practice piece in the end, I brought a new bottle of masking fluid ( different make), well I will not be using that one again, it removed the top layer from the paper. Making it act like blotting paper.
I like the poppies, I will try this technique again ( when I get time)
Firstly the last sketch from holiday , Flam, Norway
I still have one more sketch to go from holiday, but it’s not particularly holiday related.
It’s been a little hectic here, we had friends over yesterday & back to school today. I’m all peopled out tonight & the kids haven’t started yet. It’s all new courses I have a textbook, because I brought one for my self (I wouldn’t cope otherwise), but nothing else has arrived. Typically Biology has some stuff.
More interestingly all the butterflies have ‘hatched’, I managed to spot one just after it emerged. 
You can see it hanging from the brown paper, it’s wings still unfolding. 
And a little more 
The others seem to gather around to watch? They very lightly quiver their wings, I’m not sure if it would help dry the wings or not?
And finally the pretty front side of the painted lady.
At the moment they are living quite happily in their butterfly cage, feeding on fresh flowers from the garden, fruit & honey solution.
Yesterday I tried my hand at painting flowers, I have aquired several lovely books on painting flowers. It has given me the chance to buy more paint -yea & I’ be tried my new lift out brushes, I brought some lift out medium to paint on first, but in my haste I forgot to use it! I remembered while trying to lift out the paint.
Trying out those new paints (& some old ones)
I’ve been attempting to be gluten free , it’s been about 3 weeks now, picking my way through what I can eat or not. I am feeling much better for it. Getting the hang of gluten free cooking had been a little hit & miss. Kate from our SAL group helped me out with some recipes to try. Here’s the first result.
One rather yummy coffee cake! I made one change to Kate’s recipe & added chocolate butter icing instead of coffee.
Thanks so much Kate, it was lovely to have real cake.
This painting has been hanging around on my drawing board for a while, waiting for me to do the boats. It’s my first effort at them , although the third one from the top looks like it’s sinking, now I look at it in the photo. Oh well! Perhaps some flowers next as its getting summer like.
LucyAnn &Luna craft 