Where is the year going....?

August already!  Soon the Easter eggs will be in the shops ;0)

Well I've had another crazy month with lots going on.  I got a 'debosser' last week! It stamps an impression into the mount board with my name in a roundel and the works 'original artwork'.  I'm really pleased with it because you can use it on gold foil wafers too.  These are great to use as authentication on limited editions.  I decided that I will start creating some OSWoA (Original Small Works of Art) pieces.  So I'll use this method to authenticate them.  You'll have to watch this space for that though.

So I went up to my studio all set to start on the Siamese....and then I saw Jasper and Molly!

If you follow the Pet Portrait Artist forum, you'll have seen the WIP that I started on there ages ago...Now I don't know about you, but there are times when I just have to finish something before I move on.

Sometimes I even have to do the washing up before I paint! (I know that's a bit extreme and I should seek therapy)

Anyway, since this is a college piece too I thought I'd better finish it, so those lovely Siamese are still in the pile waiting for me to get a move on.

BUT, here's an update on Molly and Jasper...
The brief is to create a piece that has two subjects from different reference material.  I decided to add in the foliage to link the two together.

We have lots of lovely foliage in the garden, so armed with my camera I went in search of soemthing interesting.  I photographed variagated Laurel and Photinia and settled on the laurel because I liked the berries.

It's oddly satisfying creating the laurel because as you put in the outline it looks really flat.  then as you start to add the darks and the shadows it really comes to life.

So, this has become my latest obsession and the Siamese will have to curl up and sleep until another day.