Monday, February 25, 2008


Day #5 -- "White Duck" -- oil on canvas -- 30x40" -- Margie Guyot
A typical overcast day here in NW Michigan. I was glad I'd had a sunny day on Sunday to nail in some of the shadow forms after my houseguests left. Spring must be on its way -- I saw a small bug on the mailbox this afternoon. The knee-deep snow is beginning to melt. I did mostly nit-picking on this painting today, using a small brush to paint in some of the details on the white doily and the floral details in the black & white backdrop fabric. Played around with the fishing bobbers, too. Everybody complains they can't draw a straight line. Well, I can't either! And circles are tough! I sorta-kinda got them in and will have to correct them when the paint gets a little more dry. I really am enjoying painting those bobbers. Not because of the shape, but because of the marvelous colors and the shading and highlights. And that bright neon-yellow in the one bobber is a trip! I dug out a tube of cadmium yellow lemon and some other exotic greenish yellow color to try to get something close. That yellow scarf is quite the booger, too! I've painted it once before (see "Froggy Serenade"). It's quite a challenge, but the colors are fun in a still life, so I'll probably use it again. Kind of like keeping on painting the same thing, hoping to finally "nail" it. Either I'll eventually nail it or give up (for a while). Think of Monet and his haystacks.

I may have to skip painting tomorrow to allow some of the wet, gooey paint to dry so I can paint in more of the floral design in the backdrop. I need to work on my income taxes anyway, so that's my excuse!