A Pugs Life

"A Pugs Life" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Available Here

In an effort to get my groove back I've been working on this painting the past couple days. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I was however, disappointed with the way that it scanned. This particular piece looks so much better in person. The overall softness has not been captured in this photo.

This painting is 5 by 7, and the painting surface is Ampersand Pastelbord. I used all pastel pencils for this piece.

I'm thinking about a landscape for my next painting.

Have a great weekend!

Contentment

"Contentment" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

I took a little break from quilting to paint yesterday. I finished up this little painting today. My final painting of 2011! I've never painted a pug before and it was fun. He's just so cute. It's also been about a month or so since I last painted and I felt very rusty. One of my goals for the new year is to better balance quilting and painting. Improving my painting skills is very important to me and I need to make it a bigger priority.

This painting will be available at the Stillwater Art Guild Gallery this next week.

I hope you have a wonderful New Year! Thanks for all your kind words of support and encouragement this year!

Item of the Week & New Years Sale

"Pears" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

"Pears" is this week's item-of-the-week on Etsy. It's on sale for $45 with free shipping. So many people have shown interest in this little painting, I would like to find it a good home. :)

I'm also have a New Years sale on Etsy. Free shipping on all items until Sunday at midnight. To receive the discount use coupon code "newyear" at checkout! Please keep in mind that you must use the coupon code to receive the discount, it will not happen automatically.

Hope you all had a great Christmas! I can't believe it's over already!

Frank

"Frank" 8 by 10, Custom Pet Portrait in Pastel

I've been working on this custom pet portrait for the past couple days and he's finished! I felt a bit rusty because I haven't painted in pastel in a couple months, but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out.

I've been very busy with quilting things and still working on that huge addition to my business! I'll blog about that soon.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!

Thomas Kinkade Reproduction in Pastel

Thomas Kinkade Reproduction, 9 by 12, Pastel

Been wondering what the "challenging painting" I've been working on was? Well, here it is. I attempted the unthinkable, recreating a Thomas Kinkade in pastel. Thomas Kinkade is one of my very favorite artists. I have his calendar hanging in my kitchen and I kept admiring this particular painting. Then I got the crazy idea to give it a try in pastel. Obviously I wasn't able to do it justice, but I think it turned out fairly decently.

My intentions were to see if a Thomas Kinkade type of style was achievable in pastel. I have to say I think it would be a lot easier in oil, but with some practice and developed techniques I think it just might be possible with pastel.

This piece was so much fun, I just love all that detail. I was disappointed when I went to photograph the painting because the colors appeared so dull. I tried to fix it in photoshop and it helped a bit. The colors are so much prettier in person.

I hope you are having a great week!

Item of the Week & Special Offer

"In The Garden" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Available Here

I brought this kitty back from the gallery this weekend and he's now available in my Etsy shop. As this week's item-of-the-week this painting is being offered at a discount price of $45 with free shipping.

I have a few collectors of my original cat paintings, and at $45-$55 they're very reasonably priced. I have a few other original kitties available on my website too.

I'm also having a cigar box sale. If you purchase any box you will receive a reduced price box for free. Also, if you "like" my art page on Facebook I will send you a free hand painted cigar box with any purchase. These offers are supposed to end this Sunday, but I may extend it.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

A New England Lighthouse

"A New England Lighthouse" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Available Here

I have to begin this post by thanking Sharon at A New England Life for allowing me to use her beautiful photograph as a reference for this painting. Thanks Sharon!

I decided to try a little something different today. I'd been admiring this photo for a long time but was too scared to even try it. For some reason I feel like I cannot paint foliage very well, but I haven't really tried. So, I decided to give it a shot today and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I was disappointed with the scan of the painting because it seemed to take something away from it. I think it looks much better in person and I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

As always, this painting was completed with artist quality pastel pencils on pastelbord. The detail of the lighthouse was so much fun. I think I'm going to have to try more paintings like this.

Have a great afternoon!

Goliath - Commissioned Pet Portrait

"Goliath" - Commissioned Pet Portrait, 8 by 10

I've been working the past few days on this pet portrait. A customer requested this painting as a gift for her sister. I was a bit nervous before starting it because the right side of the dog (in the reference photo) was mostly in shadow. It didn't look bad in the photo, I just wasn't sure I was going to be able to render it the way I wanted to with paint. But, I am very pleased with the way that it turned out. The scan isn't perfect, but the original looks great.

If you're interested in a custom pet portrait, just check out my Etsy page. I offer 3 different sizes and I think the prices are very reasonable.

Off to plan my next painting! :)

Among Lily Pads

"Among Lily Pads" 8 by 10, Pastel Painting

Available Here

SOLD

It's finished! Like I mentioned in my previous post, I felt a bit rusty with this painting considering it has been a couple months since I used my pastels. But it's amazing how quickly it comes back. I also think it's good to take a break once in a while. I've come back from this time off with renewed creativity and fresh ideas.

This painting was completed on pastelbord and I used all CarbOthello pastel pencils. For now this painting is for sale on Etsy, but I might end up taking it to the gallery in a few weeks.

Have a lovely afternoon! :)

Water Lily - Work In Progress

I'm working on a new pastel painting. The main subject is a water lily, but I haven't settled on a name yet. It's been months since I've painted in pastel and I'll admit, I'm a bit rusty! But after painting for a couple hours I started to settle back into my groove. I'm pleased with the way it's progressing.

So far I've only used pastel pencils and the surface is pastelbord. It's an 8 by 10, which is a bit bigger than I would normally work. I've only had a handful of pieces as big as 8 by 10 and my Grandma just purchased 2 of them. I need to start working a bit bigger, so this is a start.

I hope to have this finished in the next couple of days. :)

New Paintings For Sale

Well okay maybe they're not "new" but I did just list them for sale on Etsy. I did these paintings last year and I liked them so much that I decided to keep them for myself. They were in my studio until I brought in some new art, and I decided that I'm ready to let them go. I've sold 6 paintings in the last 6 days and it's like watching my children leave. I become so attached to my work.

"When Life Gives You Lemons" 5 by 7, Pastel "Fruit Tea" 5 by 7, Pastel

Just click on the paintings and it will bring you to the listing on Etsy. They're $55 each with free shipping.

I hope you're experiencing Spring-like weather wherever you are! We hit 62 degrees today and I had my yoga practice outside. :)

A Visitor

"A Visitor" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Another little kitty today. Actually it's the same cat as in my last painting. Once again, thank you to Nancy Rose for allowing me to use your great photo for this painting. This one was a lot of fun. It was nice to spend an equal amount of time on the background as on the cat.

I haven't listed this painting on Etsy yet, but I plan on doing so within the next week or so. I have some collectors of my little cat paintings and I'm waiting to list a few of them at the same time.

Also, if you're interested in a custom pet portrait, I am taking orders. I was thinking of what a great Mother's Day or Father's Day gift that would make! For more information on custom pet portraits, click here. I also have listings available for different sizes in my Etsy shop.

Have a wonderful day!

Closeup

"Closeup" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

"Closeup" is my latest pastel painting. It's been about 2 weeks since my last one and I felt a little rusty, but it felt great to be painting again. I finally completed my final projects and finals for school and I'm on a short break. What a relief to not have to think about school for a couple weeks! :)

"Closeup" is based on a reference photo by Nancy Rose. The painting was completed with pastel pencils on pastelbord. I'm not going to list it for sale just yet. But if you're interested, keep checking my Etsy page to see if I've listed it for sale.

I hope you have a nice afternoon!

New Website

"Blue Bells" 12 by 16, Watercolor Painting

Private Collection

I finally got my website set up! I have been working on it for a couple days and I'm quite happy with the way that it has turned out. There are a few things that I'd still like to add, but it's pretty much done. If you'd like to see a portfolio of my work I suggest you check out my website. My website address is: http://www.angelabishopart.com

Thanks!

Peppers

"Peppers" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Available Here

I'm back to pastel today. This lovely woman on Flickr, Nancy Rose, has given me permission to use her photographs as references for my paintings, and this one called out to me. I was attracted to the bold colors and soft curves of the peppers.

This painting was done on pastelbord with pastel pencils. The colors are more fresh and bold in person, than they appear in the photo.

Don't forget about the "Painting a Day" event that Laura Trevey is hosting on her blog this month. Here is the link.

Custom Pet Portraits

I'm officially offering custom pet portraits. I so enjoy painting animals and would be happy to create a lasting memory of your beloved pet.

The portrait will be done from your photograph(s). So you will need to find your favorite photo or take one that captures your pets personality and character. Photos are very important to this process. The quality of the portrait depends on the quality of the photo. Here are a few tips for capturing a good image of your pet:

- Take the photo at the eye level of your pet. Don't take it from above or below.

-Light is important. Try taking the photo with your pet near a window with light coming in, if indoors, or outdoors. Natural light is best.

- Don't take the photo too close.

- Take a bunch of photos so you will have several to choose from.

After you have chosen the photographs you can email them to me or send them by mail (they will be returned to you) along with any requirements that you have.

Your pet portrait will be painted in pastel on acid free and archival paper or board with the finest quality pastels. Pastels on archival surfaces will hold their color for centuries without fading, cracking, or yellowing as other mediums do.

To purchase you can either view my Etsy shop, or contact me via email (angela292@hotmail.com).

Prices:

5 by 7 Pet Portrait - $75 + shipping

8 by 10 Pet Portrait - $100 + shipping

11 by 14 Pet Portrait - $125 + shipping

If you're interested a different size than listed above, contact me for a quote.

Please note that these prices are for one pet. If you wish to have multiple pets in one painting there will be an additional charge.

I will ask for 2-3 weeks to complete your painting.

Also note that framing isn't included, but available at an additional cost if you're interested.

You are certainly not obligated to purchase the final painting if you are unhappy with it.

Payment is due when the painting is complete. I may ask for a nonrefundable deposit before I begin.

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

Maverick

"Maverick" 11 by 14, Pastel Painting Commission

SOLD

My first pet portrait commission is complete! Maverick was just a joy to paint. I was a little nervous about this because the customer wanted an 11 by 14 and the largest I've ever painted a pet portrait is a 5 by 7. But it turned out not to be a big deal, and I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

Maverick was completed on pastelbord and with mostly Mount Vision pastels and a few pastel pencils.

If you're interested in a pet portrait of our own, just let me know. I will be working on some pet portrait commission listings to add to my Etsy shop also.

Have a nice afternoon!

Maverick Update 1

This is Maverick. He's the sweetie that I've been commissioned to paint. The customer requested progress photos so I thought I would also share them with you.

This is the original photograph. I decided to keep the background because I like the sunlight.
This isn't the greatest photo, but you get the idea. I started the background today and I probably won't do too much more to it. A lot of it will be covered with his wispy hairs off his face. I feel so terrible for Maverick and his owners because he has a brain tumor and suffers from seizures (and he's 14 years old). As a "mom" of two puppies of my own, this just breaks my heart. But I am happy that I can create this lasting memory for his owners.

Pears On Deck - WIP

I don't generally post works in progress, but I thought I would today. The picture isn't that great, but you get the idea. I'm working on my first "painting of the month." It was a goal of mine this year to begin doing a painting of month, which is just a larger more detailed piece. This painting is only an 8 by 10, which isn't too large, but I'm low on large pastelbords.

I'm quite happy with the way this painting is progressing so far. I couldn't wait to get to the pears. I used masking fluid around the edges so that I wouldn't completely lose the lines when I did the background. Removing the masking fluid was a nightmare.

I'm going to continue working on this today, but wanted to show you what I have so far.

I hope you have a great weekend!

January Snow

"January Snow" 5 by 7, Pastel Painting

Available Here

Here's my first painting of the year! I decided to start the month with a painting for the Artists Helping Artists monthly challenge. One of my goals for this year is to participate in monthly painting challenges. Next I will be working on one for the Contemporary Fine Art International website.

My uncle was very kind in letting me use his photograph to paint from. He is an award winning photographer and you can view his work here.

Happy New Year!