I've been painting. A lot.

This portrait painting has been taking up most of all my time these days. It's big. One of the biggest paintings I've ever worked on. Certainly the biggest portrait painting I've ever worked on.

It's a lot of fun. Working in a garage with no insulation in the summer isn't really that fun, but if I get out there early enough I can somewhat beat the heat. The nice thing about the hot weather is that the paint is drying really fast so I'm able to work on it a little more.

I'm actually pretty far along on the second boy. I just haven't gotten a picture of it yet. I think the portraits are going to be the easiest part of this painting. I'm not really looking forward to painting that background... I think it's going to take me some time to get it done, but hopefully I'm really diligent and can get it done in a week or so!

I am really struggling with this painting.

I have been working on it for a couple of months now and I just can't seem to get it right.

this is the picture that I'm working from. It's my friend Amy. I think the shadows are really throwing me off.

This is what I did yesterday and today. Her face is still way too dark but I feel like the sweater and the cat are going along really well. I know I'll get it right. I just have to make my brain not think about it so much. 

It's seeing one thing, but painting something different. 

It's been a very frustrating process, but I know it's teaching me a lot about my work and painting...

I just hope I can get it right soon!

Happy Monday, folks. Hope it was a good one!

Amy is almost done!

Yay! It was actually cool enough today to be able to paint in my garage. I can't believe I'm almost done with this series. It's been over a year since I started it. The longest I've ever worked on a body of work. 

I still want to varnish them and have them framed. I know this guy who has an amazing wood workshop. He makes skateboards and snow boards. I'm getting up the nerve to ask him and I'm really hoping he says yes. 

I'll keep you posted on the progress! I'm excited to be almost done and to be moving onto my next project.

It took me a really long to finish it.

But it's finally done. All I need to do is find someone to frame it for me.

I'm almost done with the Amy painting too. So I guess I should really start thinking about somewhere to show these paintings!

It's Memorial Day. A day to remember the men and women who served and died for our country. I don't believe in war but I do believe in remembering those people who have died fighting. I hope everyone remembers to think of them today while enjoying a nice day off. 

I spent most of the day yesterday working on this painting of my friend, Amy. It's really hot today, so I'm hoping the paint will dry super fast so I can work on it again soon. I hope Amy likes it. It's hard painting your friends without thinking about how they'll react to it. I try not to think about it too much, but it's really hard not to.

Anyway, it's a new week! Summer is right around the corner. Things are good.

Crafty Wonderland is just a couple of months away, so I'm trying to make some new pieces for that as well. Every year people ask me for specific animals, and usually I don't have them. I remember last year a few people asked if I had any raccoons, and I didn't. So this year I'm making some! I might also make a penguin. We'll see!