Roly movie on YouTube!

Want to see more of my gorgeous Roly? (It's short for Roland, which sounds like a movie stars name to me!)
You might remember a couple of months back I got my first laptop and my first Mac all in one sexy piece - MacBook Pro. I've had a dabble with iMovie and what other subject could I choose? Here is Roly's first stab at international stardom.
If it hasn't already loaded, just wait a moment and it will appear in the space below. It's worth the wait. No, really, it is!

Barking at Shadows

Really that is just an attempt at a 'catchy' title. There is no actual barking or shadows in this post. Instead I've gone back into my own archives to get some dog portraits I did a couple of years ago. Of course there is the stunningly handsome "Roly" up first. He is my number one dog!

I really like this next one. Of course his name is "Buster". What else could it be?
At the time I was experimenting with using a standard size square canvas and using multiples of that for the various size paintings.

Up next is "Brandy". At the time I painted this, Brandy was a pup who had transformed his owners lives. He really does have that little Hitler mustache, but I purposefully included the devil horns in the shadow of his head. A little artistic license.

And here is "Freddy". I've never met a more gentle and affectionate dog. He lived across the road until recently when he passed on. He was a Briard. And very gorgeous with it.

And this handsome man is "Sandy". I had painted his master and when I was looking for subjects I had a stab at Sandy. He just doesn't sit still for a second. He is also a really interesting colour. Yes he is sandy, but the tips of each hair/fur is charcoal.
I really do hope I'll have something new to add here soon, but I just don't know if I will. I took a break, yes. But I had no idea it would extend itself. I am now starting to realise I was pretty burnt out. I do feel myself improving and I am enjoying myself, but not in a drawing or painting way. Would you like to see some photos of the fabulous food I'm cooking, the shirt I'm sewing or maybe a board game shot? Because that does seem to be all I'm doing at the moment.

Inside

This is a drawing I did earlier this year. It is of my daughter's bedroom. It's ink done with big brushes on a large sheet of paper (A1). I'm posting this because I'm working slowly at the moment and don't have anything finished yet to show.

I've had a lovely few weeks with separate visits from my two daughters. We've had a lovely time including playing a lot of board games. We are big on board games here and have recently begun playing Carcassonne. Lots of fun.

For Janey (You can look too if you like)

In my break away from blogging and art I made my first patchwork quilt. I have had the fabric for ages and the project was firmly in my "one day" basket. But a visit from my daughter who loves to sew and wanted to show me how to make a quilt, meant that I actually have made a quilt!


I'm actually a little disappointed in the intensity of the colours now it's all together - I thought they would look brighter. They are actually more subdued than shows in these photos. They aren't dull! But they don't 'pop'. As a result I've discovered I prefer the look of the quilt folded. (I've always secretly loved folded quilts and I've found out I'm not alone!) So you only get to see it that way. Also it's a little to big to photograph easily as it is a generous single bed size. And you get to see it here thanks to Janey who asked so nicely!

On the art front, I have started painting again (phew!) but nothing to show just yet.