Pam's Painting Diary

Blackie, One Week Later

2009-07-03T10:46:00.002-04:00

Blackie has made significant leaps in learning and flight over the last week. Gone is the baby attitude. He is learning to fly and his tail feathers are longer. He still needs food to be shoveled in his beak but I am training him to take food off the ground.

In the latest video, you will see he spends his time in the tree tops at the level of the other crows. The other crows aren't happy with him but they will have to sort that out themselves. Blackie flies down from the tallest tree to a smaller tree beside me, then dives down to me to eat. I had to stop the video to grab the food. Immediate reinforcement (food) of good behaviour is the way I'm training him.

Pam

Ticketmaster Video Blog

2009-07-01T20:27:00.001-04:00

I decided to make a video blog while I worked on Ticketmaster, the sketch of Puss N'Boots from Rainbow Stables, here in Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

Watch for more art video blogs.

Pam

It's My Birthday :)

2009-06-27T12:09:00.003-04:00

It's my birthday and my present to myself is a day of rest and relaxation. Mind you, I still had to get up at 6:30 a.m. to give Blackie the baby crow his first feeding of the day and then feed him every hour until 7 p.m. But he is so cute I don't mind. I don't like the necessity of wearing dark clothes and gloves in 30 degree Celcius weather though! I have to look like a crow (a GIANT crow) for him to eat. He is starting to fly and very interested in the rest of his family that fly past. He has also learned to reluctantly fly down to me at feeding time but during the heat of the day he likes a shady tree stump on the edge of the property line.

Pam

Update on Blackie

2009-06-22T10:55:00.003-04:00

June 22nd: Blackie is getting stronger every time I feed him (or her). That is every hour from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. If I don't go out on the hour I hear him calling me to go and bring the food.

Here is a video of Blackie after a snack. He is nice and quiet after eating, not the screaming banshee he is when he is hungry. I came home yesterday to find him on my deck railing screaming at the sliding glass door. Even at this young age he knows where the food comes from but once fed wants nothing to do with me. That is how it should be. Once he can fly he can follow his parents.

June 24th: I spent all day, yesterday, chasing Blackie through willow brush swamp, half scaling dead trees and scooping him out of high branches with a butterfly net. He was testing his wings to hop/fly higher and higher. Thank goodness he is quietly sitting on a dead stump today and I am teaching him to come to me at feeding times. This will take awhile since he only walks a few feet closer. I am using food as incentive. I hope that he will be able to come down out of a tree for food soon. The parents get highly upset when they see him in a butterfly net!

Pam

Meet Blackie

2009-06-20T20:39:00.003-04:00

I want you to meet Blackie, my newest going concern and one of the reasons I love living near the bush.

Blackie is a newly fledged American Crow from the family that I consider my year round pets. The babies always migrate south but the parents stay all winter in my backyard.

Blackie and his sibling fledged 2 weeks later than the other babies. This left them walking alone on the ground while the parents chased after the 2 flying babies. They basically gave up trying to feed the late arrivals. Unfortunately, one of the babies died and Blackie dove into the dirty creek desperate to get a drink. I had to fish him out with a butterfly net.

Now, crows were never meant to be pets, and the parents are still here waiting for him to fly, but it is up to me to stuff him with food every hour until his tail feathers are long enough for flight. He runs around trying to get up a tree (here he is sitting on an old post to get closer to the branches) but his wings aren't strong enough yet. He comes looking for me to get fed now, but sometimes I have to look for him in the bushes.

Blackie still has his blue eyes and bright red inner mouth. I'll be glad when he can eat off the ground like the other crows and follow the parents.

Pam

Ticketmaster

2009-06-16T13:49:00.002-04:00

Here is a colour pencil sketch of Puss 'N Boots from Rainbow Stables in Timmins. I will name it "Ticketmaster". This cat welcomes everyone that visits the stables and demands attention. :)

Step 1:

I visited the stables this morning and almost finished a plein air painting. I will have to finish it in studio and I'll call it "The Arrival of Summer". The head is in a strange position so I will have to change it to make it pleasing to the eye.

Pam

Vacation pics and finished work.

2009-06-14T18:20:00.005-04:00

I returned from a photo reference vacation and have a few good shots to use as art references. The weather was cold and blustery, not great for doing art outside but I enjoyed myself otherwise. :)

I saw Bob Izumi at the Mattagami First Nation fishing derby and took a short ride fishing myself, but no bites. TOO COLD!

And I just finished the watercolour painting "Diamond Drill Rig". It's 5 x 8" mounted on board.

Pam

First video blog.

2009-05-30T17:41:00.003-04:00

I made my first video blog today showing how I am working on "Dixie's Pup".

The puppy, now full grown is named Jasmine. So here is the video of Jasmine's colour pencil painting.

Step-by-step video of Jasmine:

Pam

Finishing Dixie's Pup

2009-05-24T12:20:00.005-04:00

I have been enjoying my morning working on Dixie's Pup. I should have it done by late tonight.

Step 2:Step 3: Almost done. ;)

My stray dog problem turned into 2 dogs on Thursday at noon. They showed up on my doorstep and stayed! Friday morning my neighbour had to drive them to the Animal Hospital because they wouldn't leave, or didn't know their way home.

They were nice dogs and I got a few pictures of them for art references.

Pam

SNOW is a four leltter word in May!

2009-05-19T08:47:00.003-04:00

It won't stop snowing!! It's May 19th for crying out loud and it's only going to be 4 deg.C. for a high today. Of course, like a typical Timmins forecast, the weather network is calling for a high of 26 degrees tomorrow. Only in Canada, sigh...

I also have a stray dog to worry about. It's been mooching off the neighbours and they all thought he (or she) belonged to someone else. It's coming every night to get fed now, so I hope to get it used to me enough to let me drive it to the Humane Society. It has all the signs of being abused, it will only let me touch it's head and runs if you make any loud noises. Time will tell, I'm very patient when it comes to stray animals. They always show up on my doorstep and decide to stay.

I get a short shopping trip this morning before getting back to my artwork, deadlines are looming. :)

Watch for updates.

Pam

Diamond Drill Rig

2009-05-09T22:52:00.004-04:00

I'm just finishing up my "Diamond Drill Rig" watercolour painting. It's small, just 5 x 8" and I attached it to a board so that I can varnish it when it's done.

Step 2: "Diamond Drill Rig"

After scanning the image, I can see that the shed needs to be lighter. It takes over the whole painting. :( It's just a quick painting as practice using watercolours for plein air sketching.

Pam

What's next?

2009-05-07T11:34:00.005-04:00

Well, HELL WEEK is over. WHEW!

The first week of May is always my Hell Week and I got through it, barely. Now it's on to completing some deadlines in painting. :)

I get to attend a workshop in Watercolour painting tonight, given by my sister (Ellen Catherwood). You should visit her website because she is an AMAZING artist! http://www.ellenspalette.com

I'm disaster at watercolours but I like to use them for sketching. I just don't think like a watercolourist. ;)

So what is next? I have to think.....hmm... the next painting to do is a curling theme, and I have a couple of paintings 3/4 finished on my easel that have to be done. Then I need a new owl photo to use for the Owl Foundation's September fundraising and I have to finish my cougar painting for the Ontario Puma Foundation fundraiser.

I have 2 polar bear paintings to create and (I almost forgot) a ballet themed painting. I can't wait to start that one but I have to decide on the design, which is the hardest part. I think I spend more time before I put a brush to canvas than on the actual painting. You can't get a great painting without great design.

And the best thing about this week is....SPRING has ARRIVED in Timmins! It snowed for 2 days on the weekend and then it was 20 deg.C. the next day. That's the way it works up here. Snow boots one day and lounging on the deck the next. I am really enjoying the weather.

So watch for updates tomorrow, I have a lot to do.

Update from this evenings watercolour workshop,... Diamond Drill Rig step 1.

Pam

Colour Pencil Workshop

2009-04-26T17:58:00.005-04:00

A busy weekend for me, I took a 2 day course in Colour Pencils. It gave me a chance to do something different and I love the results.

One small picture I finished as a test.

"Marble"
Here is the next picture I started but didn't have time to finish. I'll work on this next weekend.

Stripping Overburden, step 1:

This is another one I started when I couldn't stand looking at the yellow caterpillar any longer. :)

This is Dixie's Pup, step 1: It is done on black pastel paper and I will take my time so I can frame this one.

Pam

2009-04-15T08:02:00.004-04:00

I'm just touching up Tent City before I bring it to the art club to be displayed at the NOVA awards tomorrow night. It is a representation of the early days at the Hollinger mine, in Timmins. The workers had to sleep in prospector tents until enough hotels or homes were built nearby.

I went all out, just asking myself if the painting made me happy as I worked on it. I changed whole sections at a time. I am now "happy" with the finished work although it isn't my usual style. Who knows where I'll go next. :)

Pam

Dancing Solo

2009-04-10T00:38:00.009-04:00

I'm doing a graphite drawing called "Dancing Solo". I'm trying a ballet theme and practicing drawing the pointe shoes and later on the ballet stances.

Step 4:
I'm still adding shadows to the legs and feet, balancing out the darks and lights. I hope to finish this soon. I'm not certain how detailed I want to be in my finished drawings. I am really enjoying it though. :)

Step 3:
I am increasing the darks on the left side of the background with a 4B pencil and buffing (rubbing hard) to get a sheen on the paper. I'm also starting to fill in shadows on the feet and will continue with the leg shadows.
Step 2:
I've rubbed the dark area with cotton swabs and then with a folded tissue to smooth out the lines. I then used the cotton swab (dirty with graphite) to start shading in the slippers. I used a small dry paintbrush and scrubbed the dark area again and then used it to pull a little graphite onto the leg area without leaving pencil marks.

Step 1, Dancing Solo: 5 x 10 on matt board.

This is far from finished. I'm just trying to establish the dark areas with layers of 6B graphite pencil that I will rub to make a uniform background.

Pam

Where is SPRING?

2009-04-07T10:57:00.005-04:00

Someone said it was spring. WHO SAID THAT??

It's still snowing in Northern Ontario (Timmins specifically) and I am really getting fed up with it. I love winter but in the last week I've been aching for a sign that spring is really here. Well, more likely we will jump right into summer without a spring.

Does this look like April 7th to you?

I'm getting depressed. Oh well, I can't let that stop me from painting. I have to finish tent city and my copy a master.

I have a new charcoal study (nude but tasteful) if you look at the March entries. I didn't want to start a new section for charcoal.

Pam

Finishing my Copy a Master

2009-04-05T09:26:00.003-04:00

Well, I have to finish this copy of William Adolphe Bougeruereau's, Gabrielle Cot painting by the end of April. A rush is on to finish it. As I am doing it in acrylics, the effect won't be the same but I am trying to create it in layers as he did.

The next thing to do is correct the eye, nose, mouth, ear and back of neck shapes to match Bougereau's original. Then I can continue with layering the lighter colours of the face, neck and silk dress.

Step 4:

Pam

The Polar Bear Habitat

2009-04-04T17:29:00.006-04:00

Last Thursday our art club visited the only current Polar Bear rehabilitation center in Ontario, The Polar Bear Habitat. We wanted pictures of the bears in snow and in water but in the summer there is an enclosure where you can swim with them (with a sturdy glass between you and the bears).

What a thrill! I plan to make some polar bear paintings; one for The Polar Bear Habitat, one to hang for awhile at the Timmins Museum. Hopefully, I can return during the summer and visit the Heritage Village that is part of the habitat.

Pam

Tent City

2009-03-30T11:32:00.003-04:00

Almost done, stage 4 of Tent City:

Stage 3 of Tent City:

Here is stage 2 of Tent City:

Here is stage 1 of Tent City, a painting in the Timmins History series. Acrylic on board, 16 x 24".

I need to finish it by the middle of April so keep watching. :)

Pam

Distorted Perspective Exhibition

2009-03-29T10:17:00.003-04:00

You can view, on-line, the last exhibition I took part in. :)

Pam

Charcoal Practice

2009-03-21T23:51:00.004-04:00

I have to teach a charcoal workshop next month so I thought I'd get a start on my practice pieces.

Here is Kneeling Man: It takes many layers of hatching, then smudging, then more hatching to achieve the levels of dark I need. It only about 8 x 8" on 90 lb. watercolour paper.

Here is Phoebe and Pup: The next door neighbour breeds French Bulldogs and they have a litter just a couple of weeks old. This is from a picture when the pups were just hours old. Phoebe had 5 big pups. :)

Watch for more charcoal drawings!

Pam

Photographing at Rainbow Stables

2009-03-14T23:24:00.005-04:00

I was having a bad week with a wrist in a splint, so I went to photograph at Rainbow Stables, in Timmins. I took 100 photos and then my camera battery froze. It was a windy, cold day but I really enjoyed myself. I hope to return often for a variety of seasons.

They house horses for the Therapeutic Riding Association

as well as miniature horses,

a miniature donkey (with a smiley face)

and some goats.

This is Puss and Boots at the ticket gate with the last angora goat named Stormy. :)

Pam

Snow Day

2009-03-07T21:52:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday our local art club visited Kamiscotia Ski Resort, the local ski hill in Timmins, for a sketching outing.

I started this sketch on paper at the hill and took photo references for the skiiers to add when the landscape is finished. I attached the sketch to a board to continue on. I had to erase the tower because the lines were too fat so I'll add them next and finish the snow and trees.

Snow Day step 1:

It is already becoming a mixed media with graphite, coloured pencil, acrylics and acrylic gel washes. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the watercolour pencils. :)

Pam

The Landing

2009-03-01T11:19:00.003-05:00

Here is a small mining exploration painting, mixed media 5 x 7", that has been hanging around waiting to be finished.

I started with acrylic, and now I'm trying coloured pencils on top, may have to add acrylic washes at some point.

I'll put all the finishing steps on this page before adding the final version to my website.

Step 4:
Pam

Jingle Bells

2009-02-24T18:42:00.004-05:00

I have a thing for jingle bells. I have bags of them big and small that are so heavy I never know where to hang them at xmas. I'm also a lazy artist. I wanted something I could work on with my feet up today. (blushing)

I found this picture I started in watercolour and then put to the side because it wasn't working out. I grabbed my coloured pencils and sat down to work on it and I'm pleased with how it's going. :)

Step 3: Going darker on the ribbon and metal before adding highlights.

I forgot to take a picture of step 1 so I'll start the post with step 2.

My only problem is I'll have to dig out the jingle bells from the xmas decorations to finish this because I don't have the reference photo.

Pam