The Robe Series - Painting 3

The Robe Series - Painting 3
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph

Third portrait in the silk kimono. This one was painted for my friend Matt, special for his birthday. The picture is from my iPhone because wouldn't you know it, I forgot to take a picture before giving it to him.

The Robe Series - Second Painting

Second Robe Painting
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph

This is the second in the series based on a kimono style robe I picked up in Memphis.

Reference Picture

The sketch

A close up

The Robe Series Part III

Finished Robe painting
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph

The first in this series is finished as of Feb 15th! I'm a bit late actually updating this blog. Whoops.

Still in progress

The Robe Series Part II

Here are some new pictures showing the progress of my first robe painting. 

First part of head

Beginning of hair added

Hair added

Close up with hair and earrings added

Necklace and tattoo added

First layer of robe

Robe added

The set up

The Robe Series Part 1

I'm trying something new this time. I moved my easel into the front room; I get such great light in there. I bought a kimono style robe in Memphis years ago and and finally getting around to painting it. I bought the darn thing thinking I would paint a series using it, and finally I am.  This is the first in the series - I think there will probably be 5 or so more. I didn't mean for these to be self-portraits, but then I *needed* to paint something. I needed to paint these now, rather than wait until I could get someone else to pose, so here I am.  

I am also trying to blog the progress of the painting rather than one big post at the end.  We'll see how it goes.

The set up in the front room

The sketch

The background is on

The background

Close up

Christmas Gifts for my Team: Nursery Rhyme CD Covers

CD Covers for the Dallas Crew
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph


CD Covers for the San Diego Team
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph

I had the idea to make mix CDs for my work crew, including a series for individualized CD covers. I based the series on a book of nursery rhymes by Nicola Bayley that I have had since I was maybe 5 or 6. One thing I learned pretty quickly was that painting on the dining room table is not the best way to keep your back and neck from hurting. Also I learned that lack of sleep, caffeine, and pure OCD behavior help you get things done pretty quickly, because of course I procrastinated.

The Owl & The Pussycat
Originally uploaded by veggiesteph

This one above is my favorite: my favorite rhyme and stars two of my favorite characters. I constantly sketch my little yellow Owl and my Siamese cat Bucky, who I lost this past year to FID.

I painted them all on thick drawing paper using acrylics. The nursery rhymes I used were:

• Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
• Little Bo Beep
• I Met a Man Going to St. Ives
• Humpty Dumpty
• The Queen of Hearts
• Hickory, Dickory Dock
• 3 Blind Mice
• 4 and 20 Blackbirds baked in a pie
• Hey Diddle, Diddle
• 5 Little Pigs
• Little Miss Muffet
• The Owl & The Pussycat

You can see the entire set of pictures on my Flickr page, in a set called Nursery Rhyme CD Covers.

The Setup

The Owl & The Pussycat sketch

Page of Sketches

Hey Diddle, Diddle Cover

St. Ives Sketch and Start

St. Ives Closeup

I'm still painting

I'm working on a new series of small paintings...but I can't say more. You see, it's top secret. Hush Hush. But I am excited, and I already have an idea for the next big painting...finally the creative urge is back.