Tiger in oils

I photographed this beautiful tiger at Taronga Zoo, Sydney a few years ago. I am very happy how it turned out.  Taronga Zoo is lovely place- would like to go back again - I didn't even manage to visit the Australian wildlife sections - spent too long watching the big cats.

Tiger measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

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Robin ACEO in Acrylics

This one has been on my to do list for a while so decided to paint it as an ACEO.  I really enjoy painting birds and they seem suited to the ACEO size so I will have to look through my reference photo's for some more to paint.

Robin measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to ESP for the reference photo.

Squirrel ACEO in Acrylics

I have had a squirrel scene in mind for a while and I eventually found the perfect squirrel reference that I could use.  I enjoyed painting this little scene and it was fun to see it come together from my little sketch to the completed painting. 

Squirrel ACEO measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Nicola B for the squirrel reference photo.

Strawberries in oil

Here is my next fruit painting.  I am very happy how this one turned out.  I always find it a bit tricky when painting a red object as you can't just add white to lighten it - makes it too pink.  I tend to use a combination of yellow and white to lighten red objects and it works really well.  As I type this I can hear thunder so the weather forecast was correct - it is a bit strange to be having a storm in autumn but the weather has been a bit weird all year so why not a storm in autumn. I must go and check the windows as I can hear the rain coming.

Strawberries measures 5 x 5 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

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Many thanks to Tracee Murphy for the strawberry reference photo.

Lemon in oils

I love painting fruit as I love the play of light against dark.   I experimented a bit with the table top colour and in the process found  the perfect colour combination which I think works really well. I really enjoyed painting this one so I am planning on using the remaining  three 5 x 5 inch panels to paint some more fruit paintings.

Lemon measures 5 x 5 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

Bluebell Woods ACEO in Acrylics

I decided to paint a landscape for a change.  I always find it rather amazing how a painting  comes together.  It goes through the "ugly stage" were you think this is not going to work, to were it suddenly takes shape and you wonder why you ever had doubts.  This painting had a few "ugly stages" but I am happy how it turned out in the end.  I will have to look through my reference photo's to see if I can find a few more landscapes that will suite the ACEO size.

Bluebell Woods measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches Smooth Watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Richard Smurthwaite for the reference photo.

Monarch Butterfly ACEO in Acrylics

I love the complementary colours of this one.  It was the perfect one  to paint as an ACEO.  Again I did a wash for the background before painting the butterfly.  To get the light into the wings I actually found a yellow glaze worked rather well. 

Monarch Butterfly ACEO measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches Smooth Watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Pamela Utton for the reference photos.