#20 of 21-in-31 "Cowamel"

 

"Cowamel" (pastel, 16x8 inches) is available framed, and will be with me at the Midland Septemberfest Art Festival, Sept 9-11, 2022.

I'm finally on a roll, now that's it's almost the end of the month! That's usually the way these things go. But after #21 I really have to finish those darned donkeys!! (Maybe those can be #22? If I'm lucky..)

I'd had this cute calf partially underpainted for quite a while, so I finished it all up yesterday in front of my phone camera. I really liked the freshness of the terra cotta underpainting part, so I thought I would be able to pastel her quickly... but turns out all those subtle reflected greens and violets in the fur took a lot of attention and a really long time! Much longer than this quick speed video that my son made. 

Enjoy!

 

Day 13 of 30 - Papayo

 

Day 13 of 30 paintings in June - "Papayo" (pastel, 6x6 inches)

This fuzzy Hereford calf was actually the result of one of my early Paint-Alongs way back in November. However, I was never really satisfied with how he came out, and he sat on my shelf for months just waiting for some tweaks.

After about 40 minutes of tweaking I'm much happier, and Papayo is ready to post! (So of course he counts toward my 30-in-30 this month!)

See a "before and after" GIF and some progress pics here!

Papayo will be auctioned for one week only at DailyPaintworks.com.

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And in case you missed this message earlier...
 
The Feedburner team announced that their email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021. As a result, Blogger’s email subscription widget, also known as FollowByEmail, will be turned off. Specifically, the email subscription system will no longer work and subscribers to Google blogs will no longer receive email updates.
 
SO! If you're receiving this post via email, I thank you for your subscription, but you will no longer be getting these delivered to you from my Google Blog after this month.  
 
But don't despair! Here are two ways you can still get my (almost) Daily Paintings in your inbox!
 
#1 - Sign up for my website's New Art Alerts. I basically have been pasting the same info into my website art posts as I do here, so you won't be missing a thing. CLICK HERE to get my New Art Alerts from my website at RitaKirkman.com.
 
#2 - Follow my public Patreon Posts. Sure, Patreon is a subscription-based creative support platform, but you don't have to pay anything for my public posts, and just about all of my new work gets posted on my Patreon page, usually with cool little extras like progress pics or short speed videos! CLICK HERE to go to my Patreon Page and right below the membership levels, next to a button that says "share" is a button that says "follow". It's that easy! (Browse around my other free posts while you're in there..)
 
Thanks so much for liking my work and following my blog. Here's to many more years of following my Website or my Patreon, and to many more years of creating!

Day 11 of 30 - Oreo

 

Day 11 of 30 paintings in June - "Oreo" (pastel, 8x10 inches) 

Otherwise known as Belted Galloways, "Oreo" cows are just the cutest! Especially the long-haired breed. This was a calf in a herd I came across near Fredericksburg Texas.

Bid or buy Oreo here for one week only!

See a quick GIF of the painting progress here!

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And by the way, in case you missed this message earlier, I need to tell you something!
 
The Feedburner team announced that their email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021. As a result, Blogger’s email subscription widget, also known as FollowByEmail, will be turned off. Specifically, the email subscription system will no longer work and subscribers to Google blogs will no longer receive email updates.
 
SO! If you're receiving this post via email, I thank you for your subscription, but you will no longer be getting these delivered to you from my Google Blog after this month.  
 
But don't despair! Here are two ways you can still get my (almost) Daily Paintings in your inbox!
 
#1 - Sign up for my website's New Art Alerts. I basically have been pasting the same info into my website art posts as I do here, so you won't be missing a thing. CLICK HERE to get my New Art Alerts from my website at RitaKirkman.com.
 
#2 - Follow my public Patreon Posts. Sure, Patreon is a subscription-based creative support platform, but you don't have to pay anything for my public posts, and just about all of my new work gets posted on my Patreon page, usually with cool little extras like progress pics or short speed videos! CLICK HERE to go to my Patreon Page and right below the membership levels, next to a button that says "share" is a button that says "follow". It's that easy! (Browse around my other free posts while you're in there..)
 
Thanks so much for liking my work and following my blog. Here's to many more years of following my Website or my Patreon, and to many more years of creating!

Jeffrey (Warm Fuzzy #64)

 

Warm Fuzzy #64 - "Jeffrey" (pastel, 6x6 inches) $285 + shipping

I've finished several new little paintings the last couple days, while my son helped me with framing all of my show pieces. Just seeing how many I can still get done before delivery day Monday. Really getting into the groove after so many consecutive painting days! I need to remember how this feels (amazing!) when I next have a painters block... this is the feeling that drives an artist back to the easel again and again!

Title wise, however, I'm wrung dry, lol, so my son named this one. He was ready to frame it and it still didn't have a title. I asked "what name does this look like?" He looked for a moment and said "Jeffrey." I said "Ok." As a young Geurnsey bull calf, it works.

Jeffrey will be one of several little paintings rounding out my Solo Show at the ARTS for Rural Texas in Fayetteville, March 27 - May 29, 2021. Opening Reception March 27, 5-7pm. Karen will be loading new images into the site for the next several days as I finish new paintings... check this page frequently to see the show online. 

See some progress pics in a slide show here!

 

Bela et Blanche

 

"Bela et Blanche" (pastel, 10x22 inches) $990

I had this one sketched out quite a while ago, but ended up changing the drawing when I decided to switch the two calves' positions from how they were in the original photo. The larger shadow area on the front calf's shoulder looked ever so much better behind the other calf, and set off her face nicely!

I decided to give this pair French names, since they are Charolais, after all.

Enjoy a little slide show of progress pics Here! 

"Bela et Blanche" will be part of my Solo Exhibition, Kindred Spirits, at the ARTS for Rural Texas in Fayetteville, March 27 - May 29, 2021. Opening Reception March 27, 5-7pm. Karen will be loading new images into the site for the next several days as I finish new paintings... check this page frequently to see the show online!

Hay! It's What's For Lunch.

 

"Hay! It's What's For Lunch." (pastel, 36x36 inches) $6200 

I'd been sold out of large paintings for more than a year. I'm so thankful my friend and Director of the ARTS for Rural Texas invited me to have a solo exhibition this spring. With only three months to prepare, it was the exact kick in the butt I needed after the sluggishness of 2020.

This long overdue new Longhorn painting was years in the making! Started as a partial underpainting demo at a Large Project Workshop in Kansas three summers ago, I was finally motivated to finish it.

Watch a quick little still progression video HERE!

This painting will be my centerpiece for my Solo Exhibition, Kindred Spirits, at the ARTS for Rural Texas in Fayetteville, March 27 - May 29, 2021. Opening Reception March 27, 5-7pm.

 

Sunset Silhouette

 

"Sunset Silhouette" (pastel, 18x18 inches) $1290 + shipping

I'd had this juvenile Longhorn calf planned for a while, and my upcoming solo show gave me a reason to get it done! I was struck by the dramatic contrast of black and gold in the reference photo; it was that magical hour just before sunset, and the late summer Texas grasses were glittering with gold. A perfect backdrop for his shiny black coat.

 

I had fun with the background textures. I experimented with a paintbrush handle to swipe some grassy lines in the gold primer. 

See a quick little video of this tip, along with several progress pics of the painting, here!

This painting will be a part of my Solo Exhibition, Kindred Spirits, at the ARTS for Rural Texas in Fayetteville, March 27 - May 29, 2021. Opening Reception March 27, 5-7pm.

The ARTS director, Karen, has started loading my paintings into the website; you can view them here: https://arts.mybigcommerce.com/the-ross-gallery/rita-kirkman/ Check back often the rest of the month!

 

 

Caramely (Warm Fuzzy #61)

 

Warm Fuzzy #61 - "Caramely" (pastel, 12x9 inches) $490 + shipping

Here's my latest little warm fuzzy (Well, mid-sized really, at 12x9 inches) painted at my Virtual Open Studio day last week.

I thought I was done with her at the end of the VOS day, but no... the nose and one eye was bugging me so my perfectionist tendencies made me go back at her a few days ago for some edits. I made a neat slide show of progress pics which you can view here.

Caramely will be part of my Solo Exhibition, Kindred Spirits, at the ARTS for Rural Texas in Fayetteville TX, March 27 - May 29, 2021. 

"What's for Dinner?" (and Save the Date!!)

 

"What's for Dinner?" (pastel, 16x20)

These are two young Brahman calves I can across on my travels. They were up by the fence looking at me. I couldn't resist when one boy licked his lips as if saying to his sister "Hmmm, think she has any treats?"

SAVE THE DATE! 

Reception for my Solo Exhibition at the Arts for Rural Texas, March 27, 2021, 5-7pm.
114 N Live Oak, Fayetteville, TX. 

Hope to see you there!

 

For a $10 pledge, you can watch the creation of "What's for Dinner?" on my Patreon Page.

 

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Hickory (Warm Fuzzy #56) and speed video!

 Warm Fuzzy #56 - "Hickory" (pastel, 6x6 inches) Bid or buy here 

This little Texas Longhorn calf was one my demos from the PSNC virtual workshop last November. Somehow he missed being posted!

I decided to extract the video bits and make a speed demo. Enjoy!

You can see many more videos on my Patreon Page. (speed vids and image posts are public, and longer full-length instructional videos are on paid tiers!)

Furball (Warm Fuzzy #52)

 

Warm Fuzzy #52 - "Furball" (pastel, 8x8 inches) $350 framed

This fat furry Hereford was my opening demo for the Mid Atlantic Pastel Society workshop last month. I'm finally getting around to posting him, and decided to zip together these best parts of the demo into a speed video for you! You can watch it here!

Fuzzy Hereford Paint-Along on Saturday!

 

 So, you don't really want to SHOP this weekend, do you?! How about a Paint-Along instead?

This fuzzy Hereford calf "Taylor" is an earlier painting (pastel, 6x6, sold) that I thought was so cute I've decided to paint him again at my Virtual Open Studio this Saturday (as a Paint-Along!)

I'll be using this other photo of him:

Join me Saturday Nov 28, at 1pm Central Time on Zoom, and paint along with me! Only $15 to register.

Follow along with my complete painting process. I use acrylic-based pastel primers for my underpainting, in gold and terra cotta tones, but many other underpainting mediums will work almost just as well. 

(See some pics of the two steps of "Taylor"s underpainting HERE!)

If you'd like to join us live, be sure to register EARLY for the Zoom invitation, the reference photo, and some tips on how you can utilize any underpainting materials and painting/drawing surfaces you might have on hand. I will even include a drawing trace-out that you can print for quick assistance with your drawing!

REGISTER HERE!

 

Buckeye (Warm Fuzzy #49)

 "Buckeye" (Warm Fuzzy #49) pastel, 6x6 inches. $285 Click here to buy

Buckeye will be traveling next week to Boerne Texas to be one of the Small Works for the Holidays at the Carriage House Gallery (unless he sells first. ;)

 

For a $10 subscription you can see the full process video of Buckeye on my Patreon page here! But right now you can see a few of the screen shot progress pics on this free public post.

 

Here's how he looks in his frame:

 

 

 

Warm Fuzzy #45 - Asa

 

Warm Fuzzy #45 - "Asa" (pastel, 6x6 inches) click here to bid or buy

This whiteface calf had such a noble pose and elegant look about her. She fit so well perfectly centered in a 6x6, and I decided to make the background dark to better set off the glowing white of her face.

For a $10 pledge, you can watch the full-length video of the creation of Asa on my Patreon page here!

"Castor and Pollux" in the Pastel Journal "Spark"

 "Castor and Pollux" original sold, giclee prints available.

I'm excited today because my Pastel Journal just came in the mail, and I was invited to write a little blurb for the "Spark" section of the and here it is in the December issue! 

 

 

Visit my public post on Patreon, where I've transcribed the text so you can read the article, and posted larger pics!

"Castor an Pollux" also happens to be one of the canvas giclee prints I have available at the Woodlands Waterway Arts Fest this weekend! See more about it here. 

 

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"Brownie" at the WWAF

 "Brownie" (pastel, 10x10 inches) $550 framed and free US shipping

Support the Arts this weekend from the comfort of your coffee table! 😀🎨 

This weekend is the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival which has moved Online! My newest cow painting "Brownie" (pastel, 10x10) is part of my inventory for the Festival. More info on the Festival here

The art booths open Saturday at Noon CST! Preview my page at https://www.eventeny.com/company/?c=10842 and browse the other artists Virtual Booths too starting Saturday.

Warm Fuzzy #39 - Maurice

 

 

Warm Fuzzy #39 - "Maurice" (pastel, 8x8 inches, sold)

 

Sometimes a client will see and want a painting that has sold, and I'll offer to paint another from the same reference photo. This happened with the recent Warm Fuzzy #31 - "Moondust" (pastel, 6x6):

So I sent the client who missed out on Moondust to my "pet portraits" price list and let him pick a size! He decided on an 8x8, and "Maurice" was painted during my last Virtual Open Studio days.

When I have to "repeat" a painting like this, I like to make sure I don't refer back to the original painting too much, but instead start fresh from the reference photo. I don't want to make an exact COPY of the painting (which I have had to do once or twice in the past, and it's not much fun..) but instead this assures that the new painting is a unique piece of artwork in itself with the colors and strokes. That's usually what the client likes too.

(Reference photo):

Have you ever had to 'repeat' a painting for someone, and how did it come out? Did you enjoy the process?

I invite you to join me on Patreon, where you can watch the underpainting and pastel process videos in these links!

Underpainting (along with a fat mama Hereford): https://www.patreon.com/posts/40506555 

The pastel: https://www.patreon.com/posts/vos-episode-12-40533673

 

Warm Fuzzy #36 - Polka

Warm Fuzzy #36 - "Polka" (pastel, 6x6 inches) click here to bid or buy

"Polka" was a fun little young longhorn from a friend's ranch. Her horns were still short! Watch as I pastel her beautiful black and white colors in this speed video!

Warm Fuzzy #31 - Moondust

Warm Fuzzy #31 - "Moondust" (pastel, 6x6 inches) sold

This little calf was fun to paint! I had several layers in the underpainting that helped make her colorful coat more vibrant.

I'm also excited to say (FINALLY!!) that my studio live streaming video setup is making some real progress (with the help of my computer-science major son) and tomorrow I will be doing a test recording while streaming to Zoom (with no audience yet!) and if everything works as it should I'll be scheduling some Virtual Open Studio days, and we'll see where that leads!

Let me know if you'd like to be on my wait list for future online lessons or casual Open Studio days!

Warm Fuzzy #21 - PHTTT

Warm Fuzzy #21 - "PHTTT" (pastel, 5x4 inches) click here to bid or buy

This is one of the Belted Galloways (aka: "Oreo" cows, like "Frodo" from a few days ago.) I haven't done many because I hadn't had many good photos, but in March I came across a large herd on a beautiful sunny day! It's easy to get distracted by their white belts, but I had to hone in on this youngster's adorable face!!

In the underpainting I used some ultramarine blue (with pumice gel) over the terra cotta, and just a few pastel pencils around some details of the face. (If you follow my Instagram I added some short vids along with these progress pics today.)

Thanks for watching! Please share!

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