Sketch of Entwined Oak Trees...

This is a bit of an incomplete sketch in that I haven't drawn in the leaves of these two oak trees.  It is my intention to use a cropped portion of this sketch for my Nibblefest painting.  It is also my intention to lay the leaves in in a manner more impressionistic than precise, so for the intended purpose of this sketch, I've just drawn out the bones of the trees.

To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/

An Original Sweet Pea Flower Painting, a Bull Mastiff Dog Print, & More!

My featured print auction for the week is on ebay here.  It is titled "Cuddle Time" and is of a napping bull mastiff and just the bare feet of the dog's person.  I also have additional art prints here, they're based on my original paintings and are starting today and ending next Tuesday.

They are "Alegria" a pink rose and rose bud, "Sienna" a magical fae, "Heart's Wish" pale yellow orchids with a crimson heart, and "Lost and Found" Hera visiting our realm as a fairy.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I'm also listing this original painting here and the print is here.  The title is "Budding Blooms" and it is of two pink sweet pea flowers...

If you miss this seven day auction, this painting also lives on my website here.

Thanks very much for the input on my tree quandary!  I've decided to go with an oak tree, or rather part of an oak tree, for Nibblefest.  Now I have to go through my reference shots and decide which one to use.  Although I do think I will be using the reference more as a starting point rather than attempting to do an extremely realistic version.  I haven't painted a tree in a very long time, so it should be fun...

Almost Complete Peace Lilies & A Question of Trees...

I think I'm almost done with my peace lily flower painting.  I want to take a look at it tomorrow and see if I feel the same way.  Once I've given it a more final look, I'll try to take a better photograph, but I think they're pretty much there...

I'm also thinking about Nibblefest, this month the theme is trees.  I am torn between a palm tree painting or an oak tree painting...  Any opinions?  The ones above are not necessarily the specific images I'll use, but they are amongst the ones I've photographed as potential reference...

Edit:  Thanks so much for the input, I've decided to try my hand at painting an oak tree...

Anyway, I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

Ariel the Little Mermaid from the Disneyland Parade Photograph...

On Wednesdays, when I get a chance, I like to share a photo that I've taken.  This photograph was taken at Disneyland during one of the parades.  I went there a while back for the first time in many years.  It was much more crowded than I remember it being, but it was still nice.  Anyway, I picked this photo of Ariel the little mermaid to share because my theme for the week's art auctions is mermaids and magical creatures...

Although I'm somewhat Wordy, I am participating in Wordless Wednesday.  To see more Wordless Wednesday links, please visit:
http://blog.aquariann.com/
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

An Original Mermaid Painting, Magical Foal & Unicorn Art Prints, & More!

My featured print auction for the week is on ebay here.  It is titled "Mystic Foal" and is of a magical resting foal.  I also have unicorn and mermaid art prints here, they're based on my original paintings and are starting today and ending next Tuesday.

They are "Blending" blue mermaid with purple hair, "Freeborn" and "In This Moment" two abstract unicorns,  "Soft Light" an elegant mermaid, and "The Gift" a mermaid with a sea turtle and fish friends.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on ebay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I'm also listing this original painting here and the print is here.  The title is "Twirls and Curls" and it is of a mermaid with long blue hair and a some fishie friends...

If you miss this seven day auction, this painting also lives on my website here.

I'm thinking about Nibblefest, this month I really do not want to leave it to the absolute last minute...  This month the theme is trees.  I haven't decided yet which type of tree to paint, there are so many and although I very rarely paint them, I love trees....

Hippity Hoppitus Bunny Rabbit Sketch...

This bunny rabbit would like to wish you a happy Easter if you celebrate Easter or a happy Spring if you do not!

To view more Sunday Sketches, please visit:
http://www.bluechairdiaryillustrations.com/

A Continuation of Progress on My Peace Lilies...

I spent some time this week working on my peace lily flower painting.  I think it's fairly close to being done now, but I may be speaking too soon, sometimes issues arrive in what I think might be the final moments when I'm actually nowhere near there...  I intend to play with the stamens a little bit and well, of course, paint the stems.  There are also some transitions that I may soften or leave as is, but that depends on the feel after I've addressed the stems and the stamens...

Anyway, I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:
http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/

California Poppies Flower Photograph...

On Wednesdays, when I get a chance, I like to share a photo that I've taken.  This photograph was taken outside of Descanso Gardens.  It is of some California poppies (Eschscholzia Californica).  This poppy is our state flower in California, it can be seen popping up all around in the spring and summer months.  I have yet to paint one, but it is definitely on my list...

Although I'm somewhat Wordy, I am participating in Wordless Wednesday.  To see more Wordless Wednesday links, please visit:
http://blog.aquariann.com/
http://www.create-with-joy.com/

An Original Pink Saucer Magnolia Flower Painting, Two Hummingbird Sunflower Art Prints, & More!

My featured print auction for the week is on eBay here.  It is titled "Emerald" and is of a hummingbird and sunflowers.  I have additional art prints here, they're based on my original paintings and are starting today and ending next Tuesday.

This week, I also have listed "Violet" another hummingbird amidst sunflowers, "Azure Haired Beauty" a blue gothic angel fairy,  "CA Coast" a view of Point Dume in Zuma Beach, and "Drowning" a self portrait.

Most of my art is also available on my website at http://www.lisarusso.com; however, I like to offer some art on eBay at a lower promotional start rate for the duration of the auctions!

I'm also listing this original painting here and the print is here.  The title is "Elegance" and it is of pink saucer magnolia flowers...

If you miss this seven day auction, this painting also lives on my website here.

Thus far this week, I have been headache plagued and have done very little, I am hoping the rest of the week will be more productive...  I have a couple of ideas, but nothing new on canvas yet.  I'm also hoping to do a bit of work on my peace lilies painting...

A Pair of Work in Progress Views of Little Bo Peep & An Abstract Painting

Most of my painting time this week went to finishing my Little Bo Peep painting for Nibblefest, this is a work in progress sketch I did not get a chance to post.  If you'd like to see her completed, she's on ebay here, or she's also a post down and there's a work in progress sketch below that.  The painting is a 5"x7" acrylic painting on canvas panel.

I also worked on this abstract painting a little bit.  This is layer one, there are sections I like, but I intend to paint over it in additional layers until I feel like I'm done.  I used to do abstracts quite often, but I have to be in the mood to paint them, and I really haven't felt like it for a very long time.  I'm not sure when I'll next feel the urge to work on this one, but this is where it's at right now.  It's an 18"x24" acrylic painting on canvas.  Quite a bit different from what I generally paint these days, but a lot of fun to work on!

I'm joining in this week with Paint Party Friday.  To see more participants, please visit:

http://paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com/