Foxes and Ducks are Small Good Things

I think that I have been a little too obsessed in painting a masterpiece and have been sacrificing some of the magic that comes spontaneity. So, I've been trying to paint looser and more care-free lately. Its funny, often the things that make a painting special happen when you aren't looking for them.

So, I started freehand with blobs of watercolor on scrap paper.  These are the foxes I loved so much from the Nature Center:

paper scraps + no expectations = low-pressure painting!

I chose the watercolor blob that I thought displayed the best, To quote a favorite professor, "Essence of Fox-ness" and developed it further in colored pencil.

Here is the finished, mounted piece:

I actually really like that little black blob on the right.

I painted this mallard mixed media work as well. The duck is done in watercolor and colored pencil, The little squares are tissue paper, and the gray-green in the background is pickle paint (aka tinted gesso).

Make way for Ducklings!

Here are the two finished pieces. They make me very happy :)

I feel really good about this painting experience. It definitely helps to loosen up! Watercolor is so quick and easy and intuitive and I forgot how much I like colored pencil.  It was fun to just play around and not worry about turning it into anything profound.

I think I am going to paint some butterflies next in the same style. How lovely would it be to hang them from string around the gallery?