Fourth layer of paint on "Had Races and Won"

Everyone Cheered to watch Racers Run
4th later of paint
Acrylic, by me, Mary Stebbins Taitt
Click to view larger

I've added a fourth layer of paint, which took about 4 days, and as you can plainly see, it is till quite a ways from being finished.  I added turtles in the audience at the lower because the space seemed too empty, but they need work, and I painted out the head of the wolf on the furthest left because its legs were too short.  Since the light is coming from above, slightly behind and to the right, I will have to do some work with the sun and shadows, which right now is just plopped on (To make the turtles more visible.).  Too bad, because I was reaching a point of being almost happy with the grass before.  I think the Dachshund is finished or nearly finished, and maybe the cat, too. The elephant is getting closer. (Too bad the scanner won't scan the gutter! :-( )  Frankie is my grandson, and this is for a book for him.

*The paper is getting progressively thicker!

Early stages of Had Races and Won

Often, when I start a new painting, I get very discouraged and wonder why I pretend to be able to do this.  It seems obvious I can't.  I want to give up, because it seems hopeless.

"Had Races and Won"
Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper
1st coat
click this or any image to view larger

"Had Races and Won"
Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper
2nd coat

The images are photos with a point and shoot camera, sorry about the reflections.  I'll start scanning, if I can, I'm having difficulties with my scanner!  :-(

This is a slow process for me, but I am working on i!  It is as of yet quite unfinished.  It is for a book I am working on for my grandson.

"Had Races and Won"

Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper

3rd coat

I added another layer of paint.  Most of the paint I am using is fairly transparent (although some is thick and opaque.  I Have to put many layers on to get it to look the way I want it,  I scanned this one, but the scanner is messing up and I don't have time right now to fiddle with it, and since it isn;t done yet, I'll just post this--hope you can see the difference between the layers (versions) (drafts).

Kissed Frankie Goodnight . . .

Kissed Frankie Goodnight

watercolor by Mary Stebbins Taitt

for my book

click to view larger.

They partied for days, weeks, months and years;

the sound of their laughter filled everyone’s ears.

They partied ‘til the moon came up in the sky

and then all creatures kissed Frankie goodbye.


*

I painted this with watercolors, finishing it (after many days of work), on 8/21/14 and today, I added the moon in Photoshop.   It is for the book I am working on for my grandson hopefully for his birthday, otherwise for Christmas.  He will be four years old on his birthday, and has just started school.

I posted it before, but I think this is the finished version (I hope).

Noah helped Frankie write words on some paper

Noah helped Frankie write words on some paper
Invitations to come to their party and caper
Watercolor and gouache on wc Moleskine
by Mary Stebbins Taitt
Click image to view larger

This is my latest painting (illustration) and is for one of the children's books I am working on, Frankie and Noah have a Party.  It is done in Andrea's Moleskine, Round 4, Pass 2 in my Moleskine Exchange group.  It is all watercolor except the blue background, which is gouache, on Moleskine watercolor paper.

Here is the text for this page:

Frankie helped Noah write on some paper                    

Invitations to come to a party and caper 

They’d fill up balloons with helium vapor

If they filled up enough it would lift up a tapir   

The pigeons and crows and the owls and wrens

carried the invites to their animal friends. (by me, of course)

The picture is of my grandson Frankie, who is three years old, and the finished book will be for him.

Benny with the ferret ((Semi)-final)

Benny and the Ferret
watercolor
5 x 7
on arches cold-pressed 140 lb/300 gm paper

This is my watercolor painting on the actual page of the sketchbook for the sketchbook project for the Brooklyn Art Museum (as opposed to the earlier one which was just a quick sketch.)  In the final final version, I may or may not make a few adjustments.

Underground (Altered Detail)

We are going to a funeral today AND running a complex birthday party for piano boy (his 14th) which includes a movie, a skate park and pizza. The calling hour is an hour's drive each way from the skate park, etc. Needless to say, I won't be on-line much today. (AND we are sad!)

This is an altered detail from a larger picture. It was done for a weekly challenge on Monday Artday. It is art for a children's story.