BALLERINAS AND PORTRAITS

January is fast approaching and that means it's almost time for Leslie Saeta's 

3 0   P A I N T I N G S   I N   3 0   D A Y S   C H A L L E N G E

We are encouraged to choose a theme for the 

challenge, so I've been thinking about that.  

Edgar Degas said, "A painting requires a little mystery, 

some vagueness, and some fantasy.  When you always 

make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people."  

So I'm taking his idea literally and aiming for paintings that will be a
little hazy and undefined, leaving some things up to your imagination.

In the past I've done ballerinas . . .

But so far - no portraits.  

Maybe a little of both in January, using my two favorite little people as inspiration?

I'm hoping you'll follow along on my blog through the month of January, 

and that you won't be bored with what you see!

Or maybe you could send me photos of some of YOUR favorite little people?

Thanks for looking.  I hope you'll come back on January 1, 2016, to see what I've been working on!

-Nan

BLUE BALLET

 It was a cooler day on the Gulf Coast - a perfect day for reading and painting.  

Today, more inspiration from Degas.  

Blue Ballet

(original and print available on Etsy)

Approximately 6" x 6"

original watercolor

And, for fun, a super enlarged print of "Blue Ballet" in a pretty, blue room!

Thanks for looking!

"PAINT LIKE DEGAS"

A few months ago I found this book on the shelves at Barnes and Noble.  It's filled with exercises designed to get you thinking about Edgar Degas' style and trying your hand at it.  It's a beautiful little book and, as the cover suggests, speaks to the use of pastels.  However, pastels aren't a direction I want to go right now.

So, I used my watercolors instead and went forward 

with three ballerinas wearing saucy, rosy-red tutus. 

"Anticiption" 

Available in my Etsy shop here.

Below, I cropped out the watercolor to make a square image, 

ready for matting and framing as an enlarged print of the original.

Thanks for looking!