Pumpkin Fairy Princess

Betcha didn't know I ran for
Little Ms. Niblet
at the  
Town Fair? 

...but I lost to Ms. Janie. 

Ok... so it was a Mock-U-Town-Fair
when I worked in the Humor division of Shoebox.

But, it was a blast. 
I worked with some of the most creative and talented people ever.

Imagine a typical office.  Then imagine a room filled with quilts on tables,
sunflowers spilling from vases, pumpkin pies and
the fresh scent of homebaked goodies in the air...

It was the real thing!   

From lemonade in mason jars, piping hot ham and corn dishes,
to little yellow rubber duck games, it was a Town Fair to be remembered.
(I even made my mother's recipe for homemade biscuits, still warm, wrapped in a country
floral dishcloth, in a woven basket with tasty jams on the side.)
Can't you taste the corn dogs, caramel apples, hot apple cider and apple pie?
Then there were the fair games and activities.
Andy Newcomb and Lee Ahern were the genius minds behind it all.
With exceptional creativity and originality they made
work too much fun to be called work.

.... Ms. Janie, if you are out there... 

I'm sorry I stole your crown.   ;  ) 

The End of September

It is the end of September.  Trees, grasses, and flowers are beginning to change to make way for brilliant October color.  


Below, the same image with different colors of background.

"Sara's Sunflowers"




It is a good day to play with color...

Sara in Blues

Sara in Violets

In this final image, I've added detail in the foreground, and fixed the owls ears(snowy owl)
I've added some detail in clothing and made the fireplace a bit more misty/smokey.

For now, it is finished!

Day 2 Polar Party Tutorial

DAY 2   -   Polar Party (Christmas) Tutorial

"How do you paint?"   This is the question I am asked most often.  

For me, it has been an evolution of years of "doing".   

I'm not sure I can articulate how to paint.  

But, I will show an example of something I'm working on today.  

A work in progress, a tutorial.

Wendi's challenge ~   "paint with an unusual color palate-"
Step 7.      (end of day 2)    continued...
I'm using a split complimentary triad, using red (pink) the dominate color.  *

image copyright Becky Kelly Studio, LLC  all rights reserved

Day 2

Step 4)   It is the second day.

Today, it is time for some detail.  This is the fun part.  ......Ok,  you got me...  (it's all fun.)

Bears, penguin, scarves and dishware...details.  

(details, trees and whites added)                                  

Some things need more detail and I pick those things out. 

I don't like the line in the bears nose, I carefully pick the paper with a sharp knife to remove the dark line.

The trees in the distance need detail, I block them in first with a quick wash, to keep loose, then I do more detail.  I paint the trees a blue green gray, to look far away, and in the mist somewhat.*

*hint  (color-  a split complimentary triad) Use colors opposite on the color wheel. Then split the side opposite your dominate color to a few more "neighbor" colors.  Example; Reds ( pinks) are my dominant color, on the opposite side of the wheel are green and blue hues.  My grays have blue, cool color to make everything looks misty in the background.

Step 5) Next,  Using a "non-bleed" white paint, drop in snowflakes and white details.    The snowdrops look nice against dark gray.

It is ok if the whites are not perfect.  This gives the art more character. 

Step 6) I examine the work again.  The tree over the moose head is overworked, I'll have to fix this in the next step.  The moose needs some work...the foreground and details still need work.    

Using the program Photoshop, I do another quick rough to color block my foreground.  Will adding a dark foreground will give me the look I want? The center of the painting should be seen first, the foreground, darker. (like a frame)

Hmmm.... a snowman would have been nice, maybe next time?  

Looking through snowy photographs, I'm reminded how the foreground could be brushy with thin icy sticks, a gray tone behind the fox and bear, (so they stand out) ...  a soft warm gray. I'll try the brush next...

This area (fox and bear) will be my second story.   

Below is a rough color block of what I have in mind. 

hint* a computer program like Photoshop can help with color blocking.  

Many people use Photoshop to add white elements like the snowflakes.  

But these snowflakes can look to perfect. I prefer a white bleed proof paint because it is irregular.

Polar Party (Christmas) Tutorial

"How do you paint?"   This is the question I am asked most often.  

For me, it has been an evolution of years of "doing".   

I'm not sure I can articulate how to paint.  

But, I will show an example of something I'm working on today.  

A work in progress, a tutorial. 

Step 1.  What to paint?  

The idea is the most fun part for me, the options are endless.  

To Start,  think about what is needed 

(...a Christmas image for a new calendar)

inspired by the painting "Mr. Frog's Birthday Party". upper right

Red and green, A group of friends animals (I love to paint animals, to add whimsy) 

It needs to be snowy and will need added warmth.

....I quickly sketch out an new image, what I've pictured in my head.

The moose should be funny... a great big moose sipping a dainty cup of hot cocoa.
I want him to be dark, to provide contrast, to draw the eye to the center of the image.
The children? Using vintage art as my inspiration, I want them to look simple and stylized.
Added warmth?  How about a cozy little fireplace, like the one I hope to have on my patio someday.  I'll add in a penguin and a white rabbit backside.   Scarves will add color and whimsy.


As you can see in the more finished sketch to the right, I've added details.

The sly fox could have been interesting, but an art director told me not to put wild animals in my images,  "no fox" "he could eat small children".  Also, "no bears"...but the challenge is to make the wild animals friendly...Obviously not interested in eating children, (they have Hot Cocoa and cookies in their paws.)    ...I go ahead with bears, what a wild woman I am...
I add a bear to the fox in the foreground to look at a tiny gift box.

My friend, Wendy, challenges me to try a different color palate.

Step 2. color blocking

A new color palate is just what was needed to inspire me.  Thanks Wendy!   

The blue color palate is safe~ but this is a challenge!  The green is calm, and Christmas like, it could work.  The red/pink is the most different, and it looks like a vintage post card.  If I keep the rest of the palate a foggy grey with green cast, it could work...

...Will it work?

Come along with me to see 

what will happen.

Step 3. "Red" Background Wash

 

The background wash is one step.  Place water where the background should go with a large brush, use a smaller brush to soften edges and go into the detail around the tree branches. Use warmth to make the skyglow, at the base of the trees in the sky.  With wet on wet, it will flow together well. 

I add pink to the white of the trees as a reflective glow. 

Overly anxious, I add in reds and the warm moose, to see if this might work...

will it work?   ...we continue tomorrow.

My Four Poster Bed

My Four Poster Bed

The bed in the photo is my bed.   

First, it was my 

Grandmother's bed, 

then my mother's bed, 

then mine.  

I love this bed, the carvings are 

intricate and beautiful.

The bed is very old, 

hand carved and from Germany.

Mother told me it came to America on a boat.  

I always pictured a boat with lots of embellishment and glamor, fine china and

gorgeous furnishings...

...like the Titanic, only it didn't sink.  

( it was probably a cargo ship, 

but what fun is that?)

One night when I was little, I was horrified to awaken to see a tall dark shadowy figure standing at the end of my bed.  Unable to move or speak, I watched, making sure the ominous form wouldn't step closer.  My trusted dog, Puddles, slept close by my side to me to protect me.  I'm sure this incident made me trust in God even more as I prayed unceasingly all through the night for safekeeping.   The dark, terrifying figure quietly watched, looming over me, waiting, not moving an inch.   Pointing my finger like a gun, I choked out...                      "I have a gun, I will shoot!"               But he wouldn't leave.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep...

....In the morning, I discovered I'd thrown my hat and coat

 on the post like a hat rack...silly me. 

 Periwinkle Sky

Sweet baby blanket, made by my sister, Nan. Sold in Periwinkle Sky Shop

My Garden Spot

Everyone should have a special spot for sipping a morning cup of coffee.

Come visit my garden with me...

This photo looks like a 
little fairy garden.