Sunday, August 1, 2010

My Weekend Project

I saw a very nice photograph on The Depp Effect which caught my eye, because, as usual, it is part of an English Village scene.  I say as usual, because I visit a lot of English blogs just because of their village and countryside scenes.  Although I love where I live now, I miss the English countryside and you can't have our weather and English scenery.

(Double Click for better effect)

The scan has brought out the ink lines too much, but I don't want to fiddle with it because then if I do it doesn't feel like my painting any more. It is 5 x 7" water color on Bristol card. I substituted a girl with a shopping bag, for the "girl with the brolly", replaced the Butcher's Shop sign and put in the dog which should have been a greyhound if I thought enough about it . To know why visit The Depp Effect. 

This piece was fun to do.  Now I have two more to do as well as catch up with a lot of visiting and leaving comments. Either everybody decided this was a good weekend to blog or the Dashboard is having a hard time keeping up with the new blogs. I'm sure there weren't as many new blogs posted when I looked yesterday.

In addition to my helping out at the shelter, I am now cat-sitting my son's two cats for a couple of weeks.  That means driving 20 minutes there and back every couple of days.  But I really don't mind because Josie gives me long naps and loud purrs on my lap.


This is Josie.
I have no idea where Cleo is. In the many years I have looked after these two cats, I have never seen Cleo.  She hides and I have given up trying to find her.

8 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...

Josie is beautiful, Chris! I must say that this is one gorgeous art piece! I am reminded a bit of Gillian Mowbray's art here, though it may well be because of the subject matter. I love it!!

MorningAJ said...

Cool painting of the butcher's.

Wanda said...

Good Morning Chris...
Feel like I could just step into the butchers shop. Such an excellent rendering of village life with the girl and dog.... You are something else, girlfriend.

You know, now that I'm back to painting every day, I feel my old passion coming back and I think it's reflected in my work. I just finished the second of Marsha's butterflies.

No rush, no deadlines, but when you can I hope you'll send your butterflies over.

sandy said...

I love that cat! Beautiful. I'll check out the Depp effect, whatever that is. You did a really nice job on this piece. I need to start trying buildings and architecture.

Gillian Mowbray said...

Chris - this is a superb painting - well done you!

That's one gorgeous cat - those eyes are amazing!

snafu said...

What a great cat picture - you have really caught some character.
The Butchers shop picture is nice and you have got that kind of stonework really well. As for the birds, I am just jelous because we only get rather drab birds our way, no bright colours.

kaybee said...

The village scene is one I would love to draw, but I have too many projects waiting to be completed. I love your rendition, Chris!

jay said...

Oh wow, you did an excellent job on that painting! It is perfect! I'd recognise it anywhere!

I love the little dog. Yes, a greyhound would have been nice, but he's a sweet little thing, and reminds me of a little dog a lady in the village has - his name is Ginger.

And I LOVE the cat photograph. The way you've focussed on his eyes, and the perspective which makes them stand out so luminously ... She would make a great photocard for a cat lover!

Thanks for the link-back, too!