Friday, September 23, 2016

My Latest Red Dala Horse


There's not much to say about this one. Most of the designs and colors are pretty traditional. I like it that this sort of thing is coming easier to me. Each of them is different yet they are part of a tradition that goes back hundreds of years and that's what makes them special to me.


I'm always practicing brush strokes as I get ready to paint another Dala Horse and continue the tradition.


This one is a Christmas ornament and will be part of another families tradition. I trust that they'll enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed creating it.



Monday, September 19, 2016

Designs for a Red Background

As I'm working on these posts for the wheelchair ramp I'm also carving and sanding horses as I decide which designs that I would like to use on them. I'll be painting those next. 



 On this most recent one I did a different design on each side of the post.



 The blue flowers seemed to show up the best and I thought I'd use it on the saddle area of the horse.



 The dot and coma stroke designs will work well across the chest and the belly band.

I've got a firm idea of what the design will be now and will include pictures of it as soon as I have them.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Stroke Work Designs for a Yellow Background


Yes, I'm still combining my need to practice new brush stroke patterns with the practicality of getting my wheelchair ramp painted before another year of winter weather gets to it.


As always I'm thinking about the next dala horse that I want to paint and how I can combine different brushstrokes and patterns to keep the design fresh and different than other horses that I have done before.


I'm nearly halfway up one side of the ramp now and really looking forward to enjoying my handiwork over the long, cold winter. This is the end of it that I can see from my living room window so it will be nice to have something else to look at besides the snow until my flowers bloom again in the spring.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Brush Stroke Practice


I can use all of the practice I can get with my brush strokes but instead of endless practice pages in a workbook or sketch book I'm getting mine on the posts of my wheelchair ramp.


What I really like about doing it this way is that there are 4 sides on each post and that gives me lots of chances to try variations in color schemes and paint brushes.


The other good thing about it is that I find it really satisfying to have my own little art exhibit in the front garden to provide welcome color over the winter and between garden seasons.


It just makes anyone that sees it happy and it's a great way to show people the sorts of things that I like to paint,