WIP: Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings. Scratchboard (etching on Claybord Black), 11 x 4.5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I’m not usually a fan of saccharine (makes my teeth ache) but I think this is the cutest piece of artwork I’ve ever done. I can only hope it’s cute enough for someone to take it home from the “Reflections of Nature” show and earn the organisers (and me) a bit of cash.
Probably about a year before I started this blog, I started reading other art blogs in earnest and it recently occurred to me that many of my favourites are opposites (sorry, just had the Sesame Street “One of these things is not like the other” song in my head for a second there). Here, let me show you what I mean:
- short/long:
Short posts like those on illustrator Renée Nault’s blog where you look long and read short (by-the way, no relative, although I do have a sister named Renée, which is how I came across illustrator Renée’s blog - while doing a google search on my sister’s name for fun) or
Long, luxurious posts a là Katherine Tyrell’s Making a Mark, you know you’re getting her A-game every time you visit. - snarky/respectful:
Snarky, rueful humour completely appeals to me, so I think Hugh MacLeod’s blog Gaping Void with cartoons drawn on the back of business cards is simply brilliant; although
Respectful, careful posts also appeal to me, like those of Robert Genn’s The Painter’s Keys. - topical/timeless:
Topical stories like those on Art News Blog that show me something new almost every day are great, but so are
Timeless advice like that of art business maven Alyson B. Stanfield on the Art Biz Blog, her articles, podcasts and posts are full of advice that (excepting technological advances) will be as relevant to artists today as they will be in five or ten years. - niche/mass appeal:
Niche blogs like Just Goldens with photos of, you guessed it, Golden Retrievers…. it’s Mack’s favourite blog, paws down; or if you prefer blogs with a bit more
Mass appeal (well, in that it would likely appeal to any artist) like Charlie Parker’s Lines and Colors where “if it has lines and/or colours, it’s fair game.”
Just an interesting observation… any opposites blogs on your reading list? Tell me about them!
WIP: Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings. Scratchboard (etching on Claybord Black), 11 x 4.5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
Okay, so I don’t really paint, but my artwork is very “critter” inspired. And so I’ve joined a new group: “I Paint Critters“ we’re a collection of wildlife and animal artists who met on WetCanvas! We’ll be appearing online via a group blog - that is all the members will contribute to content on the blog. Although “I Paint Critters” will be a group effort, it’s the brainchild of wildlife artist Clifford VanMeter. So thanks to Cliff for this opportunity to bark about my art in another venue!
As you can see from the above, I’m pretty much done with the etching process on Catch Up! Next step: adding colour.
WIP: Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings. Scratchboard (etching on Claybord Black), 11 x 4.5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I’ve got added a few reeds in the background, some duckweed on the surface of the water and I’ve given them legs. I also lightened the ducklings and the leaves because I’ve decided to colour this one. Although, before I get too far ahead of myself, I’ve want to add more reeds to the background. Oh, and I think I’m going to change the duckling on the right a bit and make him look like he’s quacking to the duck on the left.
Usually, the thought of changing something on a board mid-stream makes me nervous, but this time, nada. I’m not entirely sure why, maybe it’s because I just started this one as a bit of a lark, but I’m having fun just letting it evolve on its own time.
WIP: Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings. Scratchboard (etching on Claybord Black), 11 x 4.5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
Here’s the newest thing on my “easel.” It’s a board I’m doing for the “Reflections of Nature Show” with the Saskatchewn Wildlife Art Association. The show has a “miniatures” category for works under 54 square inches, which they use as a fund raiser, and I thought I’d enter something in that category just for the fun of it. I realise this work is not a true miniature in the strictist sense of the word, but it meets the size guidelines for this show, so that’s what I’m working with.
I’m recyling an idea from my days as a watercolour painter (in the late 1990’s) and I’m liking this smaller, more compact, close-up view a lot more than the old watercolour. I think the ducklings are approximately life size in this work and they’re cute little beggars, even if I must say so myself.
