Off Colour...

Not every painting works out well -something I try to impress on the children I teach when they get frustrated with their work when it doesn't go to plan.  This painting of mine definitely did not go to plan - I have been admiring the swathes of cow parsley when on dog walks and wanted to paint these pretty and delicate flowers.  I had the idea after seeing them with the backdrop of the canal -

to make a dark background over a masking fluid drawing, then paint in the leaves and flowers.  I think the combination of the clumsiness of the masking fluid (that stuff coagulates!) and being unable to get the depth of background colour I wanted proved too difficult to overcome.  Plus ( and it is no excuse really) I was feeling a bit off colour myself over the weekend which always shows in a painting.  Never mind, at least now I know not to do that again!

Someone else has been feeling a bit off colour as well this week - I thought he was lovelorn, with one of his girlfriends being in heat, but when his lack of appetite stretched on for too long, it was time to take Clovis to the vet.  It would seem he has a gum infection and is currently on anti-biotics - when I can get them down his throat!  Today I was reduced to wrapping the bits of tablet in hoisin duck as he has got wise to the balls of dog food containing an unpleasant centre. Why don't they make dog medicine tasty? It would save a lot of grief!

Being hungry hasn't stopped him from charging around the woods and trees as normal though - someone should inform him that he is approaching 91 in dog years!

On the needles this week:  DIY accessories!