Calf character

Calf portrait

It has been quite warm this week and I have started to work some outside.  The weeds seem to have started up more than my flowers and I am trying to get a head start, especially on the dandelions.  Show me your yellow flower, and you’re gone! They are easy to spot right now and with the rain we had last week, I can pull most weeds up with the help of my hand trowel.  I have already pulled 2 wheelbarrows full so I’m feeling pretty good about that.  Not too much too soon or my hands will let me know about it.

In the meantime, I have pretty well finished up the watercolor calf.  I’ve deepened his coloring and added more to the background.  Although this is the same calf I did the acrylic head shot of a while back, the tone is a little bit less personal, I think.  Farther away, he doesn’t look quite so curious – more like he is staring hard, deciding if he should stay or run.  I’ll probably list him in my etsy store this week.

How now brown cow

Brown watercolor calf

I am so ready for nice weather.  March was on the warm side, but April has been quite the roller coaster – pleasantly warm and then nights of mid 20’s with cold, windy days.  I hope this week is starting a consistent spring trend.  I always get worried if it gets too warm too early and the early emergers get burned by frost.

I finally set myself down at the drafting table and decided to go back to the watercolors for a bit.  I went through my cattle photos again and liked this one.  I think it is the same calf that I did the close-up head shot of with the acrylics.  He’s a photogenic kind of guy, isn’t he.  After I did the preliminary inking, I loosely applied the first layer of paint.  His coat color has bled into the background some, but I’m not concerned.  I’ll use it to add depth and just be a little more careful in the next phase.

I have made 4 sales in my etsy store so far this month, a record for me.  Spring is starting out with a bang.  I’ll have to get this guy listed as soon as I have finished.