Diane Brazeau Art

Finally got back to this guy yesterday after almost 5 weeks, feels good to make progress and paint again. Will focus on the ear today (I changed the shape and position of it from the reference image yesterday to look more natural 😬)Hoping to submit him to a couple of Canadian art competitions next month if I finish in time🤞🤞

Can’t seem to make a lot of time for painting canvas lately, painted walls and kitchen cupboards instead!! But today I finally got back at it a bit, feels good, like this is what’s been missing last couple of weeks.. his face is starting to take shape 🥰

Here’s a sneak peek at what I’m working on this month, me thinks it will be my new favourite piece! Lots of texture, more raw.. and I love it! 🫶🏻
I missed working with acrylics so much…

Finally finished my little crab painting this morning (oils), and have some progess on the pelican. I’m still trying to find my groove with the oils, realizing I much prefer acrylics!!. Started a new piece today while the pelican dries in between coats and it reminded me how much I love (and missed) painting mammals!! Especially eyes….. back to my comfort zone I go… mammals in acrylics :)

Last week I switched to a new little painting so I could practice blending a seascape in oils. Here is the result! Just a few touch ups needed to finish this crab and then I move back to the pelican.

Oils are a bit of an adjustment from acrylics but they do go on oh so buttery smooth.. some techniques such as blending are much faster than acrylics, but acrylics are faster when needing to do layers.. they are both high quality and it’s really just preference, though a lot of caution is needed when using both on the same project to ensure the painting retains its archival quality!

I never liked the chemicals involved in oils but recently learned how to avoid paint thinners in cleaning my brushes, making the process much better and environmentally friendlier, which made me want to take advantage of beautiful blending properties of oils :)

Doesn’t look like much progress but there’s a few more layers on, the bottom few inches are done but just getting started on the rest of the background. Spent more time on the beak too. So far I’m finding water fun to paint but ask my in a month if I still feel that way 😅😅

Managed to sneak in a short evening paint session - colours are terrible at night even with the added lighting but the lower portion is getting there 😁

Here is what I was up to the last 5 months! And the new face I’ll be looking at for the next couple of months :)

These two handsome fellows are now available for sale on my website www.dianebrazeauart.ca

Both 40x30 inches on gallery canvas, acrylic and mixed media

If you know any wildlife/art lovers out there please feel free to share 🥰🥰

I never did post the finished piece did I? Here it is, it’s been submitted to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation for the wildlife artist of the year competition, hoping to get short-listed so I can participate in the exhibition - but just happy to have finally applied! Its something I’ve been wanting to do for a couple of years now 🙂

“Only in a Zoo”
40x30 inches on gallery canvas
Acrylic and mixed media

Polar bear reference used with permission

Almost at the finish line 😁

Opinions please!! I’m finally setting up a website again, I just didn’t like the one I had last year.. I like the “clean” look of the first theme, but also like the “shop” buttons of the second one…….. any preference?? 🤗

Still lots to do but at least I got started 😁

Haven’t posted in a while on here, the polar bear is coming along! Final stretch.. (Ça s’en vient!!)

I just need a hand… (sorry for the paw pun, I couldn’t help myself…)

Baby steps… wishing I could just be off and finish this fellah.. but I gotta eat and pay my billzzz 😅
It will get messy in the throat area before it comes all together at the end so I have to stay patient.. Definitely a challenging piece!

6 hours in yesterday and 2 today so far.. lots of progress! 🙌 booking those 2 days off work was totally worth it 😁
That Jan 29 deadline is still coming up quite fast tho 😅😅

Holiday rush is over, time to get back to work! Hoping to finish this fellah by Jan 29 to submit to an art competition in London… wish me luck! I’ll need it… :)🤞🤞

Didn’t get to paint today but here’s the progress as of yesterday - Monday night was the texture with the sand/paste and Tuesday night I painted the log. I’m loving the sand!!

New piece started - I’m excited about this one! Trying something new with my mixed media.. I added my modeling paste but with a twist - I’ll take pictures once it’s dry 😁
(Even more texture!!!)
Also jumping into water detail… I attempted water once before but never finished the piece. So far so good… 🤞

Reference photo rights purchased from wildlifereferencephotos.com

Just realized I forgot to post my snow leopard on my page.. 🙂

latest finished piece - untitled, 36x48 on gallery canvas, acrylic and modeling paste. Reference photo used with permission (by Kateryna Bielikova)

80+ hours
More clips on my Instagram page, I tend to keep IG more up to date :)

75 hours in, the finish line is in sight 🙂

Reference photo by Katerine Bielikova, used with permission. Sketch for next two paintings ready to go…….

My latest painting, stared in March right before my painting hiatus... lol. Glad I was finally able to finish it yesterday, it was fun too - and messy!

I dreamt of this little sparrow in 2019 and have been wanting to paint him ever since. « Into the storm »

Finally got my hands dirty and finished a painting! Picture to follow tomorrow once I can photograph it in daylight.. ☀️😁

The Marketer Art Competition selected my mountain lion for a special merit award 🥰

That was a nice surprise this morning

https://themarketer.cc/tmac2021-gallery/?mc_cid=8ac4c525d6&mc_eid=5b052de690

Je peux finalement vous montrer ce mignon minou. I can finally show you this cute kitty - 12x10 acrylic on gallery canvas

I’m so happy to hear this painting is in her new home now ❤️

This one is for me… ❤️❤️
Miss you Kobe

*sorry if you’re seeing this twice! I somehow posted as a visitor earlier 😅*

Finally finished this piece - can you help me title it? Right now all I got is “Memories of Spring” 🙂

American Robin in its nest, 12x36 acrylic and modeling paste on gallery canvas. The original will be available on my website in the next few days (no prints for this one!)

Reference photo was taken by Pamela Carson (used with permission)

Got my test prints in today 😁
Finally!

Happy Tuesday!!

I guess I never did post on here that my website went live a couple months ago... 😅😅 I never was a great salesperson! 🙃
Here is it: www.dianebrazeauart.ca

But today I also added those prints to my Etsy Shop! https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/DianeBrazeauArt

Feel free to check out either one, I hope to add a new original to my website later this month but in the meantime I’m working on a secret commission for Christmas 🤫 but I do have one of my bird paintings aaaaaaaaaaaalmost done! Oh, and if you are looking to get a commission done for Christmas, please contact me before November, the earlier the better! Otherwise it will be for Christmas 2022... 😅

And another big thanks to Steve Kingsman Photography for the awesome photos of my art, used to make the prints 🙌

Happy International Dog Day!!

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while, school is starting up again next week and I hope to be back at my easel soon 🤞🤞😁

Back at the easel after a couple weeks of distractions, here is my current work in progress. Still so much to do, that chin/throat alone took over 3 hours and it’s not even finished 😅 can hardly tell on the first picture of the full paining, but it was still satisfying to get a part of the few done 🙂

Now off to hangout with the kiddos, what are you up to this weekend?