Life by Design
Sharing my acrylic paintings and other creative passions. All content protected by copyright. "Design Life on YOUR terms" with real online earning solutions!
04/10/2023
Customizing my adjustable “custom easel” to make it even more useful. 😁 I figured I might as well utilize that blank space to place quick references there.
Along the left side and bottom edge, I measured out 12x22 inches and painted them on. Along the right edge, I painted a monochrome value scale. The perspective worksheets were printed (sourced courtesy DeviantArt).
Over this, I placed a clear, thin piece of plexi that can easily be wiped off. The house paint stir sticks are simply to raise the canvas up a bit so I can paint the bottom edge easier.
In addition, I laminated a few helpful color wheel and tone-mixing guides, etc, to keep nearby. (not shown)
27/09/2023
In an effort to improve my painting knowledge, practice and abilities, I joined my first painting class on Friday. 😃 I’m really excited to see if/how I can improve.
I was getting frustrated and didn’t paint for a while because I knew what I saw in my mind, and what I wanted the result to be, but couldn’t figure out the steps on my own to achieve those results. 🤨
The community, critiques and instruction is awesome. Check out Acrylic University (online - by Jed Dorsey and other great artists) for the next open enrollment if you’re wanting to learn too. ❤️ It’s also a fabulous place to get valuable and polite feedback from so many talented people! One of the things I’ve disliked about other private art groups is that everyone’s standard response is “wow, it’s beautiful” 🙄 (even if it’s absolutely horrible) and I would rather be shown the positives AND get ideas to fix areas/skills that could improve.
Here’s the image I chose to do for learning the lesson on values. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s my first try with a Cougar and I sketched all of it in with just a big flat brush - no tracing or pencil sketching 😃 so I’m pretty proud of that.
Off to work on more lessons and projects! 😁 Thank you for following along and sharing in my humble acrylic art journey with me that I began on Thanksgiving weekend of 2022.
~ Polly Taskey 🙂
10/06/2023
Commission done, “Good Vibrations Iris” in acrylics on 11x14 gallery canvas.
09/05/2023
Just a little something I sketched with the paintbrush as I went along. Sometimes it’s therapeutic to just let the pictures in your head spill out, without a plan, and see what appears. 🙂
8x10 in acrylics
09/04/2023
Just need to finish up the mouth and a few minor details on this one. “Marlee” 🙂 8x10 in acrylics
19/03/2023
Unfinished Buckskin commission - still in progress, and photos of some of the steps getting to this point. 🙂
8x10 in acrylics
17/03/2023
A work that’s still in progress - 8x10 in acrylics, based on my sister’s awesome photo ❤️
13/03/2023
“Lightning” in acrylics, 10x10
10/03/2023
“Lonely Sunset”, 8x10 original in acrylics
09/03/2023
Working on a Rose-breasted Grosbeak male.
6x6 canvas in acrylics 🙂🐦
01/03/2023
“Spring Rain” 10x10 canvas in acrylics 🙂
28/02/2023
Finished last night and will deliver to her owner real soon.
“Abby”, tiny, fuzzy Pomeranian that you just want to pet and snuggle all day if she would just stay still long enough 😁 lol.
On 8x8 canvas in acrylics. 🙂
26/02/2023
Finished yesterday and the original is already sold, but I intend to have prints available of this one, by this summer.
“Homestead in the Valley”
12x16 canvas in acrylics
22/02/2023
Pair of Orchard Orioles in acrylics on 6x6 canvas
14/02/2023
Second painting in my bird series - American Robin, hand-sketched and based on the reference photo on the right. 6x6 canvas in acrylics
12/02/2023
“Spring Flowers 2023”
First try at painting a woven basket (eek)😬
10x10 in acrylics
11/02/2023
“Eastern Bluebird” (in Walnut tree) - based on my own photo.
6x6 canvas in acrylics
09/02/2023
Just something for fun yesterday as I tried out Golden Open brand slow-drying acrylics for the first time.
They’re kind of a cross between using oils and using acrylics - might take some getting used to for me, but I can already see they do have some pros (and some cons).
I love the “mystical” looking art 🙂
8x10 canvas in acrylics
06/02/2023
*Original is SOLD*
“Blaze”
8x10 canvas in acrylics
05/02/2023
Just a little practicing of various new things today
31/01/2023
First attempt with oil painting. 😬 I have MASSIVE RESPECT for anyone who has mastered oil painting. Wow! 😳 You guys rock! 👍🏼⭐️
It’s very different from painting with acrylics and quite tricky to work out.
Not yet sure how I like this medium, but I do love the softness of the result…makes me think of the Winnie the Pooh book illustrations lol. 🥰
Anxious to improve my skills…especially with the deciduous trees, grasses and shadows. And also the blending, details, not making it all look like one muddy color…etc 😂
12x16 canvas / Oil paints
30/01/2023
Hibiscus and Hummingbird on 8x10 “faux wood” painted canvas, acrylics 🙂
28/01/2023
Something humorous and whimsical for my brother who is always running into black bears on his property - no matter where he lives 🤭
12x16 canvas in acrylics
21/01/2023
“Pebbles”
8x10 in acrylics
20/01/2023
My daughter’s friend’s little girl (age 6) requested a butterfly painting. I found an example of this 3D technique online and fell in love with the idea! 🙂
19/01/2023
Progression of “Black Lab” portrait. First black dog - done in December 2022 and based on a photo from my sister. 🙂
12x16 in acrylic
19/01/2023
“Blue”, and some of the steps I used to get there.
I began trying to teach myself to paint the end of November 2022, and this is my first white dog, so please be gentle with any critiques. 🙂
8x10 in acrylics