NOVEMBER 2011 CHALLENGE "The Ice Challenge" Hosted by Debra Kreiger

Welcome to the new Daily Painters of Pennsylvania Challenge Blog!

Sometimes there are things you would never think about painting and they are the objects that make the most interesting paintings. Incorporate ice as the focal point of your painting. Be creative. You can paint a still life, landscape and even an abstract painting. You can paint crushed, cracked and melting ice! You may use any of my photos as reference if you like.

Rules of the Challenge:

1. This monthly Challenge is for DPP members only,

but anyone is welcome and encouraged to make comments on the posts.

2. Submit your Challenge entry just as you would a regular post - with

a picture of your entry and anything you would like to write about

your experience with this particular challenge. You are welcome to

submit more than one entry.

3. All entries must be posted no later than midnight November 30, 2011.

4. To get a larger, high-resolution version of the monthly Challenge photo, just click on

the photo in this post.

5. Please put only your name in the label section of your post - thanks!

(Your name should appear exactly as it does on the DPP blog)

6. Have fun!

Three apples by Linda Young

©Linda Young

Three Apples

5 x 7 Watercolor

I didn't have time to create a new painting this month due to other committments; but knew I had this one to post before the end of the month.  I like the looseness and the colors within the apples and reflective color around them.

"Let Me IN" by Charlotte Yealey

9x12

Pastel

When I saw the new challenge subject posted, I was excited because I have already done 2 paintings that included a window. I thought this is my chance to create another to start a series but time has gotten away from me and I decided to post this one. I was'nt sure if the rules meant you had to create a new piece for the challenge or  if it was OK to us an old one.

From the Train by Dianne Lorden

Whew! The month is nearly over!
I'd been wanting to do this picture, from a photo my husband took a couple of years ago, on our way home from Florida on the Auto Train (what fun!). So, when this challenge came up, I decided to use it here. Then, I got involved in a watercolor pencil class with our own Amy Lindenberger; the timing of this piece was perfect for trying out new techniques.
I enjoyed the underpainting process (top). As Amy pointed out, the curtain is sort of springing from the top of my head. She made suggestions to tone that down, which I tried - it was too late for the best solution, which would have been to alter the composition from the photo. Oh well!
As for the regular colored pencil work, some areas I was fairly pleased with and felt I'd learned something. Others, not so much, but still learned something. I was clearly in over my head with a striped shirt.
I'm looking forward to taking colored pencils with Amy, in November.
The view from the train window, which was the point of the challenge, was a big smear in the photo, so that was hard for me to interpret. Initially, I tried reproducing what I saw in the photo. Yikes! Then I tried to show some elements of the landscape. Yikes.
Anyway, what a great class and what an interesting idea for this month's challenge!

"Watching" By Debra Tritt Kreiger

"Watching" 5"x7" Watercolor on 140lb paper

I chose this scene because it is an everyday event from my studio. Lots of backyard wildlife for my cats to watch. Sometimes for hours! This is my girl Sherrie. She keeps me company while I paint. This was a real challenge as I had light from inside and outside bouncing everywhere and a warm orange cast from my blinds so when I painted the inside of the window it just wasn't white anymore.
To contact me about the purchase of this painting or see more of my work go to www.debkreiger.com or follow my blog at debkreiger.blogspot.com or you can shop in my new store, Deb's Gifts

LONGING Original Oil Painting by Claire Beadon Carnell

'Longing'

Oil on stretched canvas

15 x 30

Last Thanksgiving, my daughter had set up these pears

in the windowsill to greet us.  They looked so interesting,

peering outside as if with longing.  Of course

my pear obsession button began to beep so I got

lots of pictures so that I could paint it some day...

I got such a smile on my face when I saw Taryn's

challenge for us this month, because this fit the

bill perfectly. 

Thank you, Taryn for the great challenge!

If you would like to see more of my work,

please visit my website or my blog. If you are

interested in purchasing any of my paintings you see

here on this blog, please contact me.

Claire Beadon Carnell

Member of:

Oil Painters of America

Daily Painters of Pennsylvania

Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters