Inky strawberries #660

Daily painting #660 4"x6" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have loved experimenting with the loose inky florals so decided to use some of the delicious fruit in my house at the moment to try a little inky still life. My little still life daily paintings tend to border on realism so to try use the unpredictable, often messy inks was a great challenge today. I also found it so hard that the intensity of the colour looks almost false and I am more familiar with working realistic hues and values. So today was quite a stressful experience...I very nearly threw in the towel and reached for my trusty oils...but I persevered! 

I would love to know what you think....

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings)

Strawberry hearts #659

Daily painting #659. 5"x5" oil on primed canvas panel

Cut in half....bounty from my organic fruit and vegetable box yesterday.

Delicious, juicy and sweet!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings)

End of pink bunch #658

Daily painting #658 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

This beautiful pink bunch has served me well in my studio this week. Despite adding a touch of feminine beauty to my studio (I really am a floral, flowery kind of girl), they have been wonderful full bodied blooms to paint from! But they are nearing the end...petals are starting to fall like leaves in autumn and the leaves are starting to turn brown, shriveled and dry. The beauty of painting from such a bunch is that the blooms get to live on a little longer...even if it is in the painted image!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. We are going into our second weekend (two more to go) without Andrew (my husband) around, but the good news is that the Gemini Arabians won their first game in the Masters Cricket League last night in Dubai! We are SO delighted for him!
A happy Friday indeed!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view available daily paintings)

Falling pink #657

Daily painting #657 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have painted from this bunch of roses for 3 days but it is SO incredibly hot and humid that the beautiful pink blooms are beginning to fall over....to droop and wilt in the unbearable heat. The pink heads are hanging in a state of desperation. I feel quite similar by midday when the heat seems to sap every ounce of energy from me. I might just be able to paint them for one more day and I have topped up the water with ice blocks to try revive them a bit. I have however taken lots of photographs. I have some rather big canvases beckoning from the corner of my studio! 

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted witting to view gallery of available daily paintings)

Soft pink #656

Daily painting #656 8"x8" ink and acrylic on primed panel

The first few ink and acrylic florals that I tried were much more bold and bright. I find both the acrylic and the ink very intense in colour and definitely more bright and bold to work with. The colour feels almost artificial to work with by comparison to my oils where colour seems to feel so much less complicated for me. So I tried to work with a softer tone this time even though the colour of the ink is so intense. The trick was bringing in the lighter values and pastel tones without loosing the deep values and making everything look pale, bland and flat! When last did you experiment in your studio and use a different medium, brush size or technique? I think the thing that stops us from exploring is that fear of failure. If we are not willing to make mistakes we are depriving ourselves the opportunity to grow. Be brave, make mistakes and keep going ....it's fun you should try it!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view available daily paintings)

Single #655

Daily painting #655 6"x6" ink and acrylic on primed panel

I have answered quite a few questions over the last couple of days (on various social media platforms that I share my daily paintings to) about why I have not put any of my little daily ink and acrylic florals into my online store. Well in case you too were wondering...I hadn't put any of them up for sale because I viewed them as little experiments and had kept them in my studio to mull over and work with as I explore and investigate a little further. But the response to them has been overwhelming, so thank you for all the kind comments and encouragement...it's wonderful to be encouraged to 'play' some more! 

Last night after answering the same question for the umpteenth time, I decided to choose just 3 of these little inky experiments and load them onto my Tictail store. They sold immediately and I couldn't be more overwhelmed and grateful for the support and interest in these little paintings! Thank you....

So I promise to load a few more. Keep an eye out on the online store, you can visit it by clicking on the highlighted writing below. South African friends can message me privately or email at heidishedlock@gmail.com for prices in ZAR and for direct purchases. 

Abundant thanks....

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art

Calandiva flowers #654

Daily painting #654 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

These are growing in a pot on the windowsill in my studio. Last week they had tiny little buds. Today they have opened up into heads made up of tiny little flowers. The last 2 days have been so incredibly hot and humid that I am sure they are not going to last very long so I am enjoying the moment!

But NOT the heat....away with you summer now...enough! Sorry if you are experiencing massive snow storms and here I am complaining about the heat. We are experiencing massive and devastating country wide droughts and the Cape is fighting destructive fires. The weather the world over has been a little crazy and extreme! Mother Nature's wrath!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art