Name That Drawing

Want to help me name a drawing? First you get to read how the drawing came about.

Chickens are a popular subject in life and in art. They will make an appearance in my 2019 calendar, and I chose these 2 photos to work from.

The black dude on the lower left has too little detail, so I substituted this one. It is called a “Barred Rock”, as opposed to a “Plymouth Rock”, because it has “bars” on it. (Does a Plymouth Rock have plymouths on it? What is a plymouth?)

The drawing was a challenge; my students have heard over and over from me, “Pick something you love because you will be staring at it for a long time”. Can’t say I love chickens, but I do love a good pencil challenge.

Slow start
Closing in on it. That guinea hen was a huge challenge with all her tiny spots.

YEA! Finished! But what shall I call it?? “Hectic Hens”, “Large And In Charge”, “Do You Know Who I Am?” or something else entirely? (I already used “Busy Flock” on a oil painting.) 

What do you think? You may tell me in the comments, or email me at cabinart@cabinart.net. I’ll wait a week or so, and then pick a winner. There will be a prize. Might be an egg or something. . . 

May Flowers

April showers bring May flowers in some parts of the world; in Three Rivers, it is more this way: With April heat, May flowers are beat.

That’s okay. I can paint my own flowers.

This is going to take longer than expected. Most paintings do.
I build the background around the flowers, then touch up the flowers.
Enough greens; time for flowers.
Wild Hyacinth and Chinese Houses.
There is so much variety, and I’m trying to make it look natural rather than arranged.
I think this is finished! I titled it “April in Three Rivers” and sent a photo of it to a lady who expressed an interest during the Studio Tour. She wants it! I can paint it again for you- 8×10″, $125 plus tax. 
That was so fun that I began a similar one, this time in the horizontal format.

But wait! What is all this?

Lots of skies.

This is how it looks when there is a stack of new paintings ready to begin. Sky is the farthest thing in a scene, so it goes on first.