Virtual Paintout 5: Vevie Goes to Bulgaria!

For the month of April, Vevie and the gang from the Virtual Paintout (HERE) went to Bulgaria, via Google Street View!

(can click on any pics to enlarge)

I've come to believe that as long as there shines a Moon in the sky, so shall the Bulgarian people endure. 

I'm not talking political parties or governments. I mean the true people of Bulgaria. I was moved to tears as I read Bulgaria's tumultuous history. Here is my nutshell version:

They are an ancient people, with rich traditions. The first Bulgarian Empire was established in 681 AD, and was a cultural hub for the Slavic peoples during the Middle Ages.

But in 1396 they came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for the next 5 CENTURIES. After many uprisings over the years, they won their country back about 1878. 

Conflicts... wars... and eventually Bulgaria became a socialist state in 1946, ruled by the Communist Party. 

Finally, in 1989 the people were allowed their first-ever free elections, and transitioned to a democracy.

Bulgarians have endured such suffering and hard times over the centuries, yet even when almost wiped out as a people, they survived. They endured. 

They are not a rich people on average, but have a rich heritage. Isolated monasteries and Catholic communities played a large role in preserving the sense of national identity when it was threatened with extinction.

Photo credit under Creative Commons: Donald Judge 

They struggle even now to come up to the "standards" of other European countries. But they are trying. And I am sure nothing will stop the people of Bulgaria. 

I call my painting "Shoot For The Moon" in their honor:

Now, to the WIPs (making-of photos):

My inspiration location, 

Smolyan Province, Bulgaria:

I ran it through Photoshop, 

played with color, and

decided on this night scene:

Used vine charcoal this time to 

draw the image onto the canvas. 

Ugh... didn't like all the smearing:

Softened it with Paynes Gray acrylic, 

then sealed with medium:

Loose the color! 

Underpainting with Transparent Yellow 

and Quinacridone Magenta:

Blocked in the sky, clouds, 

moon and parts of the church:

Finished up the block in, and added 

the next several layers; haven't added 

the black yet for the tree silhouettes, 

wrought iron fence, and Vevie:

All finished! 

Here showing how the image 

wraps around to the sides:

Close-up of the church:

Vevie would feel left out if 

she didn't get her own close-up:

And once again, the finished painting:

"Shoot For The Moon"

Smolyan Province, Bulgaria

9 x 12 acrylics 

on wrapped canvas

Vevie (rhymes with Stevie) says thank you for visiting and Happy Painting!

Retta

Virtual Paintout 4: Vevie Goes to Lithuania!

This is my 4th painting excursion with the Virtual Paintout gang (HERE). For the month of March we took off for Lithuania, via Google Street View. What a beautiful country!

Here is the Street View that 

I picked for my inspiration 

(can click on any pics to enlarge):

I played with it in Photoshop, 

and came up with this mock-up:

Here is my finished painting:

"Moonlit Dreams Come True"

Vilnius, Lithuania

9 x 12 acrylics 

on wrapped canvas

And now as usual, the "making-of" pics...

I started with an Ultramarine 

Blue underpainting on my canvas. 

Yikes! That took some getting used to! 

Then sketched with a charcoal pencil.

Here I have started blocking in 

major areas with color, going 

from dark to light.

The picture continues around the edges.

And the left edge.

Put down the first cloud layers, 

and continued layers and 

detail below.

Added Vevie looking up at the 

moon, and finished the sky, 

stars, clouds and details.

A couple of close-ups:

And here again is

"Moonlit Dreams Come True"

In conclusion, I wanted to say how humbled I felt at the beginning of this month after reading up on Lithuania. Being my 4th time out with the Virtual Paintout gang, and I am realizing just how much of a geographical ignoramus I truly am!! 

Lithuania has such a rich history, and has been through so many hard times over the centuries. Yet they endure. 

As I "traveled" the countryside away from the big cities, I saw modest homes surrounded by beautiful vegetable and flower gardens. Clean and neat, lush and obviously well-tended. And not just utilitarian, but beautiful to look at. 

After reading their history, I have nothing but respect and admiration for the strong people of Lithuania!

Happy painting and virtual traveling,

Retta

Boomtown Craze Launch Party!

I can't wait to read this new installment in M. Pax's Backworlds series! I can honestly say I totally enjoyed both of the previous books. Very creative... different and fun read. 

Here's the scoop:

A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?

Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in the Backworlds series is here!

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?

Available in ebook at:

AmazonUS / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com

It will also be available in paperback from Amazon shortly.

MPAX

M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.

Website / Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB ~ Goodreads

You can also find M. Pax on LinkedIN, Pinterest, YouTube, and Wattpad

From March 4 to March 22, folks can enter to win the following:

1 set of signed Backworlds paperbacks, including The Backworlds, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, and Boomtown Craze. Will only ship to US residents.

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One of five free ebooks. All countries eligible. Enter the rafflecopter for a chance.

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Tweets: 

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Virtual Paintout 3: Vevie Goes to Chile!

Hola! 

This month Vevie (rhymes with Stevie) got to practice her Spanish. We "traveled" to Valparaiso, Chile via Google Street View, with the Virtual Paintout gang.  

Here is my finished painting, with the making-of details to follow (Can click on any pics to enlarge; I kept them small here, to keep the page from loading like a snail):

"Beacons in the Moonlight"

Punta Angeles Lighthouse 

Valparaiso, Chile

9 x 12 acrylics 

on wrapped canvas

Last month I promised I would explain why I am including a moon in each painting of this series. For me, it carries a spiritual significance. The moon is beautiful and glows in the night sky. But on it's own, it would be dark. It's actually just a reflector of the light from the Sun. 

I am a Moon. My God is the Sun. He lights me up, filling my life with love, joy and peace. Oh, I still have my share of struggles in life, with lots of stuff yet to learn. But through it all, that love relationship with Jesus gives me hope and joy. And I would love to learn how to infuse my art with that joy!

Here then, is the making of Beacons in the Moonlight (there are actually 3 sources of beacons... can you guess?)

This is the original Google Street View 

image I used for my inspiration:

Once again I played with ideas in Photoshop, 

then printed it out as a mock-up to work from:

Textured gesso onto the canvas,

then line drawing:

Red Napthol Lt underpainting,

then Mars Black over line

drawing with brush:

 Starting the block-in of

the sky and ocean:

Continued block-in of lower

half; started clouds, moon,

lighthouse, etc:

Finished sky, ocean 

and lighthouse beacon;

then added the trees in 

front; continuing details:

And a couple of close ups 

for those of you who, like me, 

enjoy seeing the details:

And so, the finished painting:

My plan is to create one painting each month for a year from Google Street View, then have a local show. In the meantime, I am slowly learning how to offer images of them (prints, greeting cards, etc) in my teensy Zazzle store. I might even get caught up there soon, LOL! 

This was my third painting venture with the Virtual Paintout  gang (HERE). 

And it was so much fun! Each month our leader, artist Bill Guffey,  picks a new spot somewhere in the world and we all "go" there and choose our own spot to paint. You are welcome to join us! Visit the Virtual Paintout blog for all the details. 

Happy painting,

Retta

"Send forth your light and your truth, 

let them guide me." 

Ps 43:3

Virtual Paintout 2: Vevie Goes to the Isle of Man!

Today I finished my January painting for the Virtual Paintout... I'm calling it "Moonlight Rendezvous":

(can click any pics to enlarge)

 Whew! Finished just in time. I am determined to learn better time management; this last minute stuff is for the birds! Each month Bill Guffey, who started Virtual Paintout (HERE) 

picks a new destination somewhere in the world, and we all "go" there via Google Street View, and pick out our own spot as the inspiration for a new painting. 

My first one for Dec 2012 was in Slovakia, titled "Moonlight Prowl" (HERE). 

This month Vevie (rhymes with Stevie) and I went to the Isle of Man, which is in the Irish Sea between Ireland and the United Kingdom. Oh, it was sooo beautiful! I have Irish ancestry, and it was so much fun to "wander" the island, wondering if my distant kin might have explored those same fields and hills.

Vevie, my Virtual Paintout muse:

Next is a close-up detail of the painting. The "making of" pics will follow, though there aren't too many. I was so caught up in the painting of it that I kept forgetting to take photos!

Here's the original location that I picked for my inspiration, near Cregneash, Isle of Man:

I ran it through Photoshop to play around and try out ideas, and this is the mock-up Vevie and I liked best:

And now the WIP pics (work in progress pics).

This time I'm painting on 9 x 12 wrapped canvas; as usual, acrylics. I already lightly textured the canvas with gesso; let it dry, and sealed that with medium so it wouldn't be quite so absorbent and suck the moisture out of the paints, causing them to dry too rapidly.

I painted over the light graphite lines with Paynes Grey; then started the underpainting with Indian Yellow. Instead of painting the edges a solid color, I thought I'd have fun and extend the picture around to all four sides:

Adding in some Quin Magenta underpainting:

And finally some Prussian Blue:

Added back some whites where I wanted to keep the lightest lights; darkened Vevie:

The top half of the block-in phase is done here. I started with the farthest away, and am working forward:

Block-in is finished; started the fantasy clouds; here you can peek at the side:

Final layers added; glazes, adjustments, highlights and sparkles:

And it's all finished, Moonlight Rendezvous:

So there you have it, the ancient, historical and magical Isle of Man! I can't wait to find out where we are going next. And this is an open event... anyone of any skill level in almost any medium is welcome to participate. Like crayons, or colored pencils?? Join us! Visit the blog for all the details, HERE. 

All the wonderful and varied paintings from the Isle of Man may be seen on the Virtual Paintout blog, HERE.

And, what's the deal with making all of these "moon" paintings?? Well, since this is too long already, with next month's painting I'll talk about why I am transforming the daylight locations into moonlit paintings... what the symbolism is to me. 

Happy virtual traveling,

Retta