Afternoon Knitting Session

In the afternoons, I've been getting into my knitting again.  Usually at this time of the year, I don't as it's too hot; but here in Queensland, we've been having a very cool Summer, so I've picked up my needles again and been able to knit.

Recently, I have found that I have a lot of leftover wool from finished scarves.  So, I thought to make a long, skinny scarf out of the wool and see how long I can make it - just for the fun of it.  Right now, it's a little over a metre long and I've gone through three colours; with more being found as I hunt through my two knitting bags.  

If you'd like to lay bets on how long this scarf is going to be once it's finished, I'll finish it up with tassels and post it off to you when I finish it up.  And seeing how fast it's taking shape, it shouldn't take that long to do.  I'll keep you all posted about how it's doing over the next week or so... keep your lengths coming.  

I'm working with size 4mm needles, it's 17 stitches wide and I'm using a Moss Stitch; so it'll be nice and cosy when you wear it anywhere in the world.  Until my next post, keep creating!

And The Winner Is.......

As you may have noticed, the polls on the 'Name That Painting' Competition have closed; and a title has come out on top as a favourite.  And it's a great title too; very 1960's, very lovely and wonderfully retro.  I do love it as well. 

First things' first though, you're all wondering who came up with the title, I'm sure.  After I posted this competition here, I went onto Bookcrossing (as we have some artists there) and put the competition up there; and I had an influx of suggestions and titles come in.  

'Flower Power' was the winning title by far with 56% of everyone's vote.  Thank you all for taking the time to vote with your mouses... and having a look at the painting as well.  It means a lot to me.  This painting will be a part of a future exhibition I'm hoping to be accept into in the next few years.  So, keep your eyes peeled for that.

As for the person who came up with the title?  Well, their name is:  

                           Chaminox44! 

Thank you again so much for taking part in this competition.  I did have a few favourite names, however, this one really took in the feel of the painting completely.

I will be conducting other similar competitions in the future as I work on other older pieces of work from my past - some to bring new life into, while others to finish them completely.  So, keep your eye on this blog for another Name That Painting Competition, it may come around sooner than you expect.  Until my next post, keep creating.  

Days Away From Finishing!

Now, it's been about a month since I put out the call for your help to name this painting.  And I've been working on it every afternoon - and on my weekends when I'm not editing my books.  Now, I'm up to the final week of finishing it up.  

The background is almost finished, the flowers have to have their finishing touches applied and it needs to be signed.  But there is one vital thing - the most important thing - that needs to be applied to this painting!  It needs a name!  And instead of me picking the name, I've had people suggest to me that there ought to be a poll to see which name is the most popular.  So, you'll see at the top - above the Followers - is the poll of all the names.  Which ones do you like?  Please put in your favourites - you can vote on more than one - and on Friday, I'll pick the most popular.  Otherwise, I've posted the photos of the painting from beginning to end below.

I'm so happy with how far I've gotten with this one; as well how it's turned out.  I didn't know it was going to turn out to be such a lovely painting.  And the list of names I've received thus far really suit it too.

Name That Painting - Update

Now, as you all know, I've been running a competition to name one of my archival paintings which I'm currently fixing up.  This has been no easy task as I'm now up to doing the background and detailing work before signing it; and I don't like to rush this part.  However, I will let you all in on the names that have been submitted to me; unfortunately, not many of you put them down in the comments as I had hoped.  I won't put down the names of who's titles are whose, just the titles suggested to make this fair.

Secret Flowers

Summer

Starburst

Kalediscope

One Fine Orchard/Flos Campi

Star Fish Flowers

Garden Starfish

The Flower Burst

Flower Power

Abundance

Stella Maris

Power of Flowers

All of these are brilliant titles; however only one will win the prize of arty bits'n'pieces - such as brushes, paint, sketch books, pencils and other cool and useful artist's things.  I'll be drawing this competition by the end of this month - 30th, September, 2011.  So, if you'd still like to enter, there's still a lot of time left.

Update on the Archived Work and Competition

Well!  Since I last posted here, I've had a great response to the Name This Painting Competition.  And I've also been working hard on this one too being pleased with how it's coming along. 

First sitting:  not much had been done in this one; just colour sorting.

Second Sitting: I completed the orange flower and part of the brown on the right side.

Third Sitting: Began painting the background an off-white to fill in any gaps before going on.

 I have been painting at night when there's nothing on television; and just before bed too as there's always something on this painting that needs fixing up.  So, It'll be finished before long - I know it - and the name will be picked out.  In my next post, I'll put up the list of names that have been suggested.  I know that there's only been on comment, however others have seen this on another site, and have bombarded me with names.  If you have a name for this one, don't hesitate to place in the comments below; you never know, you may win the prize of arts goods such as brushes, paints, small sketch books and other useful items.  This is an international competition; and I will post the items off via air mail so you will receive your prize as soon as possible.  Otherwise, keep entering.  This painting won't take long to finish.

From the Archives of my Life

Years ago, I began painting flowers - lots of them!  And it was a phase I went through.  I painted them all over canvasboards and Masonite and they looked gorgeously bright as well as creepy and dripping onto the table from a melting vase (yes, I did paint a vase of flowers once during a very hot, sticky Summer's weekend because I felt like I was melting; and the flowers on the table were drooping slowly over those two days... so, what else could I do, but paint them as they melted along with me?). 

Yesterday, I pulled one of my canvasboards out of the storage facility which I had begun to paint with flowers - and hadn't finished - and decided to complete it.  I don't have a name for this one; so I may yet do another competition of Name that Painting!  Sounds good? I hope so.  I'll have to find a suitable prize and let you in on how it's going.  I don't know how long it'll take to complete; and yes - just like last time - this one will be international (to make it fair for you all).  So, take a good look at the painting I've uploaded - and will upload in following posts as it progresses - and put in the comments below your ideas for a name.  I do have a few ideas for one, but none of them seem to match what I'm hoping for.  The prize will be something like that last one - a book or some art gear (brushes and paint or something of that nature).  Good luck to you all in Naming that Painting.

And The Winner Is........

Yes! We have a winner in the 'Name That Painting, Win An Art Book' Competition. I did the sneaky thing and posted it off early last week so it would arrive this week to its destination and surprise the winner completely!

And the winner of this wonderful 'Drawing Class' by Barrington Barber book is.....

ComradeCamper

Yes! Out of the seventeen entries for the title of my untitled painting, the one that made it onto the back of the new and improved - not to mention, finished - painting, is 'Canyon of the Giants'.

I received the e-mail today that ComradeCamper received the very large and heavy book in the mail yesterday and is absolutely over the moon about the quality of it. And the best thing she loves about the book is that it's and Australian book and not American; so it's something she can't find in her own country. ComradeCamper looks forward to learning how to draw in the 12 lessons 'Drawing Class' by Barrington Barber has advertised on the front.

And The Painting's Finished!

Yay! The painting has been completed! With two weeks or so to spare too! I put on the finishing touches yesterday afternoon and signed it! So, how's that for getting it before the deadline. I have seen it change a lot since I put it back up on the easel and with fresher and new colours introduced as well, it's looking lovely.
Now, all I need to do is pick out a name from the list of 17 that have been offered up by all of you who have entered this competition. And from those 17, I've found two that I love. The two are:

'Canyon of the Giants'
'On the Edge of Forever'

Now, the two who put in those titles know who they are. And I'm going to keep my decision a secret until the last day. You can make up your own mind about who is going to win. And until 31st, January, 2010, here's the photos of what the painting looked like before and after I finished it below.

Name That Painting Competition - An Update!

I just thought to give you guys an update on this little competition I started last year; and let you know that I haven't forgotten about the painting or that there's that lovely prize of that brilliant 12 Lesson drawing book up for grabs if I choose the name you've entered as the suggested title of this painting.

Now, I haven't got an up-to-date photo of it; and have done this on purpose, so that you can all have a look at the finished product once I've drawn the name and the winner from the list of 17 people who jumped in and had a look, gave in their title and then have been wondering if they're going to win.

I have been working on the un-named painting over the last month or so and it has improved markedly. So, when I do put the photo of it up when it's finished, it will look complete and fresh. And I will put up a photo of what it looked like before and after its completion so you can see what I did to improve it.
Well, we have around 20 days left of the competition to go until I put the finishing touches on the painting and sign it with its chosen name written on the back. I wish you all luck in whoever is the winner.

This Is Just The Beginning!

I have had my share of paintings - good and bad - however, I've found that some of them just aren't finished. A lot of them haven't even been signed. So, while cleaning up the office one day recently, I put away the signed and finished ones and left the unfinished ones that looked rushed. And in the last two weeks, I began working on the first of many which are going to be fixed up and finished to how they were meant to look like. First though, I'm making sure I'm going to take a before photo so you can all see how they look before and after the fixing up.

This first one is un-named. So, I'm running a competition. Whoever can name this painting will be getting a book on art sent out to them. I'll make the draw once I've finished and signed it and taken another photo of the painting for all to see. You have to be in this to win this. This is an international competition. And I found the perfect book! Here it is! If you'd like this book at the end of January next year, enter this competition to name the painting at the top of this post! Just leave your suggested name in the comments here on 'A Natural Background' and you can enter as many times as you like.

At the end of January 2010, I will be putting up the name of the winner in a new post with a photo of the completed painting. I'll be needing the winner to post an e-mail address I can contact them on for their mailing address to send them the book! Good Luck!