Linda's artwork

[Linda and "Toby"]

I'll post new pieces here as I paint them. I hope others will do the same and start their own threads in the Art Cafe! :)
 

[Carol and Banjo]

Linda.....You just keep getting better!   Absolutely beautiful!   And the expression of Toby's face is just so darned sweet!!!!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Linda you are a magician and an inspiration. I am going to try something myself, if it turns out even a tad a good as yours I will be happy. I'll let you know if it's a success or failure. I've printed it on a textured canvas paper and the first two I printed were way over saturated so maybe I can salvage one with real paint. Wish me luck.

[Linda and "Toby"]

How fun! I can hardly wait to hear how it turns out. :) One thing I've learned about applying paint on canvas is to use colored acrylic very sparingly; rely as much as possible on a glossy (clear) gel medium to create brush strokes.

Oh, my gosh, the first few pieces I did came out horrible - really, really bad! LOL! After lots of trial/error I finally started figuring out how to do it better. I've never had any formal art training so it was a huge learning curve for me to figure out how to paint on a real canvas. Now I'm hooked! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Some people apparently do not need training.

[Rose]

Beautiful!!

[Diane Margetts]

Gorgeous!!!!!! I don't even aspire to your level of talent but I still can't wait to find the time to learn Corel Painter! I plan to subscribe to the Lynda.com tutorial series . . . when I find time . . . dang . . .

[Linda and "Toby"]

Are you kidding me? You have so much natural talent! 

[Linda and "Toby"]

Aw, thank you, everyone!  I went back and tweaked it a bit more today. I think I'm finally finished. :)

I used a plugin filter called Topaz (Adjust 4) to enhance the color and bring out more details. Then (in Photoshop) I used a "smudge" technique to paint the fur and eyes. After "saving" it, I opened the image in Corel Painter I "mish-mashed" the background and went over the bench with some Hard Pastels. Then I saved it again and reopened it in Photoshop. I grabbed a photo I had taken of a stucco wall and changed the color from tan to green. Using a "layer mask" I replaced the curtains in the background with that green wall.  Then I sharpened everything (except the bench). As a final step, I used a Mystical Lighting filter by Autofx to bring in some sunbeams. 

Let's see... I probably have some of the steps saved that I can share with you....

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

That's all ::::)))))) Really, do you think we ordinary mortals could evren aspire to this. Not this one.

[Linda and "Toby"]

LMAO! SURE YOU COULD!!!! But you should talk, I could never in a million years get plants and flowers and vines... (er.. perennials?) to grow the way YOU do!

Hey, that reminds me of something totally off topic, here - I've noticed that if I have a houseplant that's getting sad/droopy and losing it leaves, all I have to do is find another houseplant that's happy and thriving and use the "buddy system" (by placing it right up against the other one, under the umbrella of it's leaves) and it comes back beautifully. I've done this with about 4 houseplants over the past several years and it works EVERY time! I'm sure there's a scientific explanation, but I prefer to think the healthy plant actively participates in helping it to heal. :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Looking at my response I again wish we ordinary mortals could type. But I never tried the plant buddy system and I will keep it in mind! As to the scientific explanation, you've got me.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Here's the final version without that Photoshop window in the way.