Missing something...Just add oil!

This weekend I have been working, a little restless, but also rediscovering and it is a good thing. I am about 50 percent complete with the murals at the Oklahoma History center, and the one that has been the most fun for me (Alice in Wonderland) is finished save a few extra pieces I may be helping out with in that room. Next there is another section on animation and another add-on to the other mural I thought was done, but it will not take long to complete. I have also been playing catch up on Sit.Stay.Art! admin-type work, mainly updating the artist list with new submissions or answering questions on that. Note: a big project can easily from another one that has a timeline further out-plan accordingly! (I am probably only telling myself that and everyone else already knew hehe)

Here is a tired me after painting lots of singing flowers!

An artist email pen-pal of sorts with whom I used to exchange images and discussion mentioned oils to me a few weeks ago after looking at one of my limited palette pieces. She is also self-taught, but does more outsider-art style work with greater crowdfunding/museum successes and a better editorial eye, and is also from another area of the country- I think I have spoken before about valuing my networks that may offer up views that are different than my typical neck of the woods. I had learned a little with oils from another wonderful artist (with whom I reconnected recently via OVAC- Christopher Owens- check out his work here) but never really followed through with them.  But I do have lots of oil paint, turps, and mediums just sitting around the studio that have been given to me as gifts. (plein-air group anyone?) So Friday I started up with oils again. I have been working on a Persephone piece in acrylic washes over graphite that was just not wow-ing me so I added layers of oil on top. That made a big change! The colors brighter, the lines smoother!  I looked at the paintings of the acrylic layers (which I was sure were not "finished" but I did not know where to go yet) and the after with the oil...and yes...richer they were.

Persephone Hungers 16x20 ©2012 amanda christine shelton
The black lines remind me of graphic novels, one of my big inspirations in all things creative. Some of my favorite artists make art for comic books!

And I played around with some others... the fantasy piece in process now below is "Estella and Archimedes"

estella and archimedes (work in progress in oil) 2012 amanda christine shelton

This one is a lot of fun to paint. The elf-girl is very much like how I draw when I am drawing very loosely, and a little grumpy owl companion in a cute hat? why not! Remember the owl from T.H. White's "The Once and Future King"? (or perhaps the Sword in the Stone?)  I am still calling her a "work in progress" because I need to refine a few things. but I think this is a sign there will be more oil paintings :)   

Both of these oil/mixed works will be available as prints in my Redbubble store in the next few weeks. In the meantime, take a peek over there and see what I have! Matted prints are around $30 on most pieces, and these are all of my lovely ladies!  If you have been following the murals, I will be doing a blog post on them soon but you can see process shots as I finish different sections and upload them from my camera on my Facebook page. What a great week this will be!