Persian Beauty Cat Portrait

Perfection

Persian Cat

Pastel

A small pastel portrait of an elegant and beautiful cat. This one was begun in black and white charcoal pencils and finished in pastel for more depth. The serene green eyes and soft fur, with subtle blue and lavender tones in its shadows,  were a delight to render. Persians have always been a favorite of mine, not only for their beautiful appearance but also for the sense of serenity and regal bearing. And I have learned from people who have lived with them that they are also playful, they can be a bit willful, and most of them are very affectionate.

Canson MiTientes is still my favorite surface for pastels.  I like the soft side of the paper, which some artists believe is the "wrong" side. It has just enough texture to hold the pastels without the regular weave pattern that seems distracting for me.  Having said that, I also occasionally like to experiment with other papers,  especially those that are "sanded" and some really nice ones with the feel of suede. Variety and experimenting keeps my passion for art alive.

This and other paintings are available through my online gallery, The Creative Spirit Gallery, Art by Della Burgus

Or email me at dellartist@yahoo.com

Sunrise: Morning Has Broken

Sunrise:

Morning Has Broken

The sun rises over distant hills casting a rosy glow across the landscape. The colors are slightly muted, more subtle than the colors of a sunset - a bright, cheerful hello at the beginning of a day in contrast to the vivid, dramatic colors announcing its end.
In order to preserve the luminosity of the colors, I worked this one in layers, gradually building them up from very thin to thicker paint.  It was done is a somewhat looser style than my animal and wildlife paintings without so much attention to detail.
The colors themselves are a fairly standard selection - ultramarine with a little cerulean blue and lots of white for the sky, more white, cad yellow hue and a little ochre for the sun, and just a tiny bit of crimson and even more white where the sun meets the blue sky.  The earth was painted in ochres and umbers, with a bit of raw sienna. I am experimenting with  a new addition to my personal palette -quinacridone burnt orange.  Not new, but new to me and it is working out well so far.
Occasionally adding new colors to my working collection is a good way to keep me from becoming bored - and therefore boring. It can be overdone, of course, but a little change now and then keeps me going.
I gave the painting the title of a favorite song, Morning Has Broken. You may be familiar with Cat Stevens' version of it, My favorite is by Michael Card.

This and many other paintings are available through my gallery

The Creative Spirit, Art by Della Burgus