An oil painting on a pressed leaf, based on a robin that often        visits   my garden.  It's just a shame that the leaf tore a little.

                  I am really enjoying these opportunities to draw life models.  This first image was just a quick warm up pose, I really like it because
​it makes me think of being lost in contemplation.



                  In some of my other drawings I tried to add shading, in the 
 hope that there would be a more three dimensional aspect.

                    

    I pressed some leaves earlier this year with the idea of painting on them.  This is based on a robin that is often in my garden.  I used oil paints for this, it was just a shame that the leaf ripped a little.  I did seal it with some varnish as well.

     

     I want to try and make my Christmas gifts more personal, so for one friend I am going to try and paint her Bichon Frise with oils on canvas.  Someone suggested to me it is good to start with a black background, however I have decided that I prefer to work with a white background.

       Below is a photo showing the texture that I have been able to achieve with the oil paints.  The downside is that it will take a long time to dry.