By the Sea - Painting

This one is from a visit to Cairns earlier this year. In this semi-abstract painting I have tried to capture the clear and warm water of the  magical sea with its infinite variation in light and color.

 Again I have worked with acrylics on a 18" by 24" canvas.

Don't you just want to dive in?!

xx

Autumn Foliage - Painting

I shared a glimpse of this painting a while back. Here's the finished piece all ready to go up on the wall :)

Pizza Toast

Wondering what to have for breakfast?
Here's my all time favorite.
Pizza toast!...yummmmm

It's super simple, super tasty and did I say SUPER fast?!
And it's also a great way to use leftover bread and veggies at the end of the week :D
So grab some slices of bread and start decorating.

You will need:

AND salami.

Begin by spreading some sauce on your toast. (Pizza, pasta, tomato or whatever you have in the fridge will do)

Add your salami..

and sausages.

Now comes my favorite part: decorating with some vegetable goodness!

Next sprinkle salt and pepper..

grated cheese.

Optional: add a few drops of Tabasco sauce to spice it up a bit

Add a slice of cheese on top and finish it off with a good sprinkle of oregano.

And now you are ready to toast!

Toast it in the oven until the cheese has melted and bread is nice and crispy. Enjoy!

In case you are wondering where I have disappeared...

I am working on another landscape painting and hope to finish it by the end of next week *fingers crossed*

xx

Autumn Colors of the Apricot Tree - Painting

I love color

and good food

And the  best way to spend an afternoon is with a

 + some paints

Source

 AND an empty canvas!

My source of inspiration for the painting was a calendar photograph portraying the natural beauty of lower Swat. And as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to paint this wonderful autumn landscape in a symphony of greens, yellows and oranges.

I started off with a quick sketch -jotting the main features of the composition. Then outlined the main parts of the painting with a wash of Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Yellow + Crimson.

Next, I painted glimpses of sky between the branches and leaves and painted the rocks in the foreground.

I continued with the under painting..

slowly building up the foliage and painting the trees and branches.  I decided to use strong acrylic colors to help convey a riot of autumnal color.

Next came highlights and shadows.

And finally more detail in the foreground - the fallen leaves.

Here's my finished piece (and some close ups)!

xx

Stenciled Herb Pot

Hey guys!

I realize how quiet it has been on the blogging front. It is just that life got super busy for me, not leaving enough time to blog. But, I am back and ready to go full steam ahead with lots of fun projects and tutorials.

So lets get crafting shall we?

There is nothing more satisfying than a DIY project that turns out exactly the way you envision it. So here's a quick and easy tutorial to spruce up your patio with stenciled herb/flower pot.

For this project, you will need:

Acrylic paint
Brushes/sponge roller
Stencil
Masking tape
Tissues/Rag
Newspaper
Container
Pots (I am using plastic ones)

First, cover your work space with some newspaper. Decide on the stencil and colors you want to use. And also plan the layout before you start stenciling.

Next secure your stencil to your pot with some masking tape.

Then load your brush with paint, dabbing off excess on some paper towel. Begin stenciling.

As you can see I first painted the leaves green, and whilst the paint was still wet I applied yellow around the outer edges of the leaves.

Once the paint is dry, remove the stencil and wipe it clean. Reposition and continue till you are done.

Now you are ready to fill the pot with your choice of herb :)

If you make a small error while stenciling, here's how you can correct it: 

 xx