Mary Working in Mike's" Early "Had Races and Won"

Often, when I start a new painting, I get very discouraged and wonder why I pretend to be able to do this.  It seems obvious I can't.  I want to give up, because it seems hopeless.

"Had Races and Won"
Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper
1st coat
click this or any image to view larger

"Had Races and Won"
Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper
2nd coat

The images are photos with a point and shoot camera, sorry about the reflections.  I'll start scanning, if I can, I'm having difficulties with my scanner!  :-(

This is a slow process for me, but I am working on i!  It is as of yet quite unfinished.

"Had Races and Won"

Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper

3rd coat

I added another layer of paint.  Most of the paint I am using is fairly transparent (although some is thick and opaque.  I Have to put many layers on to get it to look the way I want it,  I scanned this one, but the scanner is messing up and I don't have time right now to fiddle with it, and since it isn't done yet, I'll just post this--hope you can see the difference between the layers (versions) (drafts).

"Had Races and Won"

Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper*

4th coat

I've added a fourth layer of paint, which took about 4 days, and as you can plainly see, it is till quite a ways from being finished.  I added turtles in the audience at the lower because the space seemed too empty, but they need work, and I painted out the head of the wolf on the furthest left because its legs were too short.  Since the light is coming from above, slightly behind and to the right, I will have to do some work with the sun and shadows, which right now is just plopped on (To make the turtles more visible.).  Too bad, because I was reaching a point of being almost happy with the grass before.  I think the Dachshund is finished or nearly finished, and maybe the cat, too. The elephant is getting closer. (Too bad the scanner won't scan the gutter! :-( )  Frankie is my grandson and this is for a book for him.  The four dark corners are where the clips were holding the pages down.

*The paper is getting progressively thicker!

"Had Races and Won"

Acrylic on thin Moleskine paper*

5th coat

I changed the color of the grass, added the head back on the left-most wolf, worked ont he turtles and miscellaneous other changes.  I think I am nearly finished.