A walk and a day in the yard

Babar Sher Pride

11" by 14" acrylic on Everlast canvas board

May 5, 2013

The sand road is made of glass bead gel and my secret mixture to make "just-the-right" sand color!  I don't know, are these two females walking the cub?  So far, all my other Babar Sher lions have big manes.  Oh well, doesn't really matter.

Ron and I worked in the yard for about four hours today.  It is so satisfying to see how nice the yard looks tamed.  And after the recent four days of rain, you can imagine how much Spanish Moss was lying about the yard - about five huge bags full!

I have to confess, I did start three canvas' but didn't complete one today.  It's been a long time since that has happened.  It does happen every once in a while which is certainly O.K. but I feel like I've missed something.  We'll see if I can get back on tract today, but I'll tell you, I'm a hurtin' puppy after all that yard work!  Everyone says it, but it doesn't make it any less true, I'm not as young as I used to be!

Golden Lion

Babar Sher African Lion

11" by 14" by 3/4" acrylic on cradled canvas

April 30, 2013

Lots of glass bead gel making up the sandy beach gives this one a real textured feel.  I use glass beads often making a rough texture like sand and dirt.  One of my favorite ways of using them was to make it look like rain on glass.

Walk Like a Babar Sher

Babar Sher Born To Wander

8" by 8" by ¾" Acrylic on Cradled Wood

April 8, 2013

Some you like, some you don't.  This one is definitely a like!  It's funny about this wood surface.  I actually painted an antique Christmas ornament on it and it was really lousy.  I scraped off all the excess paint, gesso'd over it and wal-la, a new Babar Sher was born!  You can't even see any left over brush strokes.  In this case, it took two times to get it right.

Babar Sher Moyenne

Babar Sher Moyenne

6" by 8" acrylic on canvas board

April 5, 2013

Another Babar Sher, remember that is Lion in Urdu!  I really like painting my Babar Sher Series, they may be the direction I am heading, at least in part.

I had a great day in the studio yesterday.  Got lots started and a couple completed.  I'm on my way to the studio now.  Let's see what today brings.

Wonderful Days!

Babar Sher Beloved

9" by 12" by 1½" acrylic on cradled canvas

April 3, 2013

I feel like I'm beginning to find my niche!  Maybe not completely, but at least a start.  I have four series: Babar Sher's, Number Kids, sock monkeys, and Wire Hanger Series.  In addition, I'm finding I really like fields, vineyards and barn landscapes.  Maybe I will find out who I am eventually!

This darling little painting is of a Father looking at his cub.  Nothing else needs to be said!  And, it is a Babar Sher Series painting and that always makes me happy to add a new lion to the pride!  The dirt they are standing on is made using glass bead gel, one of my favorite tools I've used many times.  You may be able to see it if you click on the image and then again to enlarge it.

The day past was so successful, I couldn't help but smile while I worked.  I couldn't help but thank Our Father for all that He has done for me and for the gifts we can choose to use.  Life is good!

Babar Sher Familia

Babar Sher Familia

14" by 18" by ¾" acrylic on cradled linen

March 19, 2013

Another Babar Sher painting from a photo taken by Daniel Dolpire for the National Geographic Magazine in the Serengeti in Tanzania.  The father of three, from South Africa, snapped the three-year-old males, from the 30-strong Black Rock pride, during a trip around Tanzania and Kenya.

Babar Sher Desire

In 2009, I began a series of Lions I called "Babar Sher".  Babar Sher is an Urdu word for lion and I liked that.  This was to be the last of that series, but I wonder, when you let 4 years go between them, can it still be called a series?  Oh well, a series it is and if I ever feel like it, I will add to it!  So, here, without further ado, is #4 of a series of four.

Babar Sher Desire

12" x 16" acrylic on canvas board

March 4, 2013

I thought it would be fun to see them all together, so here are the rest.  The one called simply Babar Sher was not part of the series but was the "prototype" that started me painting them in the first place.

Babar Sher (Urdu)

Babar Sher Crimson

Babar Sher Grande

Babar Sher Fierce

BTW, today's Babar Sher's name came about this way.  I wanted to name it after my dog Stella.  That brought on the idea of "A Street Car named Desire".   I mean, what else could it have been?  I've always felt bad that the Blog is named after the other two, Erin and Annie.  I had had them about 6 years when I started the blog and they were already my faithful friends.  It was only after the Blog was started that Stella came to live with us and therefore, she was left out.  Frankly, the name of the Blog would have become a little awkward anyway, Ha! Ha!  So, there you go Stella, you have a painting in your honor now.

You were not made from a common mold

Babar Sher Crimson

acrylic on 10" by 10" by 1.5" gallery canvas

available $60 + $8 shipping

email me for PayPal invoice

This is the 3rd of four lions I started a couple of weeks ago. I still have one more and I'm sorry to say, it has taken me a little longer than I had hoped.

This lion is painted in almost all iridescent golds, copper & bronze. There are touches of 4 other colors, I'm sure you can see black and white! Also, there is a touch of pink on his nose and a touch of yellow orange azo under his wiskers. For me, very minimalistic!

The background is so yummy because the sides of the gallery wrap canvas are slightly contrasted to the front background. The background is Qunacridone Magenta and the sides are Hibiscus. OOOww, this is a pretty combination!

I know you can't wait - ha! ha! - but I'll give you a hint, the next - the last - lion will be on a green/gold background. Maybe this lion will be green, too!

I thank God for the way he made you, distinct, special and unique. You were not made from a common mold.

~ Erwin W. Lutzer

I WILL see you tomorrow!

Fierce, but never low or underhanded

Babar Sher Fierce

acrylic on 12" by 12" canvas board

Sold to Ginger $60 including shipping

This is another Babar Sher. I couldn't believe how fierce he turned out! I probably shouldn't admit that, but sometimes you just don't know where things are going. The background started with an iridescent gold. I wanted to put a dark blue wash on it, but it completely covered the gold. I used a palette knife to blend the colors. I wasn't happy with the result, but hoped it would work with the painting. It did!

This is the 2nd of four new Babar Sher's I hope to finish in the next week. I have the other two canvas backgrounds ready.

I may have been fierce, but never low or underhand. Ty Cobb

Waiting for a beautiful morning
Goodnight

I am sometimes a lion

Babar Sher Grande

acrylic on 11" by 14" Claybord

This is a larger version of Babar Sher, Urdu for Lion posted on May 20, 2009. I am attempting 4 variations of that painting as an exercise. This is the first completed one. I hope to finish the 2nd one tonight.

This painting has renewed my appreciation for Claybord. Claybord needs to be painted with thin washes of color layered upon layer. I usually paint with straight heavy body acrylics and apply them anywhere from thin to fairly thick. So, I got to practice using washes. I used 3 washes on the background. The first two were Soft-Body Pithlo Blue RS mixed with equal parts of blue interference and iridescent gel. The third coat was Soft-Body Iridescent Rich Gold mixed with equal parts of gold interference and iridescent gel. I love the result!

When the lion was almost complete, I decided it was too green, so covered most of the face with gold interference. That did it!

The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.
Chanakya

The quote, if you are reading this, is mostly for my new friend James Parker. I take my painting very seriously. Nothing will stop me, as I do it for myself. If someone likes it, that is a gift for me! This will spill over to all other aspects of my life as I continue to grow.

I am alright! Thank you for caring!
Goodnight!

A Good Day For A Lion

Babar Sher
(Urdu for Lion)
acrylic on 6" by 6" canvas board

$35.00 includes shipping
email beckielboo@comcast.net for PayPal invoice