Running Late

Todays post is a children's illustration drawing, "Running Late".

Baseball

Todays post is a small oil painting study of a baseball from life (6x8"). Even though my studio under the stairs has spider webs and a strange smell, it was nice to steal a few moments and get down there to do some oil painting.

I've been busy lately coloring spot illustrations for Fridays deadline. I'm sparing you and I the monotony of posting spots everyday but I will put up a few this week.

I hope you are all well, I have been missing our more frequent correspondance and I'm looking forward to sharing some cool projects with you all. After this Friday, I hope to join the daily painters movement. This is a group of artist accross the country and world who have committed to painting every day. I can't think of a better way to improve your craft than constant application. Check out the inspiring work some of these artist who are producing on a daily basis:

DAILY PAINTERS GALLERY

Vintage baseball mit study

This is an oil study I did today of a vintage baseball mit. I'm trying to figure out a composition for a small finished oil painting...maybe a ball in the mit, perhaps the mit is angled differently. Don't know yet, have to sleep on it.

Let them eat cake...

I've been slammed with work and life and missing my oil painting easel. Today belongs to more childrens illustration sketches though. Here is a drawing of a girl with a birthday cake.

Good deed.

Here is another illustration assignment I just finished for Harcourt Publishers. This is a magazine piece and was painted digitally in Photoshop.

Oscar

Here is the other page of the childrens magazine illustration I was working on. This is Oscar, he is a pencil sketch that was scanned and painted digitally.

Children's magazine finish

I finished this section of an illustrated spread for a childrens magazine assignment from Harcourt publishers.

Bedside doodle #6

This image might be fun to do a small sculpture of.

Bedside doodle #5

The Tigers are going to the World Series, good for them, I hope they win it all. Baseball makes me nostalgic and before I dozed off last night I penned this bedside doodle of an old time ball player.

"Piper" Bedside doodle #4

Bedside doodle #3

I've noticed that when I have a lot on my plate my bedside doodleing tends to pick up. It's truly my quiet time when my brain pretty much shuts down the left side entirely and I almost begin to drool on myself as I sketch aimlessly. True joy.

From my sketchbook last night, here is a Farmer and some beasts that look a little like cows or pigs.

Ready, Willing and Able (Finish)

I finally finished this small painting, "Ready Willing and Able". (6x8") Oil on wood panel.

Epsom Campsite (finish)

I took out the Epsom Campsite Plein Air study that I had started over the weekend and finished it in the studio today.

Calf House (Plein Air) Great bay Farm, Greenland, NH

This morning I took my pochade down the road to the Great Bay Farm in Greenland, New Hampshire to do some Plein Air painting. I set up in front of the calf house and slapped down some oils as quickly as I could, racing against the fast moving sun.

Half way through my painting I met Cynthia Smith, the owner of the Great Bay farm, who's great grandfather purchased this property in 1895. She put down her wheel barrow to stop and say hello and mentioned she was on the trail of a run-away heffer who had managed to sneak out of the pen. (See my post of the run-away cow above, trotting past me shorly after my conversation with Mrs. Smith.)

I love this farm and it's character and plan to return as often as I can.

Epsom campsite

Here is a quick sketch of the campsite just before dinner. I was feeling good but losing light, so I will finish this in the studio later.

Artist gone camping in Epsom, NH...

I'm going camping in Epsom, New Hampshire. I've been camping here with my friends since 1980 (26 years...yikes). The foliage should be well under way, I'll be bringing my pochade and hope to do a few paintings. I'll post when I get back on Sunday.

All my best to you, have a great weekend.

Todd Bonita

Ready, Willing and Able...(and still working)

I really hate to rush a painting at any point. It only means trouble for all the work you've put into it. I'm not going to rush this, I simply have too many things dragging me away from the studio right now and will have to finish it later. Uuugh! I finished painting the third boat and began adding water and reflections. Still more to go.

Ready, Willing and Able (...not yet)

I painted a bit more today, I would have finished but I was sidetracked by my illustration deadline. I like the progress so far and I hope to finish this tomorrow...really.

Ready, willing and Able (...in progress)

Started laying in some oil on this set of boats. I hope to finish it next painting session.

Superhero dreams (sketch)

I just got another small assignment from Harcourt Publishing to do an illustration of a boy walking a women accross the street while dreaming of being a superhero. This is the black and white sketch I submitted this afternoon for aproval. It's a graphite sketch that I scanned into Photoshop and digitally fiddled with a little. I'll color this after the client comments.