Terminally cute: Toys with Doggy

About the addition of live animals to recent 'still life' paintings: the paintings seem more interesting to have a someone looking back at you.

I added some hens and a doggie for variety. I am afraid the paintings are looking terminally cute. Even the painting of the pile of shoes, and my new one of a pile of toys….too cute. I think just about any animal would have that effect though, especially if it's looking at the viewer. Maybe painting dead animals is trendy, but honestly I am trying to paint a live creature with a personality.

The juxtaposition of the animal against the other objects seems interesting and seems to create stories. The painting below seems sad because of the suitcase, I think.

On my website "Cramptonarts", I recently posted some temporary galleries to show more of my small landscape and recent still life paintings (while I search for a good Java slideshow). More artwork series to come. Please check them out!
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Below is the first shot I took when I had already obliterated the handle of the suitcase as it was in the wrong place. Painted the red items, first layer. (A chair in the foreground):

2nd shot below: Handle still seems to be in the wrong place. A pass to add blue as well as a little of everything else.

Third shot below: Fattened up the dog. Another background layer or two. Painting highlights and color on all elements. Ladybird was helping on left corner.

4th Shot below: Another layer of background and foreground and more local color. 

Here's the final below (left and right cropped slightly): I tried to paint the stripes at bottom once but ended up painting them about 3 or 4 times. Repainted foreground a couple of times. Lightened background. Futzed with dog's shadow on briefcase. Repainted keyboard several times. Also wheels, green thing, car, drum, well everything really. 

Still life

The Vegas paintings did not turn out as well as expected. Disappointing. 

Back at home, I decided to paint fruit and veg in the studio. Generally I paint still lifes every year for auctions or whatever, but this turned into a whole series.

My sister was always telling me to get rid of stuff. “Take a picture of it and then get rid of it.” I added some objects to the pictures but I did not get rid of the objects.

I am pleased with the results. I like the paintings and they were fun to do. They are not very exciting though the way a plein air painting seems to be, when it turns out well. 

This is still painting reality, but easier—much easier. No wind, no running out of sun time. And you can eat some of the stuff when you are done.