Back to the painting chair

So here's another portrait sketch I've been "working on," although the photo's lighting kinda stinks. I put that in quotes because that means that I started it a week ago Tuesday, and then finally got around to picking up a brush and finishing it tonight. I've been working hard on some other non-painting creative projects that have taken up my painting hours, but there done so I should be able to hopefully be a little more consistent again, because it sure felt great to be painting tonight! I think the sketch is lovely but sadly lost the young girl look a little too much. She has these gorgeous huge eyes with quite enviable lashes but when I painted them, it made her look more like a teenager. And I sure wish there'd been better lighting in the photo. I'm not experienced enough with portrait painting yet to be able to just make that sort of thing up.

But in a different matter, I got some good news! My painting, Deserted Splendor (seen in this post), got accepted into a national competition. I've never got into a national competition before so I'm pretty stoked! I'd never applied to one before but I sent some out a few months ago and had been discouraged by just getting back rejections until this one. It'll be in the Western Colorado Watercolor Society's 20th Annual National Exhibition that starts March 1st. I'm totally bummed that I won't be able to go see the show in person but airlines and doctors have that pesky rule about not flying in your last month of pregnancy and the show opens less than two weeks before I'm scheduled to have a baby so that's pretty much out. But it's cool nonetheless! Oh and that would be my other reason for me not painting enough lately. My hard, wooden painting chair is so not meant for a 7 month pregnant lady to sit in for more than a few minutes. I've got to figure out a different arrangement.