Visiting Northern England: Final Painting #1/Stages 3-6

Stage 3: Blocking in the ewe's body.

It felt good to get back to painting. I started by blocking in the major shapes and colors of the ewe's body with a No.8 flat brush.

These are the two palette knives I used.

And then it was time to pull out my palette knives to add the wool texture.

Stage 4: Adding texture to the neck with a palette knife.

I started with the ewe's neck using my smaller knife.

Stage 5: The ewe's body.

At this point I was squeezing out generous amounts of oil paint onto my palette as I worked on her round, wooly body with the larger knife.

Stage 6: Legs and background.

I worked in the green background as I went to keep my edges varied and fresh. Her legs were a combination of brush and palette knife.

And now, its time to move on to her little lamb.

Painting Sheep IX: Stages 4 - 5, Completed

Painting always makes me happy. But there is something about painting this little lamb that makes her extra special.

Little Lamb
Oil on canvas,  10x8"
Rita Salazar Dickerson

She was born in the same month as my little newborn granddaughter. They live not far from each other. And when I was thinking about a baby gift for her, to welcome her into this world, I thought that a painting of this little lamb would be ideal.

Painting Sheep IX: Stages 1 - 3

When I visited the countryside of North Yorkshire, late winter was rolling into early spring and it was lambing season.

The green pastures were dotted with sheep. Anticipation was in the air. Everywhere I looked there were little lambs with their mamas or well rounded, expectant ewes.

As I blocked in the shapes and colors of this little lamb, memories of that beautiful afternoon came quickly back.  Pablo Picasso said, "Painting is just another way of keeping a diary". How true!