Art journal #3

It feels good being back in my studio working again. It took me a few days to get settled in and to figure out where to begin though. I always find it a little bit difficult to get started again after being away from the studio.

It is a little dark today, thick clouds and rainy!

I had decided before I got home that I should start painting all those commissions I have got but never begun. But after cleaning the studio and organizing my new materials I brought with me from Finland I got down to business.  I have now the background to three of the commissions almost done. There will be a few birds, some spring themed 'things' and two forests… I will only give you this teaser now, because I will not post these paintings online before they are done and the new owners have seen them.

My art journal number 3 is full now, so I thought I would share some pages and spreads I do not think I have shared online before:

This is it. All thick and wonderful and totally full!

Opening page. 

I know I have shared this page before, but it is still one of my absolute favorites!

A swan with a poem about autumn by Edith Södergran.

A blue tit.

American coal tit.

This was a thumbnail sketch of a big painting I started many years ago. I threw away the painting as I had some problems with the medium I used. The paint started to crack before it was even dry… I still like the composition though, so I will probably try to paint it again one day with more reliable mediums.

More thumbnails. The gull on top of the right hand page became a painting, and sold!

Common blackbird.

Eurasian treecreeper. This one I have also shared before, but I wanted to include it anyway.

Swan sketches.

Small sketches. Two of these became paintings and are now still on display in my hometown.

A poem and some doodles.

This is a wagtail that is still waiting to be painted on canvas.

Now I can begin with a new sketchbook/art journal. That is always so much fun!