I know I have stated this before, but I cannot get over how fast the time seems to fly by. I could have sworn it was Monday only yesterday, and now it is Friday again. And tomorrow we will enter August. We have lived for a little more than half a year in New Zealand now.
I have not given China many thoughts since moving away. I am enjoying my new life too much in this beautiful country. I was thinking about it only yesterday, that I have been feeling so at home from the start it feels like we have been here much longer. Our life in China feels like it was ages ago. Are there things I miss from Shanghai? Absolutely. I miss the food and affordable massages. Mostly I miss being closer to my family and friends. But not much more than that that I can think of at the moment.
Silvereyes. Or Waxeyes, depending on what you want to call them. I am enjoying watching them everyday in my garden after I discovered that they like to eat apples. And grapes. They love grapes. I had a few that had gone soft, so I tried to give it to the birds instead of throwing them away, and it was an immediate success. They are so small and so cute. This is a spread in my artjournal where I tried to figure out what kind of background I want to paint with one of them. Watercolours.
Some sketches in my sketchbook.
I have many paintings in progress at the moment, and I know I should finish them before starting on any new canvases. But after getting so many new nice reference photos last week I just couldn't help myself. I had to start painting on this little Silvereye in oil colours. I quite like this first step of the painting, and I think I have to try and see if I could make a painting as simple as this next time. The background, I mean. That is one reason why I love to take photos of my paintings in progress because you never know what can inspire your next painting.
Second layer of oil paint. Not much more to do, just some details after this layer has dried a little.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and happy painting!