February Blog

Hi all, firstly apologies that I missed January, I was actually not well so wasn't able to post as being on the laptop just hurt my head far to much, however, I'm back on track now and back out in "Dee's Paint Box" (the shed) creating new pieces of art and thinking up new and fun things for me to do and to share with you.

I've been busy while sat not well, making more models as I just couldn't get out to the Paint box, so I've updated my pages on models and the model train pages so you can now go click on the links and see just what I've been up too. I also made it back outside just a couple of days ago (21/02/23) and have started a new piece, I decided it had been far to long since I drew a frog, so I'm drawing a lovely little whites tree frog at the moment in soft pastels and pencils. I have also done a little more work on one of my oil paintings and have been reading up on techniques from my new art books that I received over christmas, so I'm hoping as these two paintings start to move forward they will also show the improvements I've made with oil paints. 

As for water paints, I've not done anything recently with them, however, I will be trying something new very soon with watercolours and I hope you'll enjoy my journey as I start this new chapter with watercolours.

I hope you'll continue to follow me on my artists journey as I find myself and I find my own style in my art and life.

Keep watching for more updates.

Take care

Dee & Moomin from Dee's Paint Box

December Blog

Hello to all and before we get started, wed like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year!

This month has been a little bit all over the  place getting ready for the Christmas celebrations and also my daighter has just started a new chapter in her life, getting her first home with her partner, so ive been busy eheeling her boxes on my knee from house to car, car to new house 😊

I've started on some more more bits for my diorama for the train set, however ive also started looking at models to make and have started my first model diorama yoo.

I'll enclose photos for you to see but theres not anything thats put together yet, it's just separate pieces I've painted and weathered ready to put into a scene, I look forward to sharing with you my finished pieces.

I hope you all vet ehat you wish for and I hope the new year brings you happiness, good health and creativity 🎨

November Blog Additional Post 1

Hi everyone again, and I hope your all still doing great.

Since my last post I've taken a couple of steps that were slightly unexpected and i wanted to share the details with you.

I work with pastels or charcoals as you are all aware, however when i first started drawing, I worked in coloured pencils. I prefered working with pastels and like the finished look more, however on Sunday 13th November I decided to start a new piece using coloured pencils. I actually felt rather nervous when I started, however so far 🤞things are going really well. I dont have to much completed yet but I'll share what i have done so far, so you can see him develope when I post him again next month.

This was a huge decision for me and its someging I've put of doing sonce i was a teenager, I was that nervous! 

Still, on Thursday 17th November I decided to go for it and started my first ever oil painting! 

I'm not sure quite how but I've managed to start a second portrait of a leopard too. I just felt the picture i found was the right one for me so drew it out on canvas. Its actually been sat on my easel for approximately a week, I drew it then washed it with a light ocre so i wouldnt be painting straight on to a white background, something i was advise to avoid, so I picked it up on Thursday afternoon after a morning of doing more on my coloured pencil leopard, I decided to stop putting it off and just go for it. 

I've basically got one layer down so far and its now sat drying enough so I can continue painting on it in a couple of days. Theres probably a few weeks worth or more of work to be done on it, however so far I'm not only happy with what I've achieved so far, but I'm also really enjoying using oil paints and really hope this tirns out great so I'll be happy to paint more.

Here is what I've done so far, just remember theres so much more to do to finish this.

Keep watching for more updates.

Keep watching for more updates.

Take care

Dee & Moomin from the ArtStudioShed

November Blog

I've been quite busy though feel like I've achieved nothing, I think thats a thing at times with any artist.

I've made rather a large decision today regarding my art and regarding commissions.

Because I'm still finding myself, my style and what makes me truly happy within my art, I'm no longer going to draw commissions for people, apart from on very rare occasions. 

I want to focus on spreading my wings now I have my own art space. There's so much i wish to try; I'd like to do more with coloured pencils, I'd like to do more pastel work, I'd like to find my feet with charcoals and find my style and I'd like to paint more. I want to do more with watercolours but I also want to self teach myself about oil painting and create my first ever oil painting. If im drawing commissions for others I just wont ever find the time to do these things and become more comfortable and confident in my own work. So I have decided tonight that this is what im going to do.

I'm sure over time I'll do commissions again, I'm sure all artists do, however for now what I'd like to do is create art that I love and either hang it on my walls, get prints done and sell them, and sell originals paintings and drawings too of things I think people will like. 

So watch this space people because some big changes are coming. Much larger pieces of art, no more little pieces, unless its a painting maybe, and much more mess and fun with pastels, charcoals and paints! I cant wait to see how i grow!

I did manage to finish little elephant who in the end I named "A Future" as I felt this fitting for the struggles these beautiful animals are going through, all babies are their furure.

I hope you like him, he's on the Portfolio Page but here he is too. I might have some prints done of this little guy in the future as hes been quite popular.

Wishing you all a wonderful November

From Dee & Moomin at The ArtStudioShed

October Blog

Once i was in my own art space something changed very quickly for me. It was rather strange and I cant put my finger on just one thing that it seemed to be, but i do feel just having my own space has been a huge game changer for me. I feel I'm enjoying my art much more, I'm spending more time drawing and less time being distracted, and my art definitely seems to of improved just since the move, I can only put that down to being so happy.

Sadly just days after getting in my new ArtStudioShed, I became very ill with a bad infection in my right kidney. This for me is not a good thing as my left kidney is failing, so my right kidney is already under strain at the moment so the pain was just unbearable. In the end after 3 days in bed running a temperature, my fiance contacted my doctor who sent me antibiotics straight out and after a few days of taking them I've managed to get out for a few hours for the first time today.

I did more on Little Dirt Stomper, and he's coming along just beautifully. Once I've done him I've got some Great Dane dogs to draw so I can't wait to try giving them a go. I also have some horses i want to draw as people just seem to love them.

Anyway for now, I'm keeping things short and sweet, as its time for meds and sleep, then I'll hopefully make it tomorrow.

Take care all my beautiful friends and supporters.

Dee and  Moomin

The Artist & ArtStudioShed doggy mascot.

Dee's First Blog!

Exciting News!

14th October 2022

Firstly hello to everyone! Thanks for not only being here, but also supporting me on my journey, whether your new here and to Hooves And Frogs or whether you've been here from the start, each and every one of you are special to me and are totally appreciated by me and Moomin, the little Studio support dachshund.

So from my many recent posts on Instagram and Facebook youve probably already seen the exciting news! I finally have my own ArtStudioShed! Yes thats what im calling it 😁

We were given the shed for free which was a huge help to us as we just financially couldnt afford to buy a new one or even a good secondhand shed as theg weee all do expensive! All we had to do was dismantle the shed then bring it home, that was a huge job and left totally to poor Jools! However, he did an amazing job and got her home in just two trips on the trailer.

She was in a little worse for wear however Jools took of any pieces that were rotten ir just to soggy and replaced them reclaiming wood that was good from our old smaller shed. The floor was totally gone and just dust so he had to build a new one but managed that quite easily too. 

Once all her sides were up, I helped paint her with some proper shed paint in the two colours i chos we, Forget Me Not and sage i believe was the other colour. Jools then put the roof on and some new felt to keep any water out and get the shed nice and dry, he then lay plastic sheeting over the treated floor and then some lovely thick cushion flooring after id finished painting the lower part of the inside walls.

It was all about moving then! Shes looking anazing too! 

To have my own space to be able to sit and draw is just amazing! and if it gets to cold ive a great little gas heater that Jools would use for fishing to keep me warm.

Theres a couple of small things that i want to do like seal around the doors better to keep drafts coming in and getting the elecric put in here, but im currently using an extension cable so i can manage till that time.

So please meet the ArtStudioShed 😁

ps I did the dacshunds stencils that are painted on the doors and just need a sign and she'll be complete.

Take care everyone