All done in Paintshop7 today with only a mouse paint and smudge tools.. and a few filters all hand painted and drawn today from a photo I took .. WE made gingerbread boys and made a big mess .. Janel (Nellie - my 10 year old) won best gingerbread boy - her gingerbread boy -ohh he is so chubby and cute..! This is all my painting not the photo... I do it by sliding the mouse around and smuging around paint. I realise it might like a bit Christmas'sy cause of the colors but I like contrasted colors on the color wheel so choose the green - with her green eyes and outfit to boldly contrast opposite of red on the gingerbread boy... LOL AUGH SO this was allot of work ... 1. cause first had to make a big mess in the kitchen - 2. then get the right shot-and perspective 3. THEN paint it with love with a mouse... 4. and resist eating My gingerguy-lol!! I am going to have him preserved and keep this cutie doughy guy in my kitchen! I had one of the most spiritual weekends of my life the past few days. as I went to visit my Mom in Las Vagas .. I saw the strip differantly as a photgrapher -light opened up to me in new ways and was so beautiful I had tears in my eyes.. and then the best part of all..!! I got to go to the Monet exibit!!~ they had like 18 Monets there including one of his most famous haystacks.. I studied the paintingd for a long time and felt inspired. Not to be like the master but to pursue a better idea of grasping light and putting what is deep in me out. A few of the Monet paintings actually made me tremble, I sat there on the floor and looked up with an open mouth and rested in his mastery. I love his work right around the year 1900 , where his colors are bold and dramatic and stand out in ways one can only decribe in feeling... its differant than you see in a book or on line up close and right there they jump out at you and move. His strokes are so free and lose and it made me feel better for free strokes not having to always be so acurate ...I am motivated now in a powerful way and am terrified that I cannot live up to what is inside of me.. but the challege awaits and I want to try... So my Mom boutght me oil paints,canves and all the stuff to go with it .for Mothers Day. I might be doing more photography on here and painting on canvas for a while as i want it to re-explore oils..and learn again! This painting is not impressionistic like i had want to eventually do from seeing Monet s work yesterday but more of a happy painting as I am in a new chapter of my life in discovery!. Here is a famous quote by monet that I love ... It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly. -Monet Thanks for all your encouragement and comments you help motivate my desire to become.. thank you!