The finished ladybird painting!
By Sharon Elton
@sharonelton (30756)
Lichfield, England
September 12, 2024 9:32am CST
I managed to do some painting today for the first time in weeks because of Mum being in hospital. I've finished my ladybird painting! (See picture above.)
I went over the red part of the ladybird first because that was very patchy. I used deep red for this, although I don't know wether this was really the right shade of red for a ladybird.
While the red was drying I painted the flowers up the top right corner. I mixed a lot of white with a little lemon yellow and I mixed a little vermilion with a bit of black. I painted the flowers with the white and then added the green for the stem, then attempted to blend them a little on the largest flower where the flower meets the stem. It didn't work very well at first, and the paint was too runny. The white was running down the whole length of the stem!
So I had to blott it with some kitchen roll and try again. It worked eventually though, I think. Then I added some red mixed with a bit of black to two of the flower heads.
I added a bit of shading and highlights to the main leaf that the ladybird is standing on so that it doesn't just look like just one block of colour, but has some contrast to it. I don't really think I've managed to show how the ridges in the leaf go though, it still just looks a bit flat to me, but that's something I'll have to work on.
I added some grey made from mixing black and white to the bottom right corner. I tried to make it so that it didn't just look like a flat colour, but had a swirly kind of look to it.
When the ladybird was dry I painted in the black markings and the head. Then I painted the top of the legs black. Then I painted the next part of the leg in the same red and black mix as I used for the two flowers. And then I painted the bottom of the legs with the red on it's own. I mixed the red with a bit of lemon yellow to make an orangy colour to paint his feeler at the front.
I added white highlights here and there and some black for definition. And now I'm calling it finished.
What are you lot getting up to today?
I hope you are all well.
Have a nice day. 
So I had to blott it with some kitchen roll and try again. It worked eventually though, I think. Then I added some red mixed with a bit of black to two of the flower heads.
I added a bit of shading and highlights to the main leaf that the ladybird is standing on so that it doesn't just look like just one block of colour, but has some contrast to it. I don't really think I've managed to show how the ridges in the leaf go though, it still just looks a bit flat to me, but that's something I'll have to work on.
I added some grey made from mixing black and white to the bottom right corner. I tried to make it so that it didn't just look like a flat colour, but had a swirly kind of look to it.
When the ladybird was dry I painted in the black markings and the head. Then I painted the top of the legs black. Then I painted the next part of the leg in the same red and black mix as I used for the two flowers. And then I painted the bottom of the legs with the red on it's own. I mixed the red with a bit of lemon yellow to make an orangy colour to paint his feeler at the front.
I added white highlights here and there and some black for definition. And now I'm calling it finished.
What are you lot getting up to today?
I hope you are all well.
Have a nice day. 
11 people like this
11 responses
@LindaOHio (222288)
• United States
13 Sep 24
That's a very good ladybug. I'm going to see my hubby today. Have a good weekend.
2 people like this

@LindaOHio (222288)
• United States
15 Sep 24
@sharonelton You're welcome. I have no idea when he's coming home at this point.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
16 Sep 24
@LindaOHio Thank you.
I'm sorry to hear that. You've been too long waiting. 
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it.
I hope you got to see your husband. Any news about when he should be coming out yet?
2 people like this


@Shavkat (141906)
• Philippines
18 Sep 24
@sharonelton No worries. I do like it.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Ah, thank you very much, that's very kind of you. I'm glad you like it. 
1 person likes this

@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Sep 24
That ladybug is really looking good. The leaves are nice too.
1 person likes this

@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Sep 24
@sharonelton ........You are your own worst critique. Give yourself a break.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so.
I'm glad you like the leaves, because I think they are the worst part!
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
21 Sep 24
@celticeagle
I think you're right! Thank you very much.
I think you're right! Thank you very much.1 person likes this


@Juliaacv (56195)
• Canada
14 Sep 24
@sharonelton How long have you been painting?
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so.
Ah, thank you very much, that's very kind of you.
Ah, thank you very much, that's very kind of you.1 person likes this

@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
12 Sep 24
Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it.
Define "nuances" ?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238268)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Sep 24
@sharonelton Like waiting for one thing to dry before adding another. It's like my speaker restoration. The "subtleties" of the process make it interesting.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
@TheHorse Oh, I see! I usually have something to eat or drink if I need something to dry before I can do anything else. Or do some washing up or something. 
@pitsipeahie (5758)
•
19 Sep 24
Now, I'm seeing it.
I love how much thought you put into each part, especially with the colors and blending.
I love how much thought you put into each part, especially with the colors and blending.1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
19 Sep 24
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. I'm glad you like it.
I enjoyed painting it.

Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. I'm glad you like it.
I enjoyed painting it.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
12 Sep 24
It looks quite realistic. Are you selling any of these on a website? You seem very talented.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Oh, thank you very much, I'm glad you think so. I'm not selling any yet, but I hope to in the future. The problem is I might not want to sell them because I like them too much and I want to keep them!
Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. 
Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. 
@RasmaSandra (97912)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Sep 24
That is beautiful and so realistic I was just writing online while it was raining outside,,
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
Oh, thank you very much, that's very kind of you. I'm glad you like it.
I hope you enjoyed that. Sorry it was raining outside.
I hope you enjoyed that. Sorry it was raining outside.1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14783)
• Ireland
12 Sep 24
@sharonelton Did you know that one of the expressions for ladybird in Irish is “God’s little cow”? Bóin Dé pronounced bow in jay. And a great representation of God’s little cow you have painted there.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
No, I didn't know that! Thank you for enlightening me!
Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so.
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
14 Sep 24
They are, aren't they? Thank you very much, I'm glad you think so.
1 person likes this
@jnrdutton (3447)
• United States
16 Sep 24
Beautiful, and sorry I didn't comment earlier!
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (30756)
• Lichfield, England
17 Sep 24
No problem. I'm glad you like it. Thank you very much. 

1 person likes this













