So far

 
      Well, so far so good with switching up my method for applying paint. It's kind of refreshing to have to think about things a little differently. I like the improvisational aspect of it. I still have a slight worry about getting enough layers built up.
    Plus, two different friends suggested I add an indication of the earth at the bottom of the image, to add more depth. I sketched it in to see, and once I did that, I couldn't unsee it. So I added it with a thin layer of washes. I think I'll keep it.

The Mighty Red Hen

When I was little, we had a storybook that contained the tale of The Little Red Hen. It had little drawings embedded in the text that replaced some of the words in the story. I think it was one of the first feminist texts I ever read.
    This week's prompt for Illustration Friday is "Farm". I haven't participated in a long time, but I thought I'd give it a go this week with this mighty little hen. She's as strong as she looks. Just what we need right now :)

Apparently, I am in the mood to change things up. First it was the linen, which I abandoned because it was too rough, And then I went back to my regular canvas, but when I put on the initial underpainting, some interesting clouds showed up in the process. It seemed a shame to cover them up as I normally would have done, so I decided to leave them and try to develop them from the get go. So far I like them well enough. My one worry is that the paint is pretty thin and that might cause more work down the road, but we'll see. This is after the third session.

Learning Curve

Well, I learned that I am not a fan of linen. I think it could be perfectly lovely, but my first attempt at it was not. It turned out to be really tricky to stretch, and while I'm sure a finer weave would have helped, the texture was too strong for the little figure I have planned. I got as far as gesso (three coats!) and a bit of the underpainting before I gave it up. I needed to sand between those coats of gesso :>/ Live and learn.
    So, last night I pulled out all of the staples and now I have a fresh start with canvas. Back in my comfort zone! I might try linen again someday, but right now, easy street is just fine with me.

A Torus Knot?

   This showed up in my mailbox today. It was a gift from the student who started my math journey by encouraging me to stop flying by the seat of my pants and actually plot spatial relationships when drawing forms with linear perspective. I am forever grateful for his gentle nudge in that direction.
    I've been asking him about this shape, which I think is called a torus knot. I told him I didn't understand the geometry at all, but I was going to make one out of clay so I could just draw it the old fashioned way. The next day, he presented me with this 3D printed model so that it might 'sate my curiosity and then I would stop pestering him'. 😐
     But still, I love the gift. I think drawing elongated ellipses on three different planes will be a good place to start on this problem. And I've purchased Geometry for Dummies. So in the future, I can maybe keep my pestering to a minimum.