I've looked at clouds from both sides now

This is the other painting project that I've been working on--clouds for a family out in Gig Harbor. They are expecting a baby girl (any day now), so they are moving their two-year-old boy out of the nursery and into his own airplane-themed room. The clouds were a nice change from some of the more exacting work that I've been doing recently.

The plan was for me to paint some airplanes as well (like WWI era biplanes) but because of the set painting for the play, and various people getting sick at inconvenient times, I wasn't able to devote the time to this project that I would have liked. I went out yesterday and finished up the clouds. The plan at this point is that they'll decide whether they do want airplanes or if they'll stick with just the clouds, and they'll get back to me after Christmas. That sounds good. In the meantime I can focus on the Hogwarts mural again, and this drawing for my sister-in-law's uncle, which I still haven't started.



Overall I'm pleased with how it turned out. It was a quick job, anyway. Quick for me. The hardest part was doing some of the clouds on the ceiling. Aside from the fact that painting above your head is tiring work, the undersides of clouds are often pretty featureless, so it was hard to make them interesting but realistic.


This is the ceiling fan that started it all. Isn't it cool?

Spacious Skies

We flew out early on a Wednesday morning. Our flight was at 9:00, and we had to leave our house at a little after 6:00, so we were feeling rather groggy. Doug dozed off shortly after takeoff, but then I woke him up to tell him that we could see Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens all at the same time. I knew he would want to see them. As we were gaping out the window Mt. Hood came into view as well. We'd never had such a great view. Of course I got out the camera (this picture is stitched together from four shots--pretty good, no?) Then a little later I told Doug I could see another mountain past Hood, and he said it must be Jefferson. It was a great day for mountains.

Kate slept a lot, and when she woke up she was mostly content to sit and play with whatever was handy (we brought along her pencil from the fair). People commented on what a good little traveler she was.

I got out the camera again as we were nearing Detroit and took some pictures of the clouds. That second one has some shapes in it that make me think of bears.



In Detroit we got on a little commuter plane that took us to the Dayton airport, and my family picked us up there.