Monkeying Around

Monkeying Around
Acrylic on masonite, 4x4

Feeling nostalgic this morning, I am painting another wonderful vintage pull top - this one of a monkey!  When my dad was young, he had a distant uncle that had a pet monkey.  Whenever someone came to the house, that monkey would go bananas!  He would run around the house and up the curtains - leaving little “presents” in his wake!  That made such an impression on him that he still tells the story!  These old Fisher Price toys are full of charm and personality - and so much fun to paint!  This little painting is 1118 in as 1118 days and Day 25 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Telephone Pull Toy

Telephone Pull Toy
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5

This little pull toy was a favorite with my kids - they loved the way the eyes rolled up and down as they pulled it around by the string! They spent endless hours talking to imaginary people on that phone - and the rotary dialing made a wonderful clicking noise!  It has been a very day - following many busy days - and sometimes it is SO difficult to find time to squeeze in a painting.  So, finally making it to my easel, I am capturing this memory with acrylics on masonite.  That PiYo class is going to come pretty early in the morning, after such a late night! Painting number 1109 in 1109 days, and Day 16 in the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Barky Dog

Barky Dog
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5

This little Barky dog pull toy is SO sweet!!  This has been a day full of dog activities!  First, I had to wrestle Chewy into the bath - he was super dirty with his long hair and all this rain!  He soaks up that dirty water like a mop!  Then, once he was dry, it was off to the vet for his shots - which he did not care for!  He didn’t mind the vet last time, but this time, he shook all the way there, and all the way home.  When he was finally out of the car, he was so happy to return to the cats!!  So, tonight finds me keeping with the dog theme for painting, but alas - I switched to the cats for my daily sketch!  This is painting number 1101 in 1101 days, and Day 7 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Prancy Pony

Prancy Pony
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5
purchase here

What is more nostalgic than a well loved antique toy?  This fabulous Prancy Pony pull toy is another of the great ones by Fisher Price.  Wonderful, warm expressions grace each one of their faces.  The eyes on this pony are so like the eyes of the Buzzy Bee - so full of life!  I am still painting with a limited palette, with a small addition of permanent green for the very primary color of the green bridle.  I also found myself using the ivory black here, instead of the mars black.  Very often, the painting subject just calls for what it needs - and I always listen!  Always good to go with your intuition!  Painting number 1099 in 1099 days.

Airplane Pull Toy

Airplane Pull Toy
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5
purchase here

Another day, another memory!  My children had this little pull toy when they were very small.  I think my parents had gotten this for them, as it would have been only a few years after dad had gotten his pilot’s license.  As they toddled around the house pulling it by the string, the little pilot’s head would turn back and forth as he scanned the skies.  So full of memories, this toy is my painting subject du jour.  I am still using the limited acrylic palette, with the tiniest bit of cad yellow on the highlights.  I had cleaned my brushes and closed up my palette before I realizes I had forgotten to paint in the pull string!  So, I swooshed it in with one stroke in yellow oxide.   Painting number 1098 in 1098 days and Day 5 in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  :)

Buzzy Bee

Buzzy Bee
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5
purchase here

While waiting for Michaela to renew her license, I went browsing through a couple of the antique shops on Main Street.  The wonderful, old bumblebee was sitting on a sideboard, begging to be painted!  His pull string is gone, paint weathered and worn around the edges - but oh, SO full of vintage charm!  This little piece was a joy to paint!  I really love painting these old toys!  It is hard to believe I have not come to these little darlings before now!  I am still working with a limited palette, yellow oxide, indanthrene blue, cad red light, cad red medium, red oxide and alizarin crimson - and black and white, of course.  I did add a tiny bit of cad yellow light on the bright yellow of the wings, as yellow oxide just doesn’t get to the bright yellow of the plastic wings.  I adore the way that limited palette works for the bulk of these paintings.  It really leads to strong color harmony, and I am getting that vintage feel, too.  I have to thank the red oxide for that.  Love that color!   Painting number 1096 in 1096 days and day 2 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Little Snoopy

Little Snoopy
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5
purchase here

I love browsing through antique shops, and I especially enjoy the vintage toys!   Sometimes, I even find toys from my childhood - and I long to paint them.  My mom was so good to keep some of my favorite toys, and those toys bring back so many memories from childhood!  I remember playing with this toy, though I don’t think it was new at the time.  I remember how the tail sprung back and forth when batted at, and the way it would roll along on it’s wheels when pulled by the string.  I even remember the feel of the cold plastic wheels, slick under my little fingers!  It is amazing how such a thing can take me back in time!  I think I’ll spend some time this month painting some of my childhood favorites - when its not snowing that is!  That will take me right out to capture the landscape in oils!  Painting number 1095 in 1095 days and Day 2 on the newest 30 Day Painting Challenge :)