Today I stepped away from my furry friends with four legs, onto something hairy, with many more legs and wings. He is a very hard worker, but enjoys each and everyday, a happy chappie is the honey bee, I wonder if he knows he is bringing honey for my tea? These insects are just the sweetest, and so very interesting to watch. I just hope they are happy with my garden full of flowers?
This was painted with charcoal and watercolour 30cmX40cm 200lb cold press I used Tarmac terry Harrison, WN yellow ocre and WN burnt sienna……basically the colours I always use, as I am too lazy to get much more out tonight….or most of the time!

‘All in a days work’ honey bee in charcoal and watercolour, 200lb cold press 30×40 cm
Amazing what you can do with watercolor….and charcoal! 🙂 very nicely done
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Thank you Margaret, it was going to be a charcoal only piece, then I decided to add some colour so it could be posted for day 21 worldwatercolormonth, I think most of the charcoal has dispersed about, I like how charcoal goes when spritzed with water, and softens out.
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Holey moley, this is awesome!
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Thank you Teri, I do owe a huge thanks to Charlie, @ doodlewash, this painting everyday really has been a truly fantastic opportunity, which I don’t think I would have entertained doing alone. I can see improvements in how I visually look at a reference, then deciding on which areas are important to put to paper, and which are not? I looked back at some of my older bees, and I had focussed so much on unimportant detail. In general painting has become much less stressful omitting detail. Doing a one hit sit is also new for me, I usually go back a second day when dry adding detail, posting daily stops me doing this, and I think it is better for it?❤️
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Your comment reinforces the fact that daily painting is so beneficial in improving and inspiring not only ourselves but others. It’s good to look back and see what was compared to what is now.
Thank you for sharing this.
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This is pretty amazing. Wow. (K)
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Thank you Kerfe, it is lovely to read such nice comments, up awake at 3 am in pain, using the time constructively to catch up on others blog posts, but I would rather be asleep 😀
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We all have nights like that…hope sleep came soon.
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Better sleep has arrived 😀
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Holy heck! How can you even dare call yourself “lazy” when you create something as amazing as this??!!! I thought it was a photo at first! WOW Rebecca! WOOOOOWWWW!
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Thank you so much Jodi, I really am lazy as far as getting out a more select colour palette….maybe I am just drawn to creatures that fit my colour preference, subconsciously of course 😀
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Stunning Rebecca!
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Thank you Sharon 😀
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Ohh my! This is so amazing 😍 I was looking at this post on phone and I was like 😍😍 it’s so realistic 💕💜 I always wonder how fast do you work on any painting with such a high energy 🎨👍🏼
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Thank you Snehal, well lately I have been working much faster than usual, plus not revisiting a painting the following day for additional details has really cut down on the time. I think painting looser has helped to determine the important marks to use, and which not to? I think this one took a couple of hours. In one sitting. I am learning to not worry about things I would have considered ‘ mistakes’ and to embrace them, as this is what makes WC so much fun, the paint doing its ‘thing’ with this one there is more detail because I used charcoal first, otherwise I was sploshing paint here there and everywhere. How long on average do you spend on your beautiful florals?
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Thanks so much Rebecca for your detail reply! I’m a big fan of your work 🙂
I generally spend 1.5 to 2 hours daily as I’m updating myself on some design Trends and Technologies.
Rest of the day I do study or design assignments. https://www.behance.net/snehalkank is my online portfolio. Back in India I was working as a UX Designer. It’s been almost 2 years of gap so now a days working on that part to keep my self updated so that i can join back 🙂 Here in US I don’t a work permit so keeping myself busy with study and painting 🙂
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I will check out your website Snehal, you are so lucky to be creative all day, you sure have a gift. It’s always good to compare how much time people spend on painting each evening, I guess 2 hrs is my average, that excludes oil painting😀. Do you sell your work? If so where, I am still deliberating this stage.
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Thanks so much Rebecca! I wish I could sell soon.. Hey are you on facebook or Instagram?
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I have a normal Facebook page, but I don’t post much on it, and no Instagram, I will see if I can find you 😀
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Sure That’s great you can search for my name! 🙂
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Will do, do you have anything specific as a profile picture?
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Yeah I have dark blue shirt and tulips in the background and cherry blossom in the cover photo! Hope this will help 😬
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Ha ha, I thought it was you, but decided to check in case it was someone else…..they might have wondered who this weird woman was, 😉
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Hahaha got you 😆😆😬😬
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Yay 😀
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Great work Rebecca and very detailed! Love it! 😉
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Thank you Carolina
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I’ve run out of words to express how much I love your work. Just plumb out! Each one is more amazing than the last. I think painting every day sits beautifully on you, Rebecca! The world needs what you have to offer. I am so serious. How to convince you you should be selling if looking at your own beautiful-ness somehow misses the mark?! Sorry about your insomnia, I understand that well and I hope your sleep improves. But your paintings are incredible! Sleep or no, you rock it every single time and now I think I must try charcoal and WC even tho I’d have never thought of combining them. You get such beautiful results! Congratulations on adding another incredible beauty to your collection, friend. 💜💜💜💜💜
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Thank you Laura, painting everyday has been very inspirational for me, I should have taken the advise of your blog title ages ago, he he….you already knew it 😉 if I can keep it up I will, but it is hard as I have been putting off other stuff just to get something done in the day. I certainly have learnt to just paint in one sitting, and then leave the painting alone!
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And that may be a wonderful thing to learn! Glad you’re enjoying but as you say, it is a challenge. Easier to sketch every day – do you sketch pretty regularly too? Or are you at the point where you really don’t need to? I wonder if anyone gets to that point. I feel like if I don’t sketch regularly, it starts to fade away. I guess like exercising or anything else.
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I do sketch and usually I grab a water soluble pencil for under my work, lightly sketched, then the lines are gone 😀
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That’s a good idea. You ever sketch just to sketch? In a sketchbook not suitable for painting?
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Yes but not in a book, I love that Kraft card, plus it is so cheap, I have not done any during this month, as painting each day has left little time for much else, and I still have two oil paintings on the go, another of tenor, and one of Bettie, just need to find time to finish 😀
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Great painting – I’m always in awe of how you make your subjects look so fluffy!
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Thank you, I just love fluffy 😀
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Bees are so cool – I’d love to get that close to one to paint it like this. You did a wonderful job!!
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Cynthia, this is an art reference bee, but I printed out the picture ages ago and can’t remember the link….a job for the weekend to try and find it, the site is great as it offers painting processes and time limits on the suggested photos to paint, a great tool. Having said that we have meant bee hives at the yard, and I have a macro lens for my cannon, so I do have many reference bees on my computer…i think a reference photo is needed to really see the detail, I think by poor naked eye would struggle if it were a live model, or it would fly away! I will find the link hopefully 😀
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Gorgeous and stunning! Lovely painting.
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Thank you, so pleased you like him
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Yippeeee!! Love this!! Made me instantly smile! But then you know I like bugs and flying things. Hehe This is amazingly done!! 😍
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He he I thought you might like being bug crazy 😀
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I had a visitor in the dining room earlier today who resembled this chap! I appreciated the company but indeed thought he’d be better off out in the garden. I love this one; a great close-up of a fascinating and charming little creature. ❤
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Oh bless, I am pleased he found his way outside, busy, busy!
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Yes, nice of him to come say hello on his break! 😀
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I love it!
I just started a blog about insects and animals. It would be great if you could see it Rebecca!
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Oh wait. That’s watercolor?!? Impressive
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Thank you, yes it is a watercolour, I guess when the picture is shrunk it can look more realistic, at it’s true size is very much appears like a watercolour 😀
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Haha yeah I’m viewing it on my iPhone. But still super awesome
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Thank you 😀
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