Lisa cat is sleeping on my hand. She said it's nice and warm.

18"x24" Oil on canvas Hydrángea

My latest oil painting I just finished this morning (12.2015)

Our girls gives an example how to spend your weekend:

This is my cats favorite video.

This is Lisa's favorite movie 🐱 "HOW TO MAKE YOUR CAT GO CRAZY !"

One of my cats,Mona,loves this video.

"Magical Horse" original watercolor painting 11"x14"

SHOP HERE 
http://www.ebay.com/usr/oil_watercolor_paintings_by_elena

We're a gaming family :)

We're a gaming family.. :)

even the cats like to play video games (they provide great advice on what to chase next)

:)

Our New Family Member ) Mona and Lisa

Hello to all....
I love black cats. 

They're often overlooked at shelters just because they're black.
But black cats are beautiful, amazing, gorgeous creatures.

Today, I want you to meet Mona and Lisa.

My new little family members :)

Just finished the third watercolor portrait of my eldest son (in a series of three).

Portrait painting from a 1988 photo.

If the Impressionists had been dentists by Woody Allen, 1978

Dear Theo 
Will life never treat me decently? I am wracked by despair! My head is pounding. Mrs Sol Schwimmer is suing me because I made her bridge as I felt it and not to fit her ridiculous mouth. That's right! I can't work to order like a common tradesman. I decided her bridge should be enormous and billowing and wild, explosive teeth flaring up in every direction like fire! Now she is upset becuase it won't fit in her mouth! She is so bourgeois and stupid, I want to smash her. I tried forcing the false plate in but it sticks out like a star burst chandelier. Still, I find it beautiful. She claims she can't chew! What do I care whether she can chew or not! Theo, I can't go on like this much longer! I asked Cezanne if he would share an office with me but he is old and infirm and unable to hold the instruments and they must be tied to his wrists but then he lacks accuracy and once inside a mouth, he knocks out more teeth than he saves. What to do? 
Vincent 

Step-by-Step Photos of How to Paint Lotus Flower © Elena Vacha

Galveston Island, TX. I loved my vacation there......... I want go back here!!!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

So, here is the second watercolor portrait of my eldest son (in a series of three).11"x 14"
P.S.Portrait painting from a 1988 photo.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: THE HISTORY OF THE METAL PAINT TUBE

The Winsor & Newton Paint Tube 1840-1911

The metal paint tube was first invented by American oil painter John Goffe Rand as a way of transporting paints to use outside. The tubes were in fact syringes which were used to squeeze out paint and preserved the paint for a longer time, allowing artists increased flexibility and the possibility of a larger palette as colours took longer to perish.
Upon hearing of this stunning innovation William Winsor immediately sought the patent as Winsor & Newton were the only colourmen producing moist water colour. Once the patent was secured, William Winsor added one essential improvement to this design: the all-important screw cap. Thusly, the paint tube we know and love was born.
In the photo above, you can track the journey from the traditional bladders to the introduction of the syringe tube in 1840 to the Tube Cap introduced in 1904.  http://www.winsornewton.com/

This is a watercolor portrait I painted of my son. 11"x14"

Hi everybody..
This is a watercolor portrait I painted of my son. 11"x14"
I have attached the image (1988) 
Thanks so much to those of you who support me.

Family Picture. watercolors 300lb 11"x14"

So here’s my self-portrait. 11"x 14 Watercolor

It took about four hours to do, so obviously it's a little rough. I'd like to try again, perhaps from a mirror.
I have a passion for painting portraits, faces inspire me and it is always a treat for me to paint portraits of people. But I've never done a self-portrait. I guess I’ve always been intimidated by the idea, and brushed it off as being narcissistic.

"They say—and I am willing to believe it—that it is difficult to know yourself—but it isn’t easy to paint yourself either"
—Vincent van Gogh in a letter to his brother Théo, September 1889

Do you do portraits of people?

Yes, I do.

 I am happy to talk with you about doing a human portrait.

You can see some of my human watercolor portrait work here.

AND oil portrait work here

Prices for unframed oil portraits

To which email address should I send my photographs?

If you have chosen to send your photo(s) by email, please email them to:paintingsbyelenavacha@gmail.com

Can I preview my painting before receiving it?

Yes. Once the painting from your photo is ready, I will contact you to review it online. If you feel that any modifications should be made, I receive your feedback, make the requested modifications and send it back to you for confirmation. Only then is the custom painting is sent to you.

I live in the USA,Ireland,Canada,France,Australia,the UK! Can you deliver to here?

It's possible for me to send you a portrait to pretty much anywhere, as long as you have a delivery address.

USPS will be used to ship your purchases. A tracking number will be provided for each shipment.

Shipping cost will be at the current USPS rates.

The cost will vary upon the size and weight of your painting as well as the location it is being shipped to.

Shipping quotes will be added to your final invoice.

Should you wish to use a faster shipping method please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate you.

That way, even if the work is lost in transit (which has never happened so far!) either a full refund can be issued,

or I can redo the portrait for you at no extra cost.

Do you frame portraits? Can you offer any advice about framing a watercolor portrait?

I don't frame and post portraits due to the high risk of damage to glass involved. 

When you receive your portrait I recommend visiting your local framing shop for mounting and framing the work. 

 Guidelines for Your Framer

Preferred places to hang or store framed objects

What happens if I'm not happy with the portrait?

I always offer a full refund if you're not completely happy with the work.

All I ask is that you return the work to me.

If you've ordered online, I'll refund the amount you paid via PayPal.

If you ordered via the mail and paid by check,

I don't deposit checks until seven days after sending the portraits, and so in these circumstances

I will return the check.

What size of portrait would you recommend for my breed of dog (cat,people)?

What size of portrait would you recommend for my breed of dog (cat,people)?

Can you work to a specific size other than the ones listed? What is the largest possible size?

The answer to this question depends on whether or not you would like a head and shoulders,

a full body portrait, or whether you require a group portrait.

Head and shoulders portraits

Generally any breed of dog (cat) will work on a 11" by 14" for watercolor or oil (canvas)16"x20"

Can you work to a specific size other than the ones listed? What is the largest possible size?

Head and shoulders portraits

How can I take photos of more than two pets, so the lighting is similar enough to use for one portrait?

Yes, since it is nearly impossible to get photos of two critters together without one of them moving, looking the wrong way, etc. It is best to have the same lighting conditions if you want them to look like they are sitting together naturally.

That’s what I did with this portrait of the two dogs.

How can I take photos of more than two pets, so the lighting is similar enough to use for one portrait?One of the challenges of combining pets in a portrait is that the lighting is usually different on each. It helps to have plenty of photos, since I’ll often need to use the pose from one photo,but the lighting from another.If you don’t have suitable photos already, my advice is to take them outside in bright shade(not direct sunlight) and just start shooting as many photos as you can from different angles.Most likely we’ll be able to pick suitable photos from the bunch (if you have a digital camera, this is pain-free, since taking a lot of photos doesn’t cost any more than taking one.).If you can get them to sit in the same spot, facing (roughly) the same direction with respect to the light (it's OK if they are looking different directions, as long as the light is coming from the same angle), we’ll be sure to have something to work with.

Do you accept photos by email? Can I post them to you? What digital format should they be in?

It's possible to send your photos to me in three ways:

1. By email paintingsbyelenavacha@gmail.com

2. By mail as photo prints

3. By mail on CD or memory card

If you are sending your photos by email:

When sending photos via email, please use the "jpg" file format.

Do not send photos in a PDF file format, as it is not possible for me to edit the photo

if I need to crop it for preparation of the portrait.

Ideally the photos should be taken with a digital camera that is of at least 3 megapixels in resolution.

If you are sending a number of photos this way, you may need to send them in two or more emails,

because most email providers allow no more than 10 megs for attachments and

one photo may be approximately 2 megs in size.