enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Flamingo

So, this is the most random art project of the month. Maybe year. Maybe lifetime.

I saw a photo on Instagram awhile back of flamingos and immediately searched etsy for some great flamingo art we could hang in our new place. This gorgeous piece by Sofie Rolfsdotter was my favorite from the search. I was ready to add to cart but the thing about entering escrow on a house is you tend to loose your whimsy when it comes to impulse buys.

I faved the artwork and moved on. (Silently congratulating myself for thinking twice before spending.)

Then, last week, as I have been starting to go through everything we own in preparation for the move, I found a canvas I had painted abstractly that was seriously awful (it never made the blog it was so bad). Instead of tossing it, or moving it with us knowing I'd hang it nowhere, I decided to recover it with white paint and then paint on top – what else? A flamingo.

Flamingo3

While my coat of white paint dried, I google image searched flamingos. Turns out they have the simplest bodies ever. It's just a bunch of simple shapes joined together (banana, circle, snake, football, abstract tail and sticks). I drew a rough pencil outline and then mixed up some pink paint.

Flamingo2

Patience is not a skill of mine, but I encouraged myself to go slowly with this one. I painted the pink body and neck on one day and the next day, after a good night's sleep and some more google image browsing, I added legs (not too hard) and a beak (a tiny bit harder). Then I went back over the body and added a bit more color for dimension and ta-da – my flamingo was born.


Flamingo4

Seriously, so random. Not sure if she'll go in the baby's room or my office or if she'll be brave enough to make a debut in the main living area of our new house. I must admit, I love her more than I should. This is the first non-shape and/or text painting I have made that I haven't wanted to set on fire and then throw out a window so I'd say we're making progress. 🙂

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48 responses to “my pink lady.”

  1. J3SS1C4 Avatar

    Wow, I love how this turned out! Such an awesome pop of colour! I kind of picture this in a baby room personally 🙂

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  2. susan Avatar
    susan

    Your flamingo is fabulous!

    Like

  3. Ilona Avatar

    Great work!!
    Looks like it would match the colors of the baby quilt! 🙂

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  4. Shanon Gibson Avatar

    That flamingo is awesome!

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  5. sherried Avatar
    sherried

    Love the flamingo. You did a great job.

    Like

  6. jodi Avatar

    completely random. but i love it!
    i had a serious “thing” for flamingos back in elementary school. i even dressed up as one for halloween one year!

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  7. Kiele Gregoire Avatar

    I think she is the essence of your word “Brave”. nice work!

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  8. Jessika Avatar

    I repainted our outdoor, ceramic gnome when our house was in escrow. I think you look for ways to take your mind off of EVERYTHING when you’re closing a deal that big! Love the flamingo.

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  9. Betsey Avatar

    Very cute! I am also expecting a baby girl and have been trying to find something fun and pink to paint to dress up her room, and now flamingos are on my list 🙂

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  10. Sena Avatar

    Looks great! If you really love it, definitely hang it in the living room where you will see it a lot! Might even inspire you to keep trying the painting thing, and you get better with practice 🙂

    Like

  11. Stephanie P Avatar
    Stephanie P

    Aahh!! It’s awesome!! It really fits perfectly with all the knitting and quilting eye candy you’ve shared, just sayin’ 🙂

    Like

  12. Kelsey McEvoy Avatar

    I LOVE IT! I LOL’d as I read about all the simple shapes that make up the flamingo, mostly because even though those shapes are all simple, I’m not sure I could connect them all into something that isn’t hideous. You did a great job. LOVE the color. Can’t wait to see where you decide to put it 🙂

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  13. JillT Avatar
    JillT

    Perfect! Color is just right, perfect shape. Just when I think you can’t top yourself. . .

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  14. Holly Smith Avatar

    love this!! makes me want to paint 🙂

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  15. krugthethinker Avatar

    Awesome! I love it! I haven’t painted anything with chiaroscuro is ages (like…high school!), so I applaud you!

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  16. Alice Avatar

    This is so brave of you to step outside of your comfort zone and then to share it. Thanks for the great example of JUST GOING FOR IT.

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  17. Melanie Avatar

    How fun! I think she turned out great, and I love how you just GO for things. 🙂 And I think making things is usually more satisfying than buying them if it works out!

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  18. Brittany @ Kitchen::Candid Avatar

    She is a beauty! Good for you for committing paint to canvas. I have several unused canvases that I’m too chicken to start on…that fear of failure can be paralyzing.

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  19. jessica Avatar

    that turned out really cute!

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  20. a Avatar
    a

    This looks wonderful! 🙂
    I love your description of how to draw a flamingo: “It’s just a bunch of simple shapes joined together (banana, circle, snake, football, abstract tail and sticks).” Makes me believe I could paint this, too. Hmmm….maybe I’ll try!

    Like

  21. Diana Avatar

    What a lovely painting! Sometimes I find canvases around and try to kind-of wing something, but they never turn out this good! Love.
    xo
    Diana
    http://unusuallylovely.com

    Like

  22. susi davis Avatar
    susi davis

    Your Pink Lady is beautiful. My sister-in law is obsessed with pink flamingos and this is both a beautiful flamingo and great colors. Perfect for a baby girl’s room.

    Like

  23. katie Avatar

    i am obsessed with flamingos lately…and they seem to be popping up everywhere, i just picked up a cute flamingo pillow from ikea. and i completely agree, they seem to be the one animal i can actually draw. anyways, i love this painting, it turned out amazing!!

    Like

  24. SaraM Avatar

    So pretty! You make it look so easy, now I want to make one!
    SaraM
    http://clochedeletoile.blogspot.com

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  25. Lauren Burkitt Avatar

    This made me smile. Thanks for sharing.

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  26. Molly Avatar

    very cool!!! how fun and whimsical. 🙂

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  27. northcarmen Avatar

    I loved reading your description of the process, and laughed out loud at the bit about not setting it on fire. Way to go, brave girl!! 🙂 🙂
    Carmen.

    Like

  28. Small Catalogue Avatar
    Small Catalogue

    Seriously awesome! Love it.

    Like

  29. mel Avatar
    mel

    This is so bazaar to see this post today, I was just thinking yesterday that my bedroom needed a print of a pink flamingo, which reminds me of our trip to The Serengeti National Park back in 1996, and here you are with today’s post. Not sure I am brave enough to try and paint my own but I do love yours 🙂

    Like

  30. JSKF Avatar
    JSKF

    Here is my favorite flamingo print: http://www.etsy.com/listing/123497010/single-ladies-16-x-20-archival-print?ga_search_query=flamingo
    It doesn’t work for our house though so we go this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65105875/hummingbirds-and-succulent-blossoms?ga_search_query=bird
    It’s my favorite in the entire house!

    Like

  31. mel Avatar
    mel

    OMG thank you, that flamingo print is exactly what I needed with a $10 IKEA frame I am done. I LOVE IT!!

    Like

  32. Angie Avatar

    OHHHH! She is PRECIOUS. You did a fantastic job. 😀 I felt that way when I saw a scarlet Ibis in the zoo. Gorgeous bird!!!
    You did amazing well. I wish I had your skills with painting! My mom was a painted and I always envied her art. 😀

    Like

  33. mary ann Avatar
    mary ann

    so beautiful….you did an awesome job…thank you for sharing…PS..I cant wait for your daily post…what an inspiration you are to me…:)

    Like

  34. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    Don’t forget to sign your work! I had an art teacher that insisted that all works of art should be signed or they were just a work in progress. Love it.

    Like

  35. Paula from Canada Avatar
    Paula from Canada

    So great!!! colourful!! and super cute!!

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  36. Leigh Avatar
    Leigh

    The pink lady belongs in the little lady’s room. Just sayin’. 😉 It is perfect!

    Like

  37. Kelly Cree Avatar
    Kelly Cree

    Fabulous! Seems she will go well in baby’s room with her new quilt–made my Mom! 😉

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  38. Kathi Avatar

    Love the bird! Very nice job repurposing!!! And being patient for the paint to dry 😉 Kathi

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  39. Lisa Goren Avatar

    you are funny- i laughed out loud at the setting on fire part… hahah!

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  40. rachel swartley Avatar

    I’m so impressed. It looks great!

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  41. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    So cute.

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  42. Cate Avatar
    Cate

    She is lovely! I would definitely hang her in the living room if that’s what you decide. 🙂

    Like

  43. Debie Grace Avatar

    I love how crafty you are, Elise. You inspire me so much!! 😀

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  44. Marian Avatar
    Marian

    I think this is lovely and would look so perfect in a girls baby room

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  45. emilee Avatar

    i absolutely adore your painting. such a fan of flamingos.

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