This is what I worked on today. Can you tell what these are wanting to be when they grow up?

Upside down is a good way to force oneself to see shapes as they really are rather than as one assumes they are. It sorts out some of the confusion of the familiar. It causes one to filter out all the detail and focus on the larger shapes.

Perhaps it will be easier for you to identify shapes here.

This is hard. I’ve painted it 3 times now and it is still hard. 

This is also hard. Somedays I can hardly wait to be more proficient at oil painting so that I can see the pieces take shape faster. And isn’t it weird that when the paintings take less time that they will probably bring in more money?? Reminds me of working dumb jobs – the lowest jobs on the pay scale are usually the most difficult! Go figure. . .  I’m not complaining, just puzzling over one of the many mysteries of life.