Another Cow - Oil Painting

It seems that the cows give me inspiration lately because somehow I found myself painting yet another cow in oil  lol.

"Sitting Cow" 8x8 inch oil on canvas

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Milk Cow

Another entry for the DPW Challenge; I might update the pic with a better version as soon as the painting will be dry, but for now I'm just happy to own a second cow :)

The Milk Cow oil on canvas 8x8 inch

DPW Challenge - The Cow

Such a luck with these challenges...I wonder where I would be and how much I would paint without them...
So. This week challenge is "the curious cow". Here is mine, and may I say is my first cow painting ever:

"The Cow" oil on canvas 8x8 inch

Have a great day everyone!

The Last Preparations

Just started a series of woman's body studies. Beautiful, gracious and flexible ballerinas are the obvious choice for this purpose. I intend to pick some sports too to illustrate the female body. I'm looking for a clean, minimalist style with no external noise or details. "Less is more" they say, and I'm starting to agree with this statement more and more.
Here is my first ballerina, and you can find the artwork in my DPW Gallery too.

"The Last Preparations" 12x8 oil on canvas

Blending or Not Blending?

I got stumped over this painterly approach to oil painting. About showing the brushwork and never ever blending. So I started a second entry for the DPW Challenge in oil this time, and a sky painted without blending is really a challenge to me.

The problem is that hunting for that artistic brushwork I somehow miss the important elements of the painting itself; I mix the values or I overstep the original shapes I draw. At some point I cannot see lights and shadows and shapes anymore, only a bunch of brush marks.
Of course I end up frustrated beyond words after I agonized half day over a simple sky with nothing to show for. For the sea I haven't had any patience left so I just put some colors in there and finished with it.

And since the painting is meant to be wiped anyway I started blending here and there, then some more until I was sort of satisfied with it.
Here are the both versions of it so you can see the difference (only the sky is modified):

The blended one                  The raw version

Since my problem is that I don't like the un-blended  version, maybe I should understand that painterly approach is not my cup of tea? Or maybe I should keep trying?
Or... maybe I should stick with pastels?

A lot to think about. I would love to hear about your struggles with "painterly' method, if you have any. Or any opinion in general, and of course which version of this painting do you prefer.
Have a great day and a lot of inspiration!

Edit: in the end I decided to post it on my gallery after all; I'm curious to see the reactions.
You can find it here if you are interested.

Still Life With Jars

I found it very hard to keep a loose brushwork because I love blending so much. Let me say that again: I just love blending colors.
So I tried this still life with some glass reflections thinking it will be easier. Occasionally I pulled some of my hair out and resisted about three attempts to wipe it out in frustration. In the end I'm quite happy with it.
As about the brushwork this is the best I can do so far. I'll look back at this painting after some hundred paintings down the road and decide how good it is.

Still Life With Jars oil 8x8 inch

There is a bit of glare in the photo since the painting is still wet but you get the idea.
I would love to hear your opinions or even some constructive critique so please don't hesitate to comment bellow.
Have a great weekend!