Dave's Colorado Truck

This is another painting I have prepared for my class at Riverside Arts Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.  The painting is 10" x 13" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Acquarello watercolor paper.  

This is from a photograph taken by Dave McNeal, one of my  long time painters at the arts center.  He and his wife Jane took it in Colorado last year and sent it to me because they know how I love to paint vintage trucks.  I really appreciate it when my friends send me pictures of vintage trucks!!!  Thanks, Dave and Jane.

The Graveyard: Final version

I think that I have finally finished this painting - I signed it...a good sign!

This painting is just short of a full sheet of watercolor paper 22" x 29" - it is painted on 140 lb. Acquerello cold-pressed watercolor paper - this painting is watermedia because it was poured with acrylic ink and finished with transparent watercolor with touches of acrylic ink.  I think it calls for a black frame with a narrow white mat.

The idea of this painting is from a photograph by photographer Carla Parris, with her permission, of course.  Thank you Carla!

The Step House

This is the painting I did from the photo provided us by the Watercolor Workshop Yahoo Group for the monthly paint-along.  It is a 'step-house' from the east coast.  As you can see, I took many liberties with the original photograph when I drew it - eliminating a lot of the foreground and some trees behind the house.  I also changed the format from vertical to horizontal.  I also took liberty and made all the roofs the same color and added some additional colors into the trees which I also softened a lot.  I still tried to keep the stark morning sunlight as it lights up the house and reflects on the trees.

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Acquerella cold-pressed watercolor paper with an assortment of various tube watercolors.

Dahlia

I painted this today for a lesson for my class at Riverside Art Center.  This dahlia is from a photo taken by John Robinson from the website "Paint My Photo."

This painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  The pink is from my favorite pink color - Opera - from Holbein paints.

The focal point is, of course, the flower itself, and I tried to soften up the background so it wouldn't compete with the flower.

The Graveyard (WIP 2)

I have worked some more on this - detail in the foreground, mostly, and some more work on the trucks in the rear.  There is definitely some more work to be done darkening the truck on the left side of the painting. The foliage in the top  needs to be darkened  to bring out the trucks in the front. I sort of hate to lose the poured colors in the top of the painting, so I'll have to spend some time analyzing this.

The Graveyard (WIP)

Well - this is going slowly, but I still think I am making progress with this poured watercolor.  This is watermedia - not watercolor, because I have poured with acrylic inks and I plan to use acrylics for the foliage and some of the final detailing even though I am using watercolor to define shadows and trees, etc.  This is a large painting - almost a full sheet (22"x 30") and I sort of like the "in your face"  qualities in the composition with the focal point falling in the area of the brightest and largest shape - the old yellow truck.  I am enjoying this painting very much - of course I am always happy painting vintage cars and trucks!