Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Autumn Leaves 3

Another afternoon and evening of work and I am beginning to see where I will carry the pattern of darks and lights and the colors I plan to use to carry the eye throughout the painting.  It is always good to get away from your painting occasionally.  I am enjoying painting this piece very much.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Autumn Leaves 2


I have been working on this large piece, but it is taking a long time, along with my other duties, I fear! I have also been having some health issues, which makes things more difficult.  I think that I mentioned before that I have Essential and Familial Tremor and now have an EEG and MRI scheduled for next week as things are not improving.  

I am truly enjoying working with the colors in this - you all know that I am in love with color in any way, shape or form.  This is actually going better than I expected...I can see now that I have gotten away from it,  that there are some changes I will have to make.  It is funny how these things become evident as soon as you post on the internet!

Stay tuned to this "channel" to see the progress on this painting!

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Autumn Leaves

 

This is the new painting I have started.  I suspect it will take a while until completion - it is quite large - a full sheet of watercolor paper 30" x  22".  The paper is Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold-pressed and I have always loved working on this brand.

The subject is from a photograph by Andre van de Sande entitled "Autumn Leaves" and I found it on the Paint my Photo website where photographers post their photographs so that artists can use them for source material and other photographers may enjoy them.

I enlarged and drew the picture using the grid method.  This is where you draw a grid over the photograph (I use clear plastic taped to the photo, and a Sharpie marker for this step.)  I then measure and draw in the grid lightly on the large sheet of watercolor paper.  It is important that the large sheet of paper is the same ratio as the small one - just larger.  For example... 4" x 6" would enlarge to 16" x 24", using 4 as the common denominator.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Coastal Village

I finished this watercolor this morning - a transparent watercolor painting with ink line detailing.  It has a sort of abstract quality and I love the linear effect of the ink lines created with the Micron Pigma pen, .05,

This will be the lesson for the Monday night intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.  I hope they like it!!!...and...I hope the weather cooperates this week...I am tired of ice and snow!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Psychedelic 2


I did this piece last night when I was teaching my class - this second one is bolder in line and not as bold in color.  I like the first one much better.  This one is 12"x 9" and is on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

The class did really well and embraced the concept of the project.  I will post their work when they are finished.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Psychedelic


A "Blast From The Past" - a  psychedelic ZIA -Zentangle Inspired Art! This reminds me of the colorful art created during the 60's and 70's.   I did this today for my Monday evening class - they seem to like the ZIA's.  This time we will do the composition first, then the Zentangle work and then finish  with the watercolor.  I am going to give them some pictures of flowers and landscapes found in some ZIA and then they will do their own compositions. Mine is loosely based on one I found on Pinterest, which I think was actually created with computer graphics, created entirely on the computer.  Mine is not.

This work is 12" x 9" and is done on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.