"My Little Chickadee!"

This is a painting from "Life in the Northwoods" photographer Matthew Crowley.  His photo is the challenge photograph for this month at Watercolor Workshop, the online Yahoo group for watercolor painters.  I decided to do this challenge, prepare a lesson for my intermediate watercolor painting group at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and use the new QoR (Core) paints from Golden.  

I liked the natural limited palette which was in the wintertime photo.  Because I have been experimenting with the new watercolors from Golden, QoR,(Core),  and wanted to do this painting with only their colors,  I made my blacks from transparent brown oxide and ultramarine blue and used the Ardoise Grey for the background. The only other color I used was their natural burnt sienna.  This has always been one of my favorite palettes and I feel this worked out pretty well.  Once again, thank you Golden, for this opportunity to use, experiment, and discover your new OoR (Core) watercolor line.

Geological Impressions in Mixed Media

I attended the mixed media workshop today at Riverside Art Center presented by Mike Behr, a professional artist from Sidney, Oh.   Mike uses a variety of media, including Gorilla Glue and copper piping to create his art works.  I used tissue paper, window screen, corrugated cardboard and rubber shelf liner among others to create mine, and then I embellished it with watercolor and acrylic paint.   The finished size is 18" x 14" and is done on canvas board.  I used Golden Acrylic Modeling Paste to glue down the heavier pieces and matte acrylic medium for the rest.

I had a great day, and lunch was even included in the fee!  Whee!!!

Today is Thursday - The day when the Muses meet!  Today we worked with alcohol ink on white ceramic tiles (we each had 4 -4"tiles.)  I thought the medium would lend itself well to impressionist painting, thus, these are my offerings to the artistic muses of Thursday.  Alcohol ink is terrific - beautiful colors and spontaneous mixtures and shapes.  You never know quite what you are going to get!  We had lots of fun!

Garrett's Dream

Several years ago I became friends with a young man who lived in the Chicago area - I contacted him because I was interested in doing paintings of his old truck which he and his twin brother were restoring.  We corresponded off and on for over a year until his mother notified me that he had been killed in an automobile accident, ironically while driving to work.  He had told me how much he hated the commute.  How sad!  

Since then, I have painted three paintings of his truck, which I love.  I call this, the latest, "Garrett's Dream!"

The painting is on a 1/4 sheet of a full sheet of 140 lb. Arches cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I used the new QcR (Core)  watercolor paints from Golden, with which I have invited to experiment with for the Golden Paints company.  It is their new line which will be released later in the spring.  I love the paints - the colors are unbelievably lovely and intense and very workable.  It has been a real treat working with them.

Wine and Canvas: "Sunny" - the painting we will be creating!

Riverside Art Center is sponsoring a "Wine and Canvas" night on Thursday evening, April 24, 2014, from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.  We will be creating a  semi-abstract painting of the sun similar to this one, but not necessarily in the colors and exact composition as the painting above.  In other words, the painters may select their own colors and from my instructions, compose the painting as they wish.

All supplies will be provided - paint, canvas, brushes, pencils, etc.  Along with the supplies, Wine will also be part of the festivities, provided by the arts center.  I will be the instructor for this event.

If you live in our area and are interested you may call the arts center at 1-419-738-2352  or e-mail: riversideartcenter@gmail.com,  attn: Pam Knoch.

We plan to have a lot of fun!

Golden Girl

I have been testing and experimenting with the Golden watercolors again. Something I love to do is to create a shaded pencil portrait on watercolor paper and then watercolor over it, so I tried it with the new Golden watercolors.  

This painting is 6"x9" and is on 140 lb. cold-pressed Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper.  I used a #2 graphite pencil for the drawing and the new watercolors for color.  I was happy with the way it turned out.

Twisted and Tangled

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This painting will be the lesson for my class at Riverside Art Center this coming Monday night.  It is loosely based on a photo of an abandoned house somewhere in rural Ohio.  I like the shapes of the trees -  very eerie and lifelike.  I always wonder what it would be like if the walls and spaces in the home could talk.  Was this a happy home?  Were there children playing in the yard?  So many questions!!!

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Strathmore cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I used a limited palette in this - Indian Red, Sepia, Burnt Sienna  and Yellow Ochre.  Although it looks like blue in the sky, it is actually not - the camera picked up color that isn't really there. The lower sky is really a light wash of a mixture of yellow ochre and burnt sienna.