WIP #2: Rusting Through Retirement

Well - this is the second installment of the WIP of the truck.  As you can see, I have many hours of painting ahead of me.  This painting verges on the illustrative...I like to push this type of painting  to the point of illustration, but periodically redeem it through passages of expressionistic watercolor.  Time will tell on this one.  I am challenging myself to use only mixed color in this one - no color is directly from the tube!

Rusting Through Retirement

Due to some health issues, my art has taken a hit lately!  But -I  started this one and am back painting.  This is 15" x 22" and is on 140 lb. Fabriano/Artistico cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I enlarged the photo in the drawing phase by using the grid method.  I plan to paint it one area at a time and then go back in and add darks/shadows, details where they are needed.  This is from a photograph by my friend Pamela Baker.

Collagraph: "Evil Woman"

"Evil Woman" - Collagraph

"Evil Woman" - Collagraph Plate

The Muses worked on a collagraph project this afternoon.  I got the idea from the blog of artist, Belinda Del Pesco, who has been experimenting in different printmaking methods.  This particular project  is done by creating a glue print, hand coloring and printing it with various colors of printmaking ink, and then by inking the glue print with black ink.  After it is dry, we embellished the print with colored pencils.  I often taught glue printing when I was teaching jr. high and high school art, but never with the added hand coloring which is printed in stages like a monoprint.  The Muses took theirs home today to finish and will bring back next week so I can photograph them.

After The Morning Rain

I finished this experimental painting today.  This is my stylized version of a peony after a morning rain.  It is 9" x 12" and is painted in watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Abandoned on Logan County Road 13

Michelle and I painted this afternoon en Plein Air!  I love this old, rickety house and it was so much fun painting this today -also fun painting with Michelle!  This is watercolor on 9" x 12" Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

WIP: After the Rain

This is a poured experimental piece I started during the weekend.  I introduced this technique to my intermediate watercolor class last evening...I think they enjoyed it but it was also difficult to embrace the concept of masking edges and highlights before pouring.  We poured with acrylic inks.  This painting is about  9 " x 12" and is on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  Hopefully it will be finished tonight or tomorrow.

Some New Photos for Painting

The Muses didn't meet yesterday so my friend Pamela Baker and I decided to make it a "Photo Op" day.  We spent the afternoon in Logan County, Ohio, a beautiful place.  Pamela is a professional photographer, so I didn't take near as many pictures as she, but what I did get, I like very much and I can see some paintings in my future!!!   These are 3 that I downloaded today.

Being with Pamela is so much fun - she gets so excited over old abandoned houses, tractors, trucks, etc.,  and of course that is right up my alley because as you all know, I love old trucks!!! (and old barns, old houses, old windows, etc. etc. etc.)