This painting is a watercolor on a tissue paper collage over an old, discarded painting, with a touch of Zentangle thrown in.

I textured the tissue paper with Gesso before I collaged it to the old painting.  This was a class project for my watercolor class and I encouraged them to find their own floral inspiration and they all did a wonderful job.  Some even changed the subject to sea turtles, angels and fish.

Whirligiggs!

Whirligiggs!

I finished this mixed media piece this evening.  I am going to use it for a lesson for my watercolor class this summer.  They have expressed an interest in doing some mixed media work.

I used an old watercolor painting as my base and then collaged green tissue paper over the entire surface allowing some of the original painting to show through.  Then I collaged pieces of white tissue paper on which I had painted and stamped gesso patterns.  Then I took a stiff bristle brush and softened the edges and drybrushed white gesso over the entire painting allowing the green tissue to peak through..  At this point, I drew the koi fish and then painted the composition with watercolors which worked really well over the gesso.  I was happy with the results because I love the textures which are showing through all the different layers.    This painting is approximately 12" x 16".

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.

The Abanconed Rainbow Truck

I recently finished this old vintage truck painting - this is one in which I pushed the limit in using color.  I was happy the way it turned out.

The painting is 11" x 11" and is painted on Cansons 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  It is entirely transparent watercolor. The blues are Antwerp Blue and Ultramarine Blue and the reds are Dragon's Blood and Cadmium Red Light.  The oranges are all mixed from Cadmium yellow and the reds already mentioned and the greens from lemon yellow and Antwerp.

Peggy's Cove

I finished this painting for my class yesterday...It is approximately 12" x  7" and is painted on Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper from all transparent watercolors.

We will probably start painting this on Monday evening during our intermediate watercolor painting class.  I like the way it turned out - especially the colors.  I hope they enjoy it!

Bobbi's Winter Barn

I completed this painting this weekend - it is the "all paint from one photo" project and is the November project for Watercolor Workshop, an online Yahoo group.

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Canson's 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  I love painting snow scenes, especially those with strong sunlight which casts such nice shadows.  Of course, those who know me also are aware that I like to paint old barns (and trucks and cars!.)  Especially barns which have holes in them and are falling apart.

I also plan to use this painting as a lesson for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

Crashing Waves

This painting of crashing waves will be the lesson for next weeks class at Riverside Arts Center.  It is from the EmptyEasel.com web site - from a tutorial on painting moving water. 

This painting is 5 inches by 9 inches and is a mixed media piece which also incorporated white crayon in watercolor crayon resist.  It is painted on 140 lb. Canson cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Still Life with Apples

I painted this still life today for day 13 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  I am also going to use it for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper with Golden's QoR watercolors.  I love them - the pigments are so intense and keep the intensity as they dry, unlike a lot of other watercolors.

Antique Glass and Pears

I finished this painting recently - the inspiration was a photograph from the Wet Canvas web site reference library.  I think that this has a sort of old master/renaissance feel - maybe because of the colors.

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. Canson cold-pressed watercolor paper with mostly QoR watercolors from Golden.

This painting will be a lesson soon for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

Courtney's Beautiful Bloom

This painting will be our lesson for Monday night's watercolor class.  This   flower painting is taken from a beautiful photo taken by our neighbor, Courtney Kay Gasson.  She recently won honors for the

photo at the Shelby County Fair in Ohio, and graciously allowed me to use it as the source photo for my painting.

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on 140 lb. cold-pressed Canson watercolor paper with mostly Holbein watercolors.  I know my watercolor family will enjoy painting this one.

Courtney Kay's Prize-winning Photograph

At Rest On Wrestle Creek

My friend and art student, Bridget Weller, knows that I love to paint old trucks, so she brought me this picture of an old International Dump Truck, which is "resting" on her farm on Wrestle Creek Road.  I also plan to use this painting as a lesson in the watercolor class so she will also paint her truck.  Thanks, Bridget!

The painting is 9" x 12" and is painted on Canson 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper with QoR watercolors from Golden paints.

Visionary: Mixed-Media Portrait

Happy Fourth Of July, everyone!  Enjoy this day of celebration for America's independence.

My new painting, "Visionary", is another experiment in mixed-media.  The painting is 16" x 12" and is done over another discarded painting from the "archives!"

I first tore text areas from a magazine and collaged them over the old painting which was done on 140 lb. cold-pressed Arches watercolor paper. I stamped and painted textures on white tissue paper with white Gesso.  I used rubber shelf paper for the stamping, and the rest of the designs were hand painted.  I then tore shapes from the tissue paper and collaged those on top of the magazine text.  I did this at random - paying no attention to where the various textures were going to be in the final composition.  I used matte acrylic medium as my collage medium.

When this dried, I drew the image on top of the collage with an HB pencil and painted the image in transparent watercolor.  I added a few areas of white to the beard with block-out white to finish.  I did not use colored pencil on this as I did on the first.  I love the way the stamped and collage images show through the watercolor.

Mixed Media Portrait Study

I have been experimenting with some mixed-media collage type studies. 

 In this, I started with a discarded watercolor and did a partial collage on top with torn areas of text from an old book.  Then I painted textures on scraps of white tissue paper with white gesso, and then collaged those scraps on top of the text .  All of this allows some of the original watercolor to peak through, but not that it is recognizable.  

I then took an image of a man's face, made many changes so that it is my interpretation of a face and drew it on top of the collage.  I painted it with watercolors, and then added prismacolor pencil shading and details. 

 Finally, I used block-out white and a small pointed brush  for the beard stubble and mustache.  I like the way the gesso collage shows through the watercolor.

Autumn Trees

I saw a painting similar to this one on the internet and felt that this concept had value as a lesson for my intermediate watercolor students at Riverside Art Center.  This would be a lesson in drawing with liquid mask - using it as a tool to  use it as expressive line which becomes part of the compositional format.  

The painters will actually draw with the mask as they would with a pencil or pen.  This painting is 11" x 9" and is painted on 140 lb. Fabriano cold-pressed watercolor paper.  It will also be a lesson in wet-on-wet watercolor painting in basically warm colors except for the blue in the sky.  This is different from the work we have been doing.

"Moo Bossies"- Hereford Cow

I have always wanted to paint a cow!  So - here is my first cow painting.  It is a painting of a Hereford cow...my friend, Rose, who used to have them on her farm when she was a child, always called them "Moo Bossies!"

This painting is 9" x 9" square and is painted on 140 lb. Acquarello cold-pressed watercolor paper.  This will be a lesson for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

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.

Peace Rose

This is the latest painting for my intermediate watercolor class at Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta, Ohio.  It is 11" x 7" and is painted in transparent watercolor on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.  This painting photographed a little more intense  than it really is and the background is not pink and blue - just white and blue.  Wish I could figure out this camera of mine!!!

Dinner Time

This is the painting I have prepared for my watercolor class to paint this coming Monday evening.  It is 12" x 9" and is painted on 140 lb. Acquerello cold-pressed watercolor paper.  This is from a photo taken by "The Photo Guy Photography by Darren" in Bardstown, Kentucky.  Thanks, Darren, for allowing me to use your photo.

We are also going to have some wine and refreshments to celebrate the holiday...is there anything better than spending time and enjoying food with other artists?