January Sky

The late afternoon sky was beautiful and begged to be painted.  In this painting, I have tried a new color - Sevris Blue by Williamsburg.  The color is rich and the pigment is strong, much like their Indian Yellow.  It bends towards the turquois, and is the middle sky color in this painting.  The Williamsburg paints are creamy and richly pigmented.  I have nine of them, and have yet to try two of them.  On the landscape I painted a few days ago, I used them exclusively. It is so fun trying out new supplies!  This painting makes 1454 in 1454 days  :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants
Watercolor on paper, 9x6
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Another bright and colorful rooster for today!  There is something so freeing about painting with reckless abandon!  Playing with the watercolors again, I am working wet into wet, letting the colors mingle.  Fighting the urge to get too detailed, I choose loose strokes to form the rooster and grasses.  The sheer experimentation going on with the bold colors is exhilarating!  I was never one to color outside the lines - or even to use these vivid colors, always choosing to stay in those "realistic guidelines".  Well, I have certainly taken a walk on the wild side with this lively painting!  Number 589 in as many days :)

Sunlit Hollyhocks

Sunlit Hollyhocks
Watercolor, 6x9
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On this painting, I am really working to give dimension to the petals of the hollyhocks.  Wanting to define them loosely, I still want to bring out the light and shadow.  I have not been sketching out my compositions in watercolor.  When I start with the Pebeo drawing gum, I mark off the highlights with this, allowing it to dry.  I then go in with my darkest darks, and next the other colors, before rubbing off the resist.  When I use this method, I paint two at once.  This way, I don't lose any time in waiting.  While I wait for the Pebeo to dry, I go to the next one and apply the drawing gum.  While that one dries, I am underpainting the first one.  And then, while the first paints dry, I underpaint the second.  Rubbing off the gum of the first, I then go in with the final watercolors on the same piece.  Next, I move to the second, and rub off the gum and finish the painting.  At the end of this process, I look over both, to see if there is anything else I want to add, or remove with a stiff brush, a little water and a paper towel.  If that little voice in my head tells me, "I'm done", then I stop.  I always listen to this voice, even if I don't want to!  Painting number 585 in 585 days.

Geraniums at Play

Geraniums at Play
Watercolor on paper, 6x9
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Every year, I plant the beloved geraniums.  Every year but this one.  Our new puppy, now 6 months old, has a passion for emptying every pot and container of all plantlife and dirt - no matter how heavy those pots are!  So, this year, I am simply admiring these beauties from afar.  I love the look of dripping watercolor on paper.  One would think that this is a simple process of raising the paper upright, the the juicy watercolors would just drip downwards.  Well, it doesn't work that easy for me!  Last time, I had to blow on the drops to make them fall.  This time, I held the paper upright and tapped it on the table...several times before the drips would fall!  I wanted drama in this painting, so I chose indigo for the shadow areas, pulling some of it back out with a stiff nubby bristle brush and water - blotting with a paper towel to lift the color.  This left a ghostly image of petals in the background.  I need to be careful with this technique, lest I rub some of the paper away as well.  Today, I add scarlet lake to my arsenal of reds, and a little new gamboge for the sun kissed highlights (yes, I am still working my way though my newfound treasure of watercolors!). Painting number 582 in as many days.

Kitten Nap

Kitten Nap
Watercolor on paper, 9x6
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This little kitten is absolutely spoiled!  The new favorite of my youngest daughter, little Captain is my subject du jour!  I have not yet attempted an animal in watercolor, so when I first blocked in the colors, I did so in a realistic manner, as I would in oils.  It lacked vibrancy and pop.  So, one by one, I began introducing and layering different colors intuitively.  I don't know what the rules are with watercolor - so I am just dropping in the fresh colors I want to see, whatever brings more life to the subject.  A little wild and crazy, this painting makes 579 in 579 days.