Four Pears

Ok gang...still experimenting here and this time I have really gone a stretch...there is still so much to do but before I go any further you can see the direction I am trying to go. The blue is not showing up right here...but this is more about the idea than the color at this point anyway. I can see where doing all of these paintings up to a point is allowing me to experiment without feeling like I am losing too much...so it has been a worthwhile test. I think today I am done as I am wore out...I am going outside my comfort zone with mostly my imagination on this...small references to use but thinking I want to just investigate possible backgrounds...if I like this...you can bet this summer I will be taking pictures!!! So here is Four Pears on Movil Lake.  I am sorry I am keeping this so small but images are being lifted again so it is what I have to do from now on.

TWSA

I was just notified that the painting, "Monday's Wash" has been juried into the 2010 Transparent Watercolor Society of America's national exhibition. I am tickled as I love this piece and was hoping it would do well!  The exhibit runs from May 1 to July 25th at the Kenosha Public Museum in Kenosha, WI  near Chicago so if you are in the area, this is a terrific show to see!!!

In the Bag and New Update

This is my final photo...I still have to have a professional do this so it is right. Still not sure about "In the Bag" but it will be that until the name comes to me that is better. I got the bar code in on the lower right pear which was fun.

This painting is only getting the wood treatment right now...but that is coming along ok...This might be a slow one and be the last one finished as some elements are pretty complicated...but we will see.

In the Bag

I am not done but will show you where I am at and tonight or in the morning I will finish it and post the final right here with this one I think...unless there is more I want to say.
I have to redefine some of the openings between the boards which I have begun, clean some edges and check a few values in areas. I hope that I can feel ok about this one and move on to number three of the pears.
Trying a landscape in the background was nerve wracking especially since I do not do them and then I chose to do autum to keep the coloring the same through out the picture. When we have those clear days each tree is so clearly defined that it was not an option to do them softly blurred. Also that would have appeared almost like a different painting in the background. I do like the idea so now with that in mind I will be taking pictures of things that might be possible backdrops for other still life works...I think it is one way to solve that problem of the background without resorting to dark....or nothing...those are too simple of solutions. So this test has shown me a few ideas I think...and I used an old brush with jagged edges to just drag the wood grain in...it took about 15 minutes! So that was fun and using this tape for edges was new...also the masking for me is something I rarely have used so am trying to get use to it. It does have some draw backs...but more practice might help.

Will post the final tomorrow!

In The Bag Today

This is where I am at 3pm...I started at 9am. I cannot believe it is going so slowly but guess there has been alot of thinking to figure out these reflections. I think by tomorrow I will be closing the gap and that will feel wonderful as I am itching to work on the next one. The tape I am using is Painters Precision tape that is bright green...new and found it at ACE Hardware. It is working very very well!

In The Bag progressing

Today I worked all day and thought surely I would be further along than I am but I guess I am glad I am as far as I am!!!

Today I began working further on the painting In the Bag...or whatever it is called...my cousin said to call it Pearishable...ha! Anyway, in this first picture you can see how I am using tape to get the straight areas and I used clear shelf paper with masking around the edge to block things off to put in the water...having never done a landscape of any kind before in watercolor...except for 2 plein aire...I decided that this was the approach I would take. Well I taped one area off wrong...but I think when my reflections go in that will be covered...I hope!

Then when I removed all the tape I began the far shoreline of my lake with fall trees. That is now done but all the reflections have to go in...hopefully tomorrow that will go easily and then Sat and Sunday I can finish up the painting! I think that this process is pushing me to do more work..or work faster...not sure what it is!!!

It's in the Bag

Not sure this is the title but I am calling it that for now. This is where I am today as I stop. I am trying to make up this wood without a reference and am wondering how far to take it...I am thinking of an unusual background so hopefully I can begin that tomorrow!!!

Party Pear Final

I am not sure how this is going to appear as on my computer it looks square...and it is 22 x 17. This pear is about my dear friend Margo who passed away in December...she was the light of my life and the joy that came through the door each day...some friends are like that...bounce into your life and teach you how to live! She was the most positive person I have ever met and found good in everything...and I mean everything! I never heard her complain once through everything she went through. In August I was setting up still lifes of pears and as this one was developing it reminded me of Margo...she made everyday a party. I will think of her every day when I see this and hopefully live a better life because of knowing her.
This is going in at a lower resolution than I usually do because some of my images have been lifted again. I am sorry about that.

Party Pear Progress

Party Pear is getting closer. I have my son and his girlfriend every weekend so that has really slowed my progress but I still keep working some everyday. Thought I would show where Party Pear is today...and tomorrow maybe I will show another one. It has been a struggle with the odd plate this was on...sort of a gold patina and so I have been glazing with greens, golds and also a glaze of Tiger Eye which is a mineral watercolor from Daniel Smith. This paint tends to granulate as the actual rock settles out so it gives some subtle textures. Now when I finish the stem and umbrella they will pop more . I will begin to feel better when I can complete some of these and get them behind me!

Four Pears and a Frog

This one has so much drawing I have been doing...I have just started some of the painting but thought I would share it before I go on or move to another. This is a full sheet and so will take a lot of work...I hope it turns out as I like what is going on so far. I am sorry it comes with a gray cast but we are having some pretty gray days here...