Purple Waterlily Demo 2

Well, I wanted to update you on the water as I am unsure how to approach it. I am changing from the photo I took so that the painting will have more color and I want the reflected blue sky to be showing on the water rather than the gray color that was actually there. I also am attempting...[and I strongly emphasize that!! HA!] to paint more loosely on this one and I will freely admit I am not comfortable at all doing this. Without a plan and being loose, I run the risk of ruining this wonderful start to what could be a very nice painting. So here is the blue added and then I will come in with the darks and show you how it is progressing. Hopefully it will not be ugly and scare the bejeebers out of you!!!

Purple Waterlily Demo

This will not be a complete demo telling you colors I use etc but rather one of solving a problem. This painting first of all has been on hold because of Christmas, company and then a friend moving. Now the days are mine again I need to get back to work. The problem is that I would like the water to express more blue of the sky rather than the grays that my photo is showing. It actually was very gray water that day but I want this to be more colorful. I run the risk of course of making it look unrealistic so I will proceed carefully. I have decided that I now have a few of my darks in and before I go any further with the flower, I want to see what the values of the water will do. It might alter what I think I will do with the flower...so it is essential to see this large mass filled in so I can more accurately gauge what to do with the flower. I could go to far with the flower and have a very dark painting. I want the flower to stand out so that is why I choose to now switch to the background to help me make some decisions. They might be wrong...but I find this lessens my chances of error. So the stage you are looking at now is before any water goes in. Hopefully having shown you this will spur me on now to work faster and get the water in to show you how this will progress! I just peeked and of course I loaded the picture sideways!!! Leave it to me...but the rest will be the right way I promise! HA!

Wishing you a Merry Chirstmas!

I have been so busy that I have had little time to think about blogging! I know all of you are having the same problem as this time of year all we do is play catch up it seems!
I have begun a new painting of a purple waterlily which I am anxious to get at but cookie baking took me away yesterday and then there was wrapping presents one day and shopping...the list goes on but at least it is there on the drawing board, ready to go when the opportunity strikes!
I wanted to mention a new blog I have started for artists. It is at http://artcolony.blogspot.com and hopefully it will grow with artists who can share thoughts and ideas. We all need encouragement from time to time and hearing what others are doing can often get us off the couch to paint!!!
My book is about done and the title has been chosen, A Celebration of Light, and there is also a subtitle but cannot recall it. It is about texture however. Ha! It doesn't come into the bookstores until next October so by then I will have forgotten I even wrote a book!!! But it feels good to have accomplished that and now I am ready to move on. I am teaching a few workshops which I will talk about later. Hopefully I will meet some of my internet friends at them!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!

Well, Christmas is upon us and this is a most unusual one! We woke up to 30 degrees at 5 am and melting snow. That is highly unusual for northern Minnesota where we could easily be -20 in late December! So this is going to be a great day to get outside and enjoy a nice walk in the woods!

I am sending you a Christmas card and hope that the New Year will bring you many blessings and bountiful laughter and joy! May there be peace in this world and in our hearts and remember to be kind to each other.

This is my cat hiding in the Christmas tree thinking he cannot be seen...what a silly fellow he can be but perhaps he is just a poser and knew I would paint his picture! Ha!

A Celebration Of Light

My newest painting is hot off the board and is off to the printer as we speak! I am hoping that it also will be a step by step demo in my new book out next October. I had taken this photo several years ago and was afraid to start painting it because I knew if it did not get just right it would not be one I would ever repeat. In the end I had to do the fabric freehand as the deadline was looming over me. It turned out and I am very happy with it.

Creating the look of light is something I try with all of my paintings but in some it is more dramatice because of the cast shadows. This is what very often sets apart a painting and catches the eye.

Working with only transparent watercolors works for me because I never worry about not being able to lift an area. It still will leave a slight stain but it allows me to try somethings that I would never try with an opaque staining color. Plus, transparent paints allow the white of the paper to glow through creating the illusion of light!

October and Pumpkins

I cannot believe it is already into October because I really do not remember having summer! I was so busy with my book this year I think I have lost alot of months along the way but now with winter returning I see I have come full circle and another year older and hopefully wiser!
This is a painting I completed for my book to demonstrate how complementary colors can really make things pop! This wagon I purchased at a garage sale and yes, it really was this color! I immediately knew it would look gorgeous with anything orange in it so settled on this composition but next fall think I will use alot of mums in the wagon and maybe George, my big black kitty.
Some have been inquiring about my book and when it will be out and I have been told that will be next October and the title has not yet been picked so will keep you informed.

Rejoice

This is one of the paintings I completed for my new book out next October. I always see hollyhock flowers and think it looks like a chorus of singers with mouths open wide singing at the top of their lungs so thus the title. I wanted to show complimentary colors and how they work to create an exciting contrast.
How is the weather in your area? We have been so hot and with the county fair on I was very concerned about all the animals in the barns. I guess they made it but it must have been hard on them. Today we are cooler and so I hope it makes its way to you as well. The house is cooling down and the animals all wanted to go out this morning so that was a good sign! Rejoice, Fall is on it's way!