Week 10 challenge ....

I am enjoying painting these Karin Jurick challenges. I find since I am not attached to the photo's I can loosen up and paint them more or less as I would a sketch and not fuss with detail like I usually do. These photos will show you my process this week. I did the first sketch last Thursday and the drawing yesterday, waiting until today to do my painting.

Trying not let the other doodles interfere with my thoughts I decided to sketch this out on some scratch paper before attempting it in watercolor. hmmmm, ok, this may be fun.

Next I decided to get my drawing down on paper.

I told myself NOT to obsess with this one. Make it sketchy, get your thoughts down and don't look back. Its not a masterpiece, but I am pretty happy with it and feel I accomplished the looseness I had wanted.

Three white pumpkins...???

Three White Pumpkins - Aprox. 6" x 6"

Although white pumpkins are not really white, but a little creamy looking, here is my attempt at rendering white pumpkin's. Once again I used this weeks Karin Jurick image as my reference.

I must admit it was a little more of a challenge than I had expected. I started out with many layers of a mix of Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna, then on the opposite corner using a dark mixture of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna. Once I was happy with the amount of layers to convey my light and dark I used the same mixtures to give shape to the pumpkins.

Sandpiper on a Log

Sandpiper on Log

5" x 5" original watercolor

Today I finished this small watercolor painting of a sandpiper. Painted on 140 lb. Arches cold press paper using my usual limited palette of artists grade watercolor pigments.

When I tried to identify this Sandpiper in my bird book I found so many varieties of Sandpipers all looking similar that I am going to take an uneducated guess that this is a Western Sandpiper because of the bill length and shape. If these birds are standing still they are so well camouflaged, blending in with the sandy pebbles on the beach, that you can easily miss seeing them unless they are scurrying along the waters edge. Their little legs moving as fast as they can carry them.

I love walking on the beach here in South Puget Sound where I can usually see 4-5 different birds at any given time. But, it seems that I constantly forget my camera or decide not to carry it with me because it's too bulky. It's not that its particularly large, but, still I can't just put it in my pocket and be off for my walk. So this week I decided to purchase a new camera that I will be able to carry with me at all times. Its 3.8" wide x 2.3" high x 0.8" deep. I'm thinking I'll be able to capture some great shots of all the sights I am blessed to have around me each day.

Red Tomatoes Framed

Framed "Red Tomatoes" with gold leaf

watercolor (10" x 11" Unframed)

Just a little veggie painting to get us all in the mood for fresh juicy tomatoes from the garden. Yes, I know some say tomatoes are a fruit ... ok, so you go ahead and have a nice sliced tomato on your cheerio's.

After painting the tomatoes I felt the background would look best with some Gold Metal Leaf to set them off in a rustic yet elegant way. The gold foil added sparkle to an otherwise dark painting when the background was left a darker green that is seen at the edges of the foil.

Completed - Foggy Island Bridge

SOLD Foggy Island Bridge 22" x 30" watercolor

Finally .... after thinking about this scene for such a long time, I've completed this full sheet watercolor.

Scenes such as this, with the fog and the green trees, are pretty typical of the Pacific Northwest. When I'm out and about seeing these types of landscapes, they almost take my breath away. I wouldn't want to live any where else.

Foggy Island Bridge

Below are three progress photo's of a painting I introduced you to back in October 2007. I think I have shown you the first two at that time. In the first photo, I have the drawing and a few washes of indigo with some ultramarine blue that have very little pigment in the water. In the second photo I have more washes of the indigo mixture and I'm beginning to shape some of the trees and the bridge. Today I worked more on this painting and it's beginning to take on some substance. I've begun to shape the large rocks started working on the trees and shrubs on this side of the bridge on ramp. I've added some definition to the boat ramp and the dock area.

progress photo's of "Foggy Island Bridge" #1

progress photo's of "Foggy Island Bridge" #2

progress photo's of "Foggy Island Bridge" #3

In thinking about this painting I realize that I enjoy painting in watercolor by getting the first washes down and then putting the painting away for awhile. Although this is far from finished I do think the next steps will come easier now that it has sat untouched for a while. I do keep these paintings out in the open where I can see them, so they are not really forgotten. I like thinking about what area I should work on next and how I should accomplish the look I want when I work on it again. If I put it away for awhile I can see where I need value, where I need color etc. that I can't see when I originally start out painting.

If you work in watercolor, how do you prefer to work? Do you usually like to finish your painting in the first (and only) setting or do you like to take your time and to work on the painting for days before you complete it?

The holiday's are upon us.....

I think you can always tell that the holiday's are right around the corner because the Christmas bazaars start. This last Saturday I participated in my first ever holiday bazaar. While I was a little frazzled trying to get ready for this it wasn't bad at all once I had enough prints, cards and originals complete and ready for the public. The only thing was that not a lot of public showed up.

This is a small 5" x 7" Poinsettia I painted in preparation of the holiday's.

This next one is a little larger. Approximately 6" x 18". I have cropped it in the scanner just so it is doesn't look that large. Both look so pretty in gold frames.

With my first bazaar behind me I am now concentrating on a commission I agreed to do as a surprise gift.