Letting It Rest

"Untitled"
11" x 14"

I think I'm just about done with this one.  I'm going to let it rest for a little while and see what needs to be tweaked.  I know there are a couple areas that need a little more time.  But for the most part I think it's done.  Personally I like the way the sun bleaches out the bottom right, so hopefully it's not too disturbing to folks, however I promise I will do something with that pink "arrow" pointing to the bottom of the page.  YEOW!

I had intended to do my "quick" 1-hour painting today, but unfortunately one of the dogs got into a little bit of a mess today that required my immediate and prolonged attention . . . I will spare you the gross details.  Aaaahhh . . . gotta love `em!  :)

Mad Dash

Untitled work in progress
11" x 14"

Ok . . . I'm a little insane. Here's the beginning of another new painting. I'm starting to juggle. I still have some work left on the quilt with the chair and I have a barn painting going on too. (I don't think I've posted that one yet.) I'm also hot to start work on two others. I like having a few going. Keeps me from getting bored.  

This painting I started last week on Arches 300 lb. cold-press and was HATING it. I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel like I lose all luminosity on cold-press. I struggle with keeping the watercolor transparent anyway, and I'm just not able to keep it fresh it seems on cold-press. Isn't that nuts?  Anyway . . . I decided last night to trash the first one and begin again.  I'm so happy I did. This new one is on Fabriano soft-pressed paper. I'm not even sure what "soft-pressed" means . . . but I think it's somewhere in between hot and cold. I usually prefer hot-pressed surfaces, but thought I'd give this a whirl. This paper is a little more like velvet and lifts sooooo beautifully. And we all know how I like to scrub!  :) But layering washes is very tricky . . . almost impossible. So anyway that's where we are. Oh and I started an "hour painting" this morning but kept getting interrupted so I think I have a 1/2 hour left on it.  I'll try to finish the last 1/2 hour tomorrow morning. I wasn't able to do any other quick paintings besides the two I posted last week. Things got a little busy and so when I could I just worked on the larger paintings.

Ok . . . enough drivel.  Latah!

Trying a Still Life

"Cobalt Blues"
(approximately) 7.5" x 6.75"

So I thought I'd give a still life a whirl.  I went over an hour -- about 15 minutes.  All that pattern took a little while.  Below are two photos showing the progress on my larger painting.  Hmmm . . . we'll see how it goes.  

getting there . . . 

with even a little more done on the quilt and latch

Finally, since Teddy got a cameo in this blog last week, I thought I'd include a shot of Delilah.  She apparently put herself in "time out" yesterday (in my little garden) because Teddy was bugging her so much.  He won't jump the fence (of course she's not supposed to either!)  :)  Until I post again . . . have a glorious day!

Trying Something New

"The White Barn"
(approximately) 6" x 6"

(what this painting could look like framed)

I've decided to try something different.  I feel like I've been getting all bogged down with obsessive detail and not letting the watercolor really do what it can do.  In fact, I know I don't always use the watercolor to its highest potential; i.e. letting it get all wild and beautiful like it can.  So I've decided to set the timer to an hour and paint.  Get back to  . . . well get to (I can't in good conscience really say "back," because I don't know that I've ever just let the water and pigment play on the paper really) a little more spontaneity. So this is my first attempt. Ha! It's not really "loose" -- I don't know that I'll ever be loose, but it's a good start (for me). I think I will put this in a little exhibit/sale that is coming up in Jaffrey, NH soon. If it doesn't sell, then I will auction it off over at DPW.  I'll keep you posted.  In the meantime . . . I'm off to obsess over details . . . but don't worry, I like obsessing over detail.  It's fun for me.  :)  But I swear, I'm going to try to maintain this little hour-long daily exercise, so be forewarned, there may be some real messes coming down the pike. Hopefully more hits than misses though. Happy painting to you all!

More Updates

Oh my goodness, I feel like a painting/blogging machine these few days! :)  Obviously the painting in progress above is of the "chair with quilt" -- for lack of a better title at the moment.  So things are moving along with this one.  

Below, I've posted an image of the latch detail on the "Bittersweet Door" painting.  It was just too flat and bugging me, so I added a couple shadows to it and they made all the difference.  Now I'm happy with it.  So I wanted to share that with you. It's still up for auction over at DPW if you're interested.  I haven't changed that photo, so you can pretend it has the better latch now.

the improved latch detail on "Bittersweet Door"

click here to bid

Finally, I've attached the progress on my "Church Street Barn" painting.  It's coming along.  I'm doing a great deal of detail that I'm not sure will work or not.  We'll see.  I almost like going too far with areas of my paintings and then pulling back by washing out.  You can get an almost ghostlike quality that you can't get by painting directly onto the paper.  It's the same with highlights.  While sometimes reserving the whites are required, many times I prefer to pull out the color after the darks have been added.  It all depends on what suits the painting. Just something to think about.

"Church Street Barns"
12" x 12"

Ok enough of my lecturing . . . off to get my chores done!  :)

More Blueberries

"Simply Blueberries"
(approximately) 5.25" x 6.25"

Click here to bid

I give lessons on Fridays and my students are painting blueberries.  I decided to finish my sample yesterday and post it.  Below is what it could look like framed.  I think sometimes less really is more . . .

Enjoy your weekend!

Pushing on . . .

So I did a little more on this painting . . . but I also started another one.  I'll post my progress on that one soon.  Lots of shows coming up, so I'm pushing to get some watercolor work done while I continue painting my commission.  Happy Friday!

An 'Old Fashioned' Breakfast is DONE!

"An 'Old Fashioned' Breakfast"
8.25" x 8.5"
Sold

I just finished this tonight and thought I'd share it.  Now I'm headed off to bed.  Long day of painting, but VERY productive.

A Day Late . . .

"Old Fashioned" -- in progress
8" x 8"

Well, it's more like DAYS late.  I had originally started the painting above for the Daily Paintworks Challenge last week -- "Paint Your Breakfast." Unfortunately time just got away from me. It's close to being done, but not quite. Ugh.

As you may remember, I've been working on a commission, so I haven't spent much time on my watercolors.  However, I have managed to get in a little watercolor painting when I need to break away from the commission and let it set for later re-evaluation. You know how it goes. Anyway, hopefully I can finish this one up soon.

Below is another painting I've just begun.  Hopefully I can get it done for some of the Spring juried shows that are coming up. We'll see.

OH wait! . . . that's not the painting . . . it's an image of what happens when I try to snap a picture of a work in progress and the dogs are in. That's Teddy. He likes to poke up right in front of my camera and lick my face when I'm low to the ground. He looks cross-eyed when he's so close. He makes me laugh . . . what a goof!  :)  The next photo is the actual painting in progress.  It's a larger one for me:  15" x 19".

Ooh . . . this looks a little crooked.  I think it's from the rounded lens.  I try to fix that in photoshop, guess I didn't do such a good job.  Ok . . . so back to the drawing board . . . hopefully I can finish SOMETHING in the next few days!  

More Bittersweet

Click here to bid

I finished this one last night.  I had a heck of a time getting the computer image to match the painting.  It's always going to be a little different and I have no control over everyone's monitor settings, but it seems that I'll get the image's colors to appear accurately in Photoshop, but during the uploading process they'll fade out or something and change altogether.  Ugh.  The lower shadows on the door may appear slightly lighter in this image than they are in real life . . . yes . . . I think there is a hair more contrast between the lights and darks. But I think for the most part you get a fair idea of what this painting looks like in person. Anyway, I hope you like it.  Have a great weekend.

Work In Progress

"Bittersweet Door"
9" x 12"

I've been dividing my time between this and a commission.  I just have a little more to do . . . tweaking the details.  Have a good day.

Oh My Darlin'

"Oh My Darlin'"
8" x 8"

(what this painting could look like framed)

Click here to bid

I had started this painting right before Christmas but couldn't get the background right.  After letting it sit for a while and then consulting my friend Bill, we decided that the background needed to be toned down a bit as it was competing with the focal point.  It's a little tricky . . . ok, "A LOT" tricky painting a wash over an already developed area such as this patterned background.  So I masked out the big leaves with tape and just went for it.  Luckily the wallpaper was light enough that it didn't bleed all over the place. Although that first (violet) wash helped to mute things, I still thought I needed it to be a little warmer.  Gaaahhh . . . so although I had already removed the tape, I carefully went for it again with some yellowy-orange.  I had nothing to lose . . . it really needed it.  I think it all worked out.  Hope you like it . . . and thanks Bill!  :)

Quick Post

"Insight Into My Sole" (detail)

I was recently notified that "Insight Into My Sole" was juried into the Concord Art Association's Member Show.  The details regarding the show can be found here at their website.  Have a good weekend.

Happy New Year!

"Insight Into My Sole"
12" x 16"

"Egg On A Plate"
23" x 23"

So I'm finally posting again.  I hope you all had wonderful holidays. Best wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year to you as well.  I took quite the hiatus, eh?  But I'm motivated and inspired and ready to paint.  While I don't have anything new to show, I've been planning out some new paintings and have a couple that are just about finished.  I've also been working on a commission.  It's very different from my watercolors -- part of my "other life" -- a tavern sign in a more early American naive style.  It's been fun and a nice departure.  I also have another commission after that -- a home portrait in acrylics.  So I'll be busy.

In the meantime I just entered the two slightly older paintings (above) in the Concord Art Association members show.  We'll see how they do -- it's juried so there's a good chance they may not even make it in.  Gaaahhhh!  I'll keep my fingers crossed.  I would preferred to have entered something newer, but the good news is many have sold.  :)  So I must get busy painting away!

Have a great day . . . and I promise I'll be back soon with some new work.  Cheers!