more beachgoers

Another painting from one of my photos. And my completed homemade sketchbooks--two with Coptic binding, one with Japanese stab binding.

Beachcomber

From a photo I took last summer.
Didn't get to the beach much this summer, for some reason. Always regret not having had enough fun when summer ends!

Beachgoers

Another sketch of beachgoers. Feel it could use some punching up ... But I'll leave it and call it a hazy day.

Sunday project

 

Working on making a few little watercolor journals: two with Coptic binding, one with a simple Japanese stab binding.

Also, a little contour drawing. 

Not working ...

I set up a little still life that I thought looked so nice, simple and bright.
But I couldn't translate it to the paper (one mistake was using masking fluid).
So, inspired by Rhonda at Watercolors and Words, I decided to try to fill the space a la Shirley Trevena ... Easier said than done as I don't have her facility with shapes, among other things.
But, I figured it couldn't hurt to practice on a failed painting.
This is how far I got this morning.

Oysterman

From a picture I took of an oyster farmer returning to the dock.
Overworked the dark greens a bit--they kept drying too light. And I was hoping to get more variety in there; when I painted it, I thought I was varying them...not enough though.

photo refs

Yesterday was the last day of the summer flounder season.
Didn't catch any flounder, but got a couple of nice reference photos.

Bad paper :-(

Didn't finish this little sketch--struggled too long with it as it is--because the paper was not cooperating.
I have this problem with paper sometimes--too old? too much humidity? It becomes absorbent, flattening the color and making mixing on the paper and hard edges impossible.

Cloud study

Once in a while I get an urge to try painting clouds. There are so many watercolor techniques to practice: color mixing, hard and soft edges, wet-in-wet ...
And the subject itself is new daily

Eastern robin

Watercolor with black and white ink.

Outside Espanola, NM

I have numerous--beyond numerous, really--photos of NM: Espanola, Santa Fe, and my favorite, Taos.
They always seem too daunting to paint!
But this scene appeals to me so much--I am crazy for pinons!--I decided to finally try.

Jersey shore

First painting I've done in my revamped studio--a very pleasant experience!

Iris

Another abandoned painting!
I couldn't see my own underdrawing very well and wound up putting a petal where on shouldn't be.
On the upside, my glads are blooming ...

Unfinished ...

I've been seeing a lot of great portraits on FB lately, which inspired me to get out a photo from an "old Florida" site that I found a few years back. I just loved this woman's serene and sweet face.
So, I began ... But stopped.
The color's not right--too yellow?
And, I think there are too many hard edges...
Sometimes, for me, it's better to begin again than to try to fix.

Studio revamp

Though I haven't been painting, or posting, much, it's not far from my mind!
I've been redoing my studio--painting, reorganizing and winnowing, building shelves ...
I wish I had taken before pictures!
The current lack of clutter will, I hope, be conducive to spending more time in here!

Blue poppies

Painting in the darks behind the flowers I ran out of steam!

Benny's Landing, 2

A second attempt made in the comfortable, if hot, confines of my studio.
Houses are still too prominent! May do some lifting, under them especially.
Even with the dark undernesth, the houses seem to be floating!
I think I will pull some of the grass color up into them; perhaps that will integrate them better.

plein air group

Last summer a few friends and I started a plein air group; this summer we're folding into a larger group with a greater range.
We met yesterday afternoon at Benny's Landing. Beautiful afternoon.

 

Right off the bat, I messed up the line of houses: it's too big, and the rooflines were mostly at the same height. Also, I began by painting the shadowed side of the houses; should have started with the lighter side, I think--then I might have seen the drawing error and been able to fix it.

Since I wasn't happy with it, I decided to mark corrections on it with a marker, so I could try the scene again.

I changed the roofline, and added more dark shapes along the base of the houses.

When I paint it again, I'll much reduce the prominence of the houses too.

Roadside lilies

Some naturalized lilies-- my favorite flower I think when they're blooming everywhere--I found in an empty lot on a bike ride. I should go back with a shovel and grab a couple!

thinking ahead

 (8x10)

Every year when the holidays roll around I kick myself for not having had cards made: not this year!

Here are the three paintings from this past winter that I've chosen to have printed.

bird of paradise wip

 (11x15)

Inked drawing waiting to be painted.

 

(11x15)

More from class

 

Something different, and fun.

The paper is stained with tea: blot a hot, wet teabag on it till you get the stain you like.

Let dry, then paint.

This is a kind of tea plant.  

The class is 8 Flowers 8 Ways with Val Webb.