IRIS - FINAL

I puttered with the flowers and buds and sharpened them a bit.

Then a loose, washy background and the painting was completed.

IRIS - 1

This was a demo painting for a class. As you can see, I began with the main iris stem crossing another, and then decided I didn’t like it.

I completed the iris, and then redrew the stem going more straight down.

EMERGING - FINAL

I applied some salt to the background in the final wash of dark green.

After paint was applied to all areas, the masking tape and miskit were removed.

I loosened just a bit of the paint in a few areas to create shadow areas, and the painting was complete.

This worked out better than I had anticipated!

Emerging, Watercolor, 22x15

EMERGING - 1

This painting is an experiment in taping, but was begun by miskiting the white areas.

Then a blend of yellow was poured loosely in the areas I anticipated keeping yellow.

Tape was applied, rather than miskit, on each successive layer, building up the darks.

GEORGIA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY

Now I can sign it . . . .

. . . since I just earned my Signature (status) from Georgia Watercolor Society! Yippee!!

I’m very excited, and honored (especially since the other person just earning his signature in the Society is none other than Laurin McCracken.  I’m in no way comparing my abilities to his, far from it; but, wow, it’s exciting to me to think that I’ve got something in common with him!

GWS has a point system: ½ pt. for a members’ show and 1 point for a National Exhibition. And, all of their shows are juried, so it doesn’t matter whether you are a member, you still might not get into the shows. Well, over the past couple of years I have entered 4 paintings which have been accepted into 2 national and 2 members’ shows! Since there are always different judges, and I never bribed any of them (ha, ha) I have concluded that maybe I can paint.

I’m aware that some artists do not want to participate in pursuing signature status in any of the watercolor societies, believing that it is elitist and/or political. But, it’s only human nature to want to know “where we stand”. Having your painting hanging on the wall next to other artists’ work is one of the best ways to figure that out. As far as I’m concerned, achieving signature status is a validation of an artist’s skills and hard work.

In any event, I’m very happy about this and just wanted to share with you.

This was one of those paintings that I loved from the start. In other words, very rare!

I “painted” it in my head first, and it was beautiful! Then came the hard part – actually painting it!

Once I had decided on this subject – a photo taken a few years ago at the local farm show – I cropped and enlarged the photo. Then I decided to use watercolor, full sheet.

I have found that the paintings that I work out in my head and take my time with usually turn out the best. Gee, planning and execution – who woulda thunk it!

Industrial Revolution, watercolor, 22x30.

A CLARIFICATION

Some of you followed along with my watercolor pencil lighthouse a while back.
My husband told me that it “wasn’t up to my usual standard” and that I should not have posted that series.

I told him that it was posted as a simple learning device that would enable people to follow along if they so desired, and that I had stated as much in the post.
If you, like my husband, thought it was below standard, that is the reason – it was not meant to be a masterpiece, but a learning device.

It has been my experience that I must paint a demo to encourage rather then intimidate my students.
The lighthouse painting was done for the 3-hour “make and take” class, and I think that the painting met its purpose well.

PUTTING IT ALL INTO PERSPECTIVE

Did you wake up with a few aches and pains today?
Was your coffee weak or your eggs runny?
Was traffic slow on your way in to work?
Long line at the check out?
Did your favorite TV program fail to record?
Did you complain?
Next time you face these big daily problems . . . .
. . . . think about Japan
. . . . just for a moment.
Then I dare you to complain.

Let's all say a prayer instead - and be thankful for all that we have.

SHAKER FAST FOOD - 4

Here is a list of colors used in this painting – do you think it was too many??? By my count, there are 28 colors listed below! I just don’t understand that “limited palette” idea!

Table - Sepia, Van Dyke brown, quin gold deep (limited), monte amiata
Background and areas on the various cans - Hooker’s green, sap green, thalo blue and thalo turquoise
Beets - Quin magenta, perylene maroon
Lima beans - hooker’s green
Tomato – quin sienna, perylene scarlet, quin gold deep (limited)
Cans - sodalite
Also – appearing in a supporting role – quin gold, indanthrone blue (seems I can’t paint a painting without these two!), quin. burnt orange, permanent brown, permanent lemon yellow, arylide yellow, aureolin yellow, Venetian red, Indian red, French ultramarine, raw sienna, cobalt teal, cobalt blue, cerulean blue
Most of these colors are from Daniel Smith.

Shaker Fast Food, watercolor on Arches 300#, 15x22