Deb Ward, GWS, OWS, PWS, WSI - WATERCOLOR/WATER MEDIA - My passion is teaching adult “beginners”. Weekly classes in my home; workshops; classes for Cincinnati Recreation Commission. My work is nationally recognized and published - see “Featured” on my sidebar. I’m a Signature Member of Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana state Watercolor Societies, Cincinnati Art Club, past-President of Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society. Contact info below under “Class Information”

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

ART SHOWS

I have had two paintings accepted into a regional show.  The opening is Friday night in Rising Sun, Indiana.
For those of you in the area here's the info:

Rising Sun 8th Juried Art Exhibition
Opening Reception:  Friday, September 2 - from 6-9 p.m. (awards at 7)
Pendleton Art Center
201 Main Street
Rising Sun, Indiana
The show will run through September 23

Also:
Cincinnati Art Club Fall Signature Show
Opening: Friday, September 9 – from 6-9 p.m.
Additional viewing times: September 10, 11, 17, 18 from 1-4 p.m. (Sat. and Sun.)
Location:
Cincinnati Art Club
1021 Parkside Place
Cincinnati (Mt. Adams) Ohio

Hope you can make it to one or both shows!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

CLASS DISMISSED

I finished my summer session of classes a few weeks ago - and two of the students told me “I get it now”!
Wow – it’s always so exciting to hear that, after a long wait! It makes me proud of them (and proud of myself that I was able to impart some knowledge!)
After lots of whining, they all managed to create a landscape of rocks and greenery.
How?
By painting in the values and shapes – nothing more!
They were amazed with themselves.
I was proud of them.

When I do class demos I usually don’t plan on getting a completed painting – I want to show the students “how to” and then help them.   I forgot to take my camera to class – but take my word for it – at least one of the students’ work turned out better than mine!

Here it is as I left it from the class demo.

Here it is finished.  I'm not a landscape painter - gee, can you tell???!!!  But maybe I'll get more interested - there are so many beautiful vistas in our area, not to mention on our property.  I'm thinking this fall will be a good time to go outside - cool, crisp mornings, beautiful blue skies, lots of color in the trees - and give it a try!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

FARMALL - FINAL

When the painting was basically complete, I took off the miskit (on the letters and numbers) and then added deeper shadows throughout the painting to unify all of the shadow areas.

I then added some white highlights. Yep – I did use white! I even used black! As I’ve noted before, I do use black and white in acrylics, but still do not use them in watercolor!

Then the background – what to do??? I had some pale blue in from my initial colors but didn’t want that, so I decided on a gray-ish blue. I also decided that could be watercolor, so I looked through my grays/blues that I had and decided on lunar blue (Daniel Smith). However that didn’t work out so well! It got all “thick and thin” due to waviness of the paper. I then put the painting in the laundry tub and lightly washed it off. I have to say, I think it’s the first time I have ever done that! Then I decided to try it again, but using a more controlled wash and larger brush. Last, I took a light wash of “dirty water” and swished it over some of the letters in Farmall to slightly knock them back and added a touch of quin. burnt orange.

I achieved my purpose, painting R E D! When I asked for critique on this one I got “it’s very red” from my favorite critique-ers! And they were right!

I’m not unhappy with this one!

By the way, I began this painting in APRIL! Yikes – speed kills!!!
FARMALL, fluid acrylic on Arches 300# CP, 22x30

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

ENTER VIEWPOINT!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled painting to bring you this (un)paid advertisement.

If you have not already done so, it’s not too late to enter ViewPoint 2011! (Deadline: Entry Postmark August 31, 2011)

Check out my sidebar for more information on this National Show, chaired for the 3rd (and last) time by Yours Truly.

And no, just because you are my blog buddy, I cannot promise that you will be included in the show if you enter, but, if you feel your work is worthy, I’d love to have you enter the competition. Especially if you work in watermedia – it’s my mission to get more watermedia paintings than oils and pastels entered – so I’m really, really (shamelessly) trying hard here, folks!

Go to the Cincinnati Art Club website and download a prospectus today!

You will be competing with some of the best painters across the nation (and Canada, Eh!). Our prizes are great and each year it’s an excellent show.

Hope to see your entry soon!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Friday, August 5, 2011

FARMALL - 3

Since the painting was begun in the “3 stages” mode, I continued working it this way, gradually adding more color and bringing in more detail.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

FARMALL - 2

This photo shows how the painting looked for the demo. You can see my process from right to left: in the beginning stages with some light color added; in the middle with more color added; on the left as I begin to bring portions to completion.