SUNFLOWERS - 2

Here are more of the students' paintings - continuing the sunflowers - with mine in there somewhere!

This was after our second session using the fluid acrylics.

BEGINNING SUNFLOWERS

Both classes have started a sunflower painting.  Here are the starts from the morning class - using fluid acrylics!

I'm providing the paints, brushes and palettes (styro plates) for them to experiment with since none have used the fluid acrylics before and I hate for people to spend a lot of money just to try something.  I have an array of these paints, primarily DaVinci and Chroma, but a few Golden thrown in - they are smaller size so I'm thinking they came into my possession via the Golden company's demonstration and give away programs.
If they like it, I'm sure they will be going out to purchase MORE PAINT - just what we all need, right!!!

All of the paintings are from our first day of working on them.  Mine is in there somewhere but I can't tell which it is without looking at the back where I wrote the student's name.   I know mine is NOT the best looking one!

So far they seem to be enjoying this experience.  Not everyone will be here each week - but I'll try to keep up with photos as the weeks pass.

CENTRAL TIME - FINAL

The final painting.

I had to repaint between the girders after removing the tape since too much of the paint flowed underneath.  It may have been a "happy accident" since I like the look of this better.

Central Time, Chroma Flow Acrylics on Arches watercolor paper

CENTRAL TIME - 7

Yet more work on the clock and girders.

CENTRAL TIME - 6

Continuing to sharpen features.

CENTRAL TIME - 5

I began sharpening the girders and the clock features.

CENTRAL TIME - 4

Now I used clear tape over the shapes between the girders, then applied more color in a “bullseye” around the clock.

CENTRAL TIME - 3

I wet the paper and placed a wash of blues around the clock, blotting the face when the paint ran in.

CENTRAL TIME - 2

 I enlarged the photo and then used a rolling ruler and two straight edges to sharpen up all of those lines!

Finally I had the drawing ready.  It sat on my easel for at least a day so I could study it as I walked by, to make sure it made sense.

CENTRAL TIME

A few years ago I took a trip to Chicago with a friend.  We spent the weekend with her wild and crazy cousin and had a blast!

I was like a country mouse in the city. 

We took the El train into downtown – a totally new experience for me.  I was confused by the train – not realizing I could simply open the door between cars even though it said “Do not Open While Train is in Motion” – or something like that.  So, when the other two went through the door and it closed on me I was in shock and yelled for my friend.  Of course, that alerted passengers in that car that something was going on and pretty much anyone within earshot – about half the car – looked up at me.  The other two found this incredibly funny and they doubled over in laughter.  I was embarrassed at that point, but later in the day I just laughed at that, along with all of the other stupid things we did.

We acted like little kids all day.

We rode in a taxi – again, not something I’m used to.  All 3 of us crammed into the backseat, sitting on each others laps and hugging to make room!

We took funny photos of ourselves under and around “The Bean” at Millennium Park.

We made goofy poses in front of the lions at the Art Museum.

I recall some skipping and possibly singing, too!

Remember those folks who were alerted on the train when the door closed on me?  Well, when we got to the train station I looked up and saw this cool clock, and all the girders, and thought “now that would make a painting some day.”  So there I stood, photographing what, to a NORMAL person, would be the rafters. 

Two women from the train walked past me, and as they did so, one said to the other "Look, there's that odd woman from the train.  Look, she's taking pictures of the roof."  

And that’s how this painting began!

PEEKABOO BEAR and TWINROCKER PAPER

This last painting was created on Twinrocker Paper.

There is a story about this particular paper.  W a a a a a y back in the 1990's I visited the Twinrocker Paper Company with some other students from the watercolor classes I was taking.  The facility is located in Brookston, IN, just north of West Lafayette (home of Purdue University).

We all drove up together and had a tour of the facility which, as you can see from their website, you can still do today.  As I recall, it didn't cost us much, and we had lunch at a small diner just down the street.  I recall the most delicious soup and sandwich - maybe I was just famished, or it was truly delish!  Have no idea what the name of the place was, nor if it still exists.

Our tour was very informative as well as warm and moist!  It ended in a room filled with newly made paper!  All shapes, including circles and ovals, and all sizes.  I purchased about 5 pieces of full size paper and a couple of smaller ones.  When I got home I put them away since they were hand made and precious.  I decided to wait until I was a better painter before I used any of them.  They have resided inside the bag they came in until this year!

When I was looking for paper for this particular painting I finally decided that I was ready for the Twinrocker!  About time!!!

The paper is not competely flat as other w/c paper, and has more movement - little hills and valleys.  I'll be curious to see how, or if, it will flatten before I frame it.  It is also  about an inch smaller both width and height.

It handled very well as far as taking the paint - of course, this was acrylic versus watercolor, so I'll be curious and excited to try another "precious" sheet for a watercolor painting.

PEEKABOO BEAR - FINAL

Here is the completed (I think!) painting of "Peekaboo Bear".

"Peekaboo Bear", Chroma Flow Acrylic on Twinrocker paper, full sheet.

Twinrocker is a hand made paper and is slightly smaller than regular paper.

PEEKABOO BEAR - 4 (Chroma Flow Acrylics)

Step 8 - Here I have added a bit more to the yellow bear.

 Step 9 - Some shadowing begun on the blue bear.

 Step 10 - Blue bear darkened, eyes and nose added to yellow bear.

PEEKABOO BEAR - 3 (Chroma Flow Acrylics)

Step 5 - More color added to the red bear and the rug.

Step 6 - Now working on the light brown bear.

Step 7 - Here I've added the little brown bear and worked more on the other two bears.

This is really a fun painting - same techniques I usually use, just a very different subject!

QUICK REVIEW OF 2014

At the end of each year I usually take a look back at what happened in the prior Art Year.

This past year my artwork was accepted into:

• 121^st Woman’s Art Club Juried Exhibit – The Anniversary Clock won the Winsor & Newton Award
• Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibit - Swirls
• Hoosier Salon – Japanese Tea won the Outstanding Watercolor Award and sold that evening!
• 46^th Annual ViewPoint National Juried Exhibit – Swirls and Daisies on Daisies
• The Artist’s Magazine 31^st Annual Art Competition: Still Life/Interior (Finalist) – “Oriental Roses” (Acrylic), “Yin Yang Mums” (Watercolor)
• Pennsylvania Watercolor Society’s 35^th Annual International Juried Exhibition (received Signature) – Flights of Fancy
• Watercolor Society of Indiana Annual Juried Show (received Signature) – Industrial Revolution
• Two of my paintings have been published in the book Artistic Touch 6 – Red Paisley Scarf and Flights of Fancy

In addition, I held two workshops.

My plan for this year is to take time to simply produce more work, so I may not be entering as many shows this year.  It will depend on what I have available, and I’m not going to put myself under that “deadline” pressure.  We shall see!

My best wishes to all of you in your artistic endeavors this year.

PEEKABOO BEAR - 2 (Chroma Flow Acrylics)

Step 3 - Adding color around the bears (a little bit of negative painting) 

Step 4 - Adding more color to the background and rug.  Then I began painting the "peekaboo" bear!

PEEKABOO BEAR - 1 (Chroma Flow Acrylics)

Last fall when I went to the local antique fair one of the photos I took was a grouping of old teddy bears.

I decided this would make a fun painting and, since I needed to do some more work in acrylics for the Chroma paint trial, I decided to use the flow acrylics for this painting.

First step, as always, get that drawing onto the w/c paper.

Step 2 - wet the paper and add paint, allowing it to spread and flow.

CHROMA PAINT TEST - 11

Here is a gentle progression of the painting, showing the building up of shadows.

CHROMA PAINT TEST - 10

Color has been added to the tomatoes and more to some of the leaves on the napkin.

Color was added to the lace, and a light shadow added to the tablecloth and napkin.

CHROMA PAINT TRIAL - 9

Next I began adding some pink/magenta to the flowers on the napkin.

 All of the colors were deepened, and some of the stems and other dark areas were added to the tomatoes and leaves.