#WorldWatercolorMonth Day 8 Flying High Theme

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Well, is it hot by YOU? 

After three gorgeous days in Chicagoland (we almost got caught up on the yard work), today was beastly. So, inside my intention was to paint three pictures today and get caught up for the watercolor challenge. One painting for each day, following a prompt.

"Flying High" Day 8's prompt brought to mind all the kites, balloons, airplanes, birds, and then my husband said "drones", and I had to laugh. 

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I started to think of photos I had taken over the years, I did lots of nature photography I used for poems. And, one came to mind, 2007 from the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Waterlilies in all their glory.

When I originally blew up the photo to use as my screen saver, I noticed the feather.

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Here's the original photo---

Here's the photo cropped and blown up. I wrote a poem about a lover leaving....the last evidence the feather or evidence of a flight. A bit far from the prompt...but this is what my mind came up with.

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I treated myself and used a cut down piece of 

Strathmore Aquarius II 80lb cold press 132. 

Size about 10 x 12". Here is the first washes after I did a rough sketch and applied masking to the white(showing as light yellow) areas(the flowers, feather and a few places where light bounced off the leaves). For the washes, I tried to use brighter hues, knowing there would be a more layers of color.

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I let this dry, and later did another wash with some outlines and deepening colors. I used colors over water spritz, working on one area at a time. Our air was very dry, so I had to keep spraying on water.

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I let that dry and then peeled away the masking(this was really hard to get off this paper) and began working on all colors, deepening, and outlining. After adding some details, and taking away others, by over painting, I stopped. In college my painting (acrylics/oils) professor set me up with three easels, to keep me from working so fast and muddling up the colors. I did learn to walk away from works in progress.

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Here's a closeup...I have distorted the proportions to the original photo, but I was trying to stay true to my thoughts on the meaning behind the composition, or should I say nature's composition.
Don't forget to look at some of the other paintings at #WorldWaterColorMonth on facebook or DoodleWash.
I'm learning so much by seeing all the great paintings.

Palette:

Cadmium Yellow Deep

Lemon Yellow

Yellow Green 

Viridian Green

Cobalt Blue

Cerulean Blue

Thalo Purple

VanDyke Brown

Burnt Sienna

Lamp Black

and I added Hooker Green

Disclaimer: Any products I am using are not a recommendation, but only for reference for the reader's use. I am in no way affiliated with any of the companies or products, or have I received compensation or products. 

My painting projects will be posted on Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook with the hashtag

#WorldWatercolorMonth

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:
Thursday Favorite Things

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

#World Watercolor Month Day 6-7

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World Water Color Month July 2019 or (Read about thisHERE.) 

This is a great challenge for all levels of skill, love the idea of world-wide sharing, and all the posts are fascinating on some level. 

Today was another gorgeous day here in Chicagoland, so I spent quite a chunk of time outside doing yard work from a chair. I have to stick to flat areas, because of the trashed knee. We are still behind here, losing time in April and May to cold and most of June to Rain, our yard work is way behind. Tomorrow I plug in the pump for the pond, and finish cleaning up the back deck. 

Day 6 Window View

We bought our home because of the windows. Three floor to ceiling panels in the living room and huge 96 to 108" wide windows in the bedrooms. The kitchen has two LARGE windows and a small sink window. Our screened-in porch has 14 windows and 2 exterior doors with windows...So, I guess I have a lot of window views to choose from. This made the decision very hard. But, I have been painting at the kitchen table and peeking through the clematis lattice at the bird feeders. The clematis is almost done, but a few blooms are still going.

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This photo is from late in the day. Lots of wood...and the porch railings, the lattice and the feeders in the background. The hose can be eliminated, and I have a few photos of the clematis in full bloom, just not from this angle, I can draw inspiration from

I started with a 9x12 sketchbook paper and drew some pencil lines. Nice part about artistic license is you can add and edit...things from real life...like the blue hose---handy, but a bit jar-ing!

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So I started early in the day---I didn't take progress photos--I was too engrossed in painting layers, and layers.  I didn't use any masking---I wish I had, because I painted the clematis first and then everything else. This photo above is taken from the east light. 

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And this was from the south windows, shaded by the garage which is out of sight---amazing what four feet will do to your colors.  I broke one of my own rules, when you use a color like the red in the bird feeder---you should use it somewhere else???...I just couldn't work it in. The black at the bottom is my camera strap...UGH!

Problem: How do you do straight lines/architecture when you have paper that buckles? I did sketch in pencil---very straight lines of the window parts.If I do this again, I will use something other than sketch paper and LARGER, so I can be a little free. 

Note: this palette is basically what I have been using for all my paintings, and it seems to work well for the summer light--- I mix most of my colors, but, I could use a really dark green. Mostly I need a bigger plastic palette. 

Palette:

Burnt Sienna

Cadmium Yellow Deep

Lemon yellow 

Thalo Purple

Cerulean blue

Cobalt blue

Lamp black

Viridian greeen

Yellow Green

VanDyke Brown

Thalo Red

Day 7 Shiny Things 

When I'm really into a project, I forget to take photos...such as doing a watercolor of this old tarnished/patina teapot. Those of you who follow my blog have seen this teapot found in a thrift store, many times.  It really is one of my favorite pieces, and it moves around our home with with tarnished elegance. Like one of those old ladies dressed in her well-worn finest...a bit tattered, but still beautiful.

I took some license with the colorations, but you can see the golden glow even in the evening---though the handles, spout, and feet are cast.and darker than everything else, I love the details so these I added to the pot. I don't usually work this tightly, but the brushstrokes, became intense caresses on a beautiful object.

Palette:

Cerulean blue

Cadmium Yellow Deep

Thalo Red

VanDyke Brown

Burnt Sienna

Lamp black

no masking and on 9x12 sketchbook paper.

I think I may use this in another painting, or two, or three...what do you think?

Disclaimer: Any products I am using are not a recommendation, but only for reference for the reader's use. I am in no way affiliated with any of the companies or products, or have I received compensation or products. 

My painting projects will be posted on Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook with the hashtag

#WorldWatercolorMonth

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:
Talk of the Town
Vintage Charm
Thursday Favorite Things

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

#WorldWaterColorMonth Day 4-5

Still trying to catch up. Chicagoland was blessed with gorgeous weather, so we were out in the yard and clearing some of the damaged bushes. In and out of the house I played with the masking again today on two paintings. Tomorrow, I think I will catch up.

Day 4 Prompt: Family Fun

Since this was the Fourth of July, I had to do fireworks.

Palette colors: Lamp Black, Thalo Purple, Lemon Yellow, Thalo Red, Cerulean Blue

I enhanced this photo to bring up the color of the tinted masking. Masking needs to completely dry before painting. So, I was in and out all day, dabbing here and there.

Remember when we did wax resist pictures in grade school, basically crayons on paper and then a dark wash over the top. That's basically what I was going for. Next, I washed large areas with with 

my primary colors, lemon yellow, cerulean blue and Thalo red.  I let this dry and then painted bigger areas and more starburst streaks with the masking.

Next wash is larger and more complete. I expanded on the color areas...and introduced background colors of lamp black and Thalo purple. I used cerulean and purple to create a smoky atmosphere of the bottom. Removing the masking at this point, I had some really bare areas. I added more color with daubs of paint and faint colored streaks.

I spritzed the edges of the painting and daubed more intense color, tilted the board in and around.

I spritzed water on the centers of the bursts and let the dabs spread while laying flat.

I'm pleased with the overall results. It looks like a spontaneous painting, but I think I did 6-7 several different sittings to do this though only for a few minutes at a time. Patience is not my strong suit, so technique this was a challenge.

Day 5 Loose and Free

Well this ended up being neither.  My thought was Butterflies are Free. We've planted lots of Dill this year for the butterflies, since finding caterpillars on my old stems at the end of the season last year, and research said that butterflies love Dill stems.

Palette: Lemon Yellow, Cerulean Blue, Viridian Green, Thalo Yellow green, Cobalt blue, lamp black, some mixed browns on my palette. 

Since I had Days 4&5 on the board at the same time....I used the masking to do some stems and the heads of the dill.

My plan was a Blue Swallowtail on/near Dill stems. Preliminary washes/strokes with cerulean, lemon yellow, yellow green and cobalt. The yellow of the masking is apparent here also.

After a few more washes and some line work, I removed the masking and added detail on the Dill heads. The butterfly got a bit clumpy---my future recommendation on a butterfly would be to mask around a drawn shape instead of letting the colors wander too much. I was still trying to be spontaneous, though. LOOSE and FREE and this wasn't either. 

Photo from late afternoon light.

I peeled off the masking on the butterfly---and it lightened up a bit.

This photo taken in morning light, definitely a bit brighter. I should probably add more to the dill, but not sure what. This is out of balance...due to the blob of a butterfly.

I may try a similar composition on some large watercolor paper all in one sitting with no masking

 and see what happens.  My paper is actually  9x11 and I'm thinking to be 'loose and free'

this subject  needs to be bigger.

Hope you are enjoying this journey with me, I'm sure am.

Disclaimer: Any products I am using are not a recommendation, but only for reference for the reader's use. I am in no way affiliated with any of the companies or products, or have I received compensation or products. 

My painting projects will be posted on Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook with the hashtag

#WorldWatercolorMonth
Tuesdays at Our Home
Celebrate Your Story
Talk of the Town
Vintage Charm

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

#WorldWatercolorMonth Day 3 Picnic Food

Day 3 Picnic Food

Goal: Metal Pie pan with a berry pie on a blue/white plaid tablecloth.

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Palette: Grumbacher Academy(GA) Thalo Red, WinsorNewton's Artists (WNA) Lemon Yellow,  WNA Cobalt Blue, GA Lamp Black, GA Burnt Sienna, GA VanDyke Brown,GA Thalo Yellow Green,GA Cadmium Yellow Deep, WNA Lemon Yellow Hue, GA Thalo Purple,WNA Cobalt Blue, Green and Blue

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Here's the Palette after the painting was done. I really didn't use much of the cerulean blue and none of the black.

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Composition was pretty simple..gray plate and scrunched checkered tablecloth on the ground(grass). Here all the colors are blocked in...nothing fancy here...used watered brush half loaded with color to give the varied blues. Had issues with the pie---apple pie just isn't that interesting. 

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SO, 

I kicked it up a notch by adding blueberries and darker sauce drips. My mom-in-law does signature cuts on the top of her pies of a simple wheat pattern, which always lets the steam/and fruit escape.

I tried to keep this simple, this really is a sketch---anymore and I will poke holes in the paper. And I hate the buckling, maybe I have to iron them???

Hope you had a great weekend. I'm going to try for three or four paintings tomorrow and get almost caught up. Gosh, tomorrow is DAY 7...yikes!

Disclaimer: Any products I am using are not a recommendation, but only for reference for the reader's use. I am in no way affiliated with any of the companies or products, or have I received compensation or products. 

My painting projects will be posted on Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook with the hashtag

#WorldWatercolorMonth

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:

Metamorphisis Monday

Tuesdays at Our Home

Celebrate Your Story

Talk of the Town

Vintage Charm

Grammy's Grid-I made it Monday

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

Metamorphisis Monday

#WorldWaterColorMonth Day 2

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Hi, the holiday in the middle of the week, sure throws the best laid plans to the side. Even without being able to to do the decorating, cooking, or congeniality thing to the max, having everyone here still ate into my Art therapy painting time. Today, I tried to catch up.

Day 2 Sunny Skies (each day there is a prompt if you choose to follow along).

I'm not a beginning artist, but I'm really a watercolor novice. So, I made a few rules for myself: not take it too seriously, use some restrictions for each project, follow the theme, use what I have on hand, and have fun.

I found a few more paints and tons of brushes in an expedition to the basement. I also wanted to try and use some masking medium. Applied, this is a rubbery yellowish medium that repels the paint and later can be peeled off, leaving the white un-painted paper exposed. I really have never used this for watercolor, before, so this will be an education.

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Palette: I planned a controlled color palette: Grumbacher Academy(GA) Lamp Black, GA Burnt Sienna, GA VanDyke Brown,GA Thalo Yellow Green,GA Cadmium Yellow Deep, WinsorNewtonArtists(WNA)Lemon Yellow Hue,GA Thalo Purple,

WNA Cobalt Blue, (Note I avoid using blacks but I put it in the tray anyway.)

Paper is just a drawing Sketchbook 11 x 14. It's smooth paper that stretches a lot, but I'm practicing, not going for finished paintings.

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I had a couple of days to ponder the prompts, so in our garden my favorite sunflowers are most gorgeous photographed early in the morning in what I call bright yellow sun. Light spills over the fence and the edges of the leaves and petals are always brilliant, and the shadows are dark and deep since the sun isn't so high.

I've kicked up the contrast and the hue  so you can see the applied pale yellow masking.  My thought was to hit the edges of the petals and where light might land on the flower centers. I lightly wooly-sponged some on what will be the dark brown seedy centers of the sunflowers and let this dry for 15-20 minutes.

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Then I sprayed areas and did a wash with a wide brush on the petal shapes adding quick brush strokes of (Cadmium YD and Lemon) on the wet paper. The centers I dabbed with Burnt Sienna. I rolled the paper around a bit to get the colors moving. We have a fan going right above and the paint dries pretty quick if I blot up any pools.

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Closeup of the beginning. Always fun to watch colors flow/spread and you can see the areas where the masking is blocking the paint. I had very loosely penciled some vague outlines of my composition.

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I planned one sunflower facing the viewer and one facing the sun. I'm working from memory and not a photo. Leaves are multi-colored with all of the colors of my palette in them, except black. I did add the purple to the browns for the darkest accents. I mixed an olive green from the browns and the Thalo Yellow Green (really like the intensity of this color). I try to use all my colors around the paper in different ways. 

After drying, I peeled off the masking. And, touched up the areas that were too white. 

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I used some light wash colors here and there to blend out some of the whites. When the painting dries, the colors always seem a bit washed out---I'm going to have to kick my colors up a notch, wet paints look darker and more intense or I'm using too much water?

Disclaimer: Any products I am using are not a recommendation, but only for reference for the reader's use. I am in no way affiliated with any of the companies or products, or have I received compensation or products. 

My painting projects will be posted on Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook with the hashtag

#WorldWatercolorMonth 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. 

Join me at these fine blog parties:

Metamorphisis Monday

Tuesdays at our Home
Celebrate Your Story

I Made it Monday

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi