Saturday, August 29, 2015

Proud

My Peacock painting called "Proud" is a mixed media painting. It is also on Arches 300lb paper and measures 11X14. I started with an under wash of Indian Yellow Watercolor. Over that I addes pumice ground with glass ground bits on the green part of his body. The next steps were to block in the peacock with acrylics. Over that when it was dry I added charcoal dust then lifted out the ares I wanted lighter. The next few layers were pastel and fixative. The feather in the top right is from a New Brunswick peacock that I was given by a man that raises them.It is held on with clear acrylic ground.
  I tried to leave the top layer not fixed but after a ton of pastel dust on my mat and glass when framing I took it back apart,sprayed it and started over to re frame it . I love pastel but it is messy. The glass pieces also bit at the soft pastel.

Skittles

I called this Guy Skittles because of his rainbow of colors. This painting is very loose for me and I am pleased I was able to do this. He is just a little larger at 11.5 X 8.5. Again he is on 300lb.Arches cold press paper and I also used some artist ink with him.

Two McCaws

Beside working on a series of Flower Paintings I am also working on a series of Bird Paintings from Photos I took in a Zoo in Tenneriffe ,Spain this past Feb. Birds are my passion as well as flowers and Art.
 This painting is 8X10 and I love the expression on these guys face as if one is talking and the other guy is listening!

I've Fallen for you!

This is my second watercolor flowers in a series I plan to do. It is from a photo I took of tulips on my coffee table in my living room. I love the way the light hit the open flowers and although they were just about to fall apart they were beautiful! The painting is done on 399lb Arches cold press paper with Windsor and newton watercolors. There also some Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen in it as well..

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Cardiff Bouquet Final Touches?

Well, I did go back in and darken the shadows and pulled out some highlights. Funny how once you post something you can see it through different eyes. I am now pleased with it but still will leave it a couple of days to look at to be sure. Try to pick out the changes I made!

Monday, August 3, 2015

Cardiff Bouquet

This 11x14 watercolor is of a bouquet of flowers I took a photo  of just outside a shop in Cardiff last March.I loved all the colors in the arrangement and especially liked the poppy facing forward.
  I started this last week and began by using Prisma black ink to draw the stamens in the poppy first.
   I love ink combined with watercolor and I may still go back in and work more detail as it is hard for me to paint loose.