Work in progress: Path through the blues

Work in progress: The Everyday Tree I

In progress: The Everyday Tree II

Starbuck Red in progress. Here is the flower picture I told you about. Watercolor with Starbucks red collage.

TREES IN A SERIES

Mike Bailey says, "Challenge yourself to paint in a series and experience the liberation to be found in confinement." (Watercolor Artist/October 2009) Although I have painted trees off and on for quite a while, after reading this article I decided to focus on trees and see where it would take me. I have used a variety of materials and styles.

There is more under "older posts."

AUTUMN SPLENDOR - watercolor/alphabet stamps

PLAINS SENTINAL - watercolor

HIGHLANDS RANCH - tempera/ink resist

CHRISTMAS RED - watercolor/collage

EVERGREEN - watercolor/collage

AUTUMN JOY 2 - watercolor

EUCALYPTUS POWER - watercolor/collage/leaf/charcoal pencil

BLUE FRAGILE - watercolor/stamps

Untitled - watercolor/collage/home made stamps

AUTUMN JOY - watercolor

NURISHING EARTH- watercolor/gold paint

TREE OF LIFE - watercolor/gold paint

Several of my paintings came from ideas I had as I was sketching trees for woodcuts. This is one of them. Untitled - watercolor wet in wet

Pillow (Final?)

I took this to the art group this week for critique. Pat Vossfedt was the guest artist there to critique, and she was fabulous. She gave me some things to think about and this is revised painting. I strengthened the shadows and color of the ground so it was not floating as much. I think I am ready to submit it for competition but thought I would like to have your reaction first.

Never Say Never

Remember the "ugly" tulips from several days ago. I took Connie's suggestion and cut out the flowers - setting them free from the ugly background. Then I placed them on different backgrounds. I call these "Can't hold me back white" and Can't hold be back black."

I Never Met a Flower I Didn't Like

Tulips again

Here is an updated version. I darkened the garish blue and added a table-like idea with shadows. (This will teach me to draw the main subject without thinking about the background-undisciplined.) I am still considering the cutout solution - or I may just paint another of tulips.

Judy Patti, my former watercolor teacher, used to say that every picture goes through an ugly period. I am not sure if I'm quite out of it with this one, but it is better.

More orange tulips

Here is another before and after. I added the blue background after experimenting in photoshop. I don't know that it improved it, but I learned something about going strong with a complementary background color.

Pillow (colored pencil)

Here is my finished portrait of pillows. Thanks for the helpful suggestions. It is easy for an artist to "fall in love" with their pieces at a given stage and not be able to look at it critically (and without the emotion attached to the object). A friendly observer is often just the push one needs to go the next step.

Pillows (in progress)

Pillows is the colored pencil painting I am working on to enter in a competion. I am still adjusting colors and blending, but I have not decided what to do with the background. I put it in Photoshop and came up with a possible graded aqua blue (on top) to a cream yellow on bottom. Do you have any suggestions?

Walking to the Train, Pasadena

The walk: We had been to breakfast and were walking from the cafe to the Metro station to head downtown LA. It was a beautiful morning with the sun bright and casting strong shadows.
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The painting: transparent watercolor
After I laid in the beginning colors, I knew I needed to changes Zane's jacket color. I put the picture in Photoshop and experimented with colors. I ended up with this green. Kristin was wearing a black leather jacket and I had a lot of work to do on it.




Experimenting with color in Photoshop.

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Beginning layers of paint. A long way to go.
"Be aware of the seduction of impatience."

Tulips

Inspired by a bouquet of tulips I brought home from the grocery.

(watercolor and colored pencil)