Football Sketch, Last Sketch of 2007

University of Oklahoma (OU vs. Washington) Sketch

Graphite & Watersoluble Pencils

Newsprint

Reference Photo: Billy_A from Flickr

A quick sketch to familiarize myself with the shapes and directional flow.

Time Again For Review & To Look Ahead to 2008

Watersoluble Graphite on Newsprint.

Just playing with these new pencils received for Christmas. The newsprint is so light and doesn't take water well, hence the wrinkles, but is great for using charcoal or conte crayons. These pencils will be very useful for value studies.

The last day of 2007 brings pause for reflection. Reviewing the past year, thinking of areas where I can see improvement and what areas I would like more improvement. Such as a change in the way paint is applied or what steps are taken to set up and improve a composition. I want to see more passion in my work rather than just trying to replicate what I see. Asking questions such as what is it that made me want to paint this? Is it the shapes, the color, the play of light against dark? Does it bring back fond memories or is it more to do with a statement of sadness or injustice or joy?

Hill Top Watercolor Landscape

Hill Top
6" x 4" Watercolor
Fabriano Soft Press Paper

I quickly painted this yesterday to finish out the gifts needed for the weekend. This is from my imagination and wanted to see how the color "Carmine" would work in a landscape. Palette was Antwerp Blue, Dioxazine Purple, Perinone Orange, Indian Yellow, Permanent Yellow Lemon, Green Gold, Viridian, and Carmine.

Paper Pears Watercolor

Paper Pears

6" x 4"

Watercolor

Fabriano Soft Press Paper

Pears Sketch

Pears Sketch
Mechanical Pencil
Typing Paper

Practicing hatching and crosshatching with this sketch. This will be the next 6" x 4" painting for a Christmas gift. Luckily we are having our family Christmas this weekend rather tomorrow, so there is more time to paint!

Forgot to mention the reference photo is by karenboss from the Wet Canvas RIL.

Coffee Cup

Coffee Cup, 6" x 4", Fabriano Soft Press Paper

I could have corrected the bleed through along the back rim of the cup but I rather liked it so am leaving it. The cup and saucer are out of round but this adds to their personality. Maybe on the next one I will use masking fluid for cleaner lines and whites.

Doodles & A Pear Watercolor

Doodles to practice movement and attitude. Reference from Morgue File. Mechanical pencil and charcoal

Pear

6" x 4"

Watercolor

Fabriano Soft Press Paper

Another small painting for a Christmas gift.

Lemon Tea Watercolor

Lemon Tea
Watercolor
4"x6"
Fabriano Soft Press Paper

This painting was done today for my sister-in-law. Her birthday is the 27th and I hope she will like it.

Forgot to mention the photo is by kdkbrown from the Wet Canvas Reference Image Library.

Koi Sketch

A bit of charcoal sketching to figure out placement of the koi. I think the big central fish needs to move a bit more to the left or perhaps add another fish on the left. Will play around more with different compositions.

Charcoal is so messy it brings out the kid in me.

One of my favorite artists

Here is a link to one of my favorite landscape artists, Marc Hanson. He does a lot of plein air painting and always his work is fresh and inviting.

Rose Charcoal Sketch

This is a charcoal value study of a red rose done on typing paper. I'm thinking I may need to increase the size of the rose. This sketch is based on a reference photo from Morgue File by almogaver.

Tree Study

This is all I had time to paint today, a partial tree study in watercolor, unless one counts the three kitchen drawers that were painted too. Still have five cabinet drawers to paint and hope to finish them tomorrow. It will be nice to have the kitchen back together, then maybe I can concentrate on painting! Oops, forgot that there is house cleaning yet to be done. :( Oh well, at least a stroke here and there with a paint brush makes the anticipation even more when there is more than a few minutes to paint.

I have also been looking through photographs that have red in them for a watercolor painting for a good friend's daughter. I am wanting something that says life is full of possibilities and hope. I have no doubt that I will find the right one.

One week until Christmas! I received three Christmas packages today from my beautiful daughter and her family. Can't hardly wait to open them knowing they contain art supplies. I get so excited, like a kid in a candy store. Hope you too get the same enjoyment and feeling of love, hope and peace that I do.

Winter Landscape Watercolor

10" x 5" Image size
Hot Press Watercolor paper

A quick 20 minute landscape in watercolor using Pthalo Blue, Cobalt Blue, Manganese Blue, Quinacradone Magenta, Quinacradone Gold, Burnt Sienna. The trees are a mix of Daniel Smith Undersea Green, Cascade Green, mixed with Pthalo Blue or Burnt Sienna or Quin. Gold. The center tree is not as solidly dark as it looks as it was difficult to pick up with the camera, the lighter dark to mid-values in that tree.

Godiva Again

I worked on this painting of Godiva again for my brother-in-law. The canvas is now on wood and overall I am fairly pleased with it, except for one area. The legs! So tomorrow I will look at them again and see if I can't correct them. Right now they are rather fat and look like stumps, rather than graceful legs.

Painting Yellow

Instead of canvas, the kitchen is getting painted in three different shades of yellow. If nothing else, it will be colorful with a fresh feeling. Along with painting the kitchen, we are having a go-round with colds. Hopefully, soon we will all be feeling much, much better.

When not sleeping or painting I've been enjoying the different Forums at Wet Canvas. Appreciating the artwork and enthusiasm of the different artists, from beginner to accomplished painter. Each offers a new or different view or perspective of their subject but all carry the same flavor of loving what they do.

Crepe Myrtle Watercolor Update

Worked on the flowers and the reflections in the vase. I'm not happy with the work on the vase. I could correct it with acrylics and may decide to do that. Right now though, I'm calling this one finished.

Worked on the brick and reflections in he vase a bit more. Next step is to work on the flowers and clarify the shapes within the vase.

Crepe Myrtle Watercolor

Crepe Myrtle
300# watercolor paper
9" x 13"

Today I worked on a watercolor of crepe myrtle in a vase placed on the back porch to catch the reflections. My reference is a photo I took earlier this summer.

Basically, I'm laying in color to cover the paper, taking my time when painting the flowers, to try and get the shapes right. Still have more to on the vase and stems as well as the leaves.

Brown's Pasture

I added more cows and also some purples. I like the colors in the trees and some of the blues that are popping out are not quite that distinctive in real life.