Spring Beauty Miniature

Spring Beauty Miniature

Spring Beauty Miniature 4" x 4"

SOLD

 

This original painting is on an 1/8" Ampersand Aquabord panel that I love more all the time because of the vivid colors and very special effects that can be achieved on it. In "Spring Beauty" I had a lot of fun creating depth and using negative painting techniques to hint at leaves in the background. I finished the painting with a varnish, then glossy resin-like coating that increases the depth and the shine. These miniatures do not need glass!!!
I like to display these little gems on a mini easel which is readily available ; it is so easy to find a special little corner for them on a shelf, a table, near a computer. Naturally, they can also be inserted into a regular photo frame or a painting frame. 

Good week at the Kevin Dodds Gallery

Good week at the Kevin Dodds Gallery & Studio

Thank you, Kevin Dodds for the sale of 5 of my artworks in the past week.
Here are 3 of them...small watercolours on aquabord.
I will have more of these watercolours at the Glebe Show ( see below) on the 19th and 20th.

Lunch Time - SOLD

Queen of the Pond - SOLD

Iris and Buds - SOLD

 Have a great weekend.

Great Fun with Aquabord

For the past week, I have been playing with 4" x 4" Aquabord, the Ampersand panels made for watercolor.
I had tried this surface once before, but without success. This time, I really like what I am achieving. The result is not the same as a watercolor painting on paper, but it certainly has its advantages. The surface does not buckle or tear, paint lifts back to the white so easily, and it is very easy to varnish.
Disadvantages: well, when you paint in layers, the previous layer will have a tendency to lift ...and you need to adapt your painting techniques. I don't think anything will ever replace for me the pleasure of working on my Fabriano SP paper, but I am certainly having fun with the Aquabord.

SOLD

SOLD

   Above are three florals I painted in the last week. I think they look great on a small mini easel, but they can as easily be inserted in a regular frame for wall display.

What has been your experience with Aquabord?

Two miniature paintings

I am currently dividing my attention between two types of painting: a large commission and small miniatures that I want to include in a three-week, three-artists show to be held in March.

Here are two small watercolors I have painted in the past 10 days. Both are on  6" x 6"  X 1.5" paper-covered wood panels and will be displayed without glass. The first one is already varnished, the second one will be as soon as I give a last coat of black on some of the lines.

Pond Queen

For "Pond Queen" , I used a reference by Stephie on WetCanvas. On my monitor, it really looks like the colors could have been turned up a bit more...

It's Lunch Time

The butterfly painting has not been varnished yet. I will go over some of the black lines again, although they are darker than they appear under the lights used for the photo.  I was pleased by smooth  my background. Thanks to Jacqueline Gnott for her great tips on painting smooth watercolor backgrounds.

Working on paper that has been adhered to a wood panel requires getting used to. The paint does not flow as it usually does on watercolor paper; the water dries very quickly and the paints don't mix on the paper very well. Nevertheless, if I want a varnished watercolor painting, I prefer to attach the paper before painting rather than risking ruining the finished painting when it's time to glue it to the board. Believe me, it hurts when you ruin a 16" x 16" painting at that stage.

I hope you are all doing well and are having a creative and healthy January.

A nice Red Bubble surprise!

My recent small waterlily painting has just won a challenge on Red Bubble in the Aquatic and Hydrangea group.  This fun painting has also received three features in the past two weeks on that same site. Thank you, Red Bubble :-)

This 8" X 8" watercolor is on paper adhered to a cradled wood panel and then varnished. I am presently offering for sale online unframed - its edges are painted black and it can be displayed as is. However, I think it would look fabulous in a black floater frame...if I decide to go that route, I will probably remove it from my online gallery because of the extra shipping weight.

How do you feel about shipping framed paintings?

Small fun painting and Red Bubble feature

After my detailed painting Where is My Gondola, I wanted to work on a small, fun painting. I have just finished a 8" X 8" watercolor, a fairly stylized waterlily: it is on SP Fabriano glued to a 1" cradled wood panel. I will be painting the sides black and will be varnishing it.

This watercolor is adapted from a picture by Ellen of Ontario on Wetcanvas. I have realized that the SP Fabriano, at least when it is glued to a wood support before painting, does not readily accept much lifting...I have several panels  ( some quite large) already prepared with the Fabriano; I will certainly want to try this process eventually with my faithful Arches 140 lb CP.

I was very pleased to see that RedBubble has featured my Where is My Gondola in its Painters Universe Group. Thank you, Red Bubble!

Next week, I will be working on a new Venetian mascarone. It is already sketched on 300 lb SP Fabriano - I have not used this paper before - I am looking forward to this new experiment.

Have a great weekend!

The Silent Venetian - A Mascarone

I have had the pleasure of a  visit by my son for the past 10 days and during this time had very little time for painting.  Now, it's back to work!
I consider my latest mascarone painting finished, at least for the time being. I really enjoyed working on it, but I feel the need to move on:-)

I have already cropped the picture a bit at the top. In matting and framing (20" X 24" frame, matted to 14" X 18", I may crop a bit more. The colors are not quite right on my monitor...there is more golden sand color in the face, I would say.

This should make a great companion piece to my "Gate Keeper", another mascarone. The title " The Silent Venetian" is still only tentative - it does not quite convey the nobility of this face.

What do you think?

Red Bubble has just featured this painting ( Satruday, 23 July). Thank you, Red Bubble!

Gate Keeper-WIP part 2

I am back from my trip to NYC to visit my daughter. Although we were busy non-stop, I have to admit that I missed my painting....my hands kept wanting to hold a brush. Next time I travel, I may at least bring watercolor pencils:-)

I have worked some more on my Mascarone. Not too sure what to think of it. He certainly looks very sad in spite of all the colors on his face:-) What do you think?

There is still a lot of work to do on this painting, but apart from from the eye area, most of the face is done.

I was thrilled to find some mascaroni in NYC:

I wish you a great weekend!

Golden Arch -Completed

My bronze/copper/golden orchids are finished. It's really better than I thought last night:-) The colors are very rich, especially under glass. The dark background ( almost black at the very top to dark green just above the flowers) adds drama to the painting. I am usually not a fan of anything with a yellow tone, but the magenta tones in the painting decrease the impact of the yellows/golds. 

I am glad that I tacked this painting...I really thought that it was going to be too complex for me, but I am pleased that I managed to do it:-) I am also pleased by the very positive reaction I got as soon as I posted this painting on WetCanvas, that had provided the reference.

What to paint next? I have another mascarone on the drawing board as well as some white peonies with some really wild and colorful reflections...I am also playing with oils again as well as contemplating trying a textured mixed media....As you see, once again, my problem is not finding inspiration, but stopping to procrastinate while I decide on what to select for my next painting:-) I am not sure if one problem is better than the other:-)

This painting has just been featured on Red Bubble:

First - and last? - orchid painting almost finished

My bronze orchid painting is almost finished. I have to darken the green at the lower right corner and blend some edges etc.
Do I like this painting? I am really not sure: these are certainly not my favorite colors and the many dark layers decreased the transparency that I like. I also find the composition  too busy. However, I am glad that I painted this even though it looked too complicated for me to tackle.  I may paint another orchid painting, but certainly not in these colors.

Did I like the Fabriano SP paper? yes, and I will try it again for another floral. It is really between a cold press and a hot press paper. The background is not quite as smooth as it would have been on a CP paper, but I like the way the paint glides on this paper.

Let me know what you think of this painting. I always appreciate your comments and suggestions...without them, painting would be too much of a lonely activity.

Have a great Sunday evening.

WIP - Learning to paint orchids

 I know little about orchids and I have to admit that they are usually not my favorite flower - I actually find that some look a little bit scary:-). However, if possible, I would like to enter a few orchid paintings in the Ottawa Orchid show in late April. This is my first try: don't ask me why I chose such a complex reference instead of just one macro flower!!!The reference is by Pampe on Wetcanvas...Thank you Pampe!

This watercolor is about 11' X 14" and instead of Arches CP paper , I am once again trying the Fabriano 140 SP...so far I like it: it is very white, it has been accepting a lot of abuse ( removal of masking, some lifting).

The gold petals will have some rusty color and two of the flowers will have some red in the centre...The composition is in arc-shaped., which I though would add nice movement to the piece. However, there are so many blades of grass and leaves at the bottom...I am not sure if this piece will turn out ok....

Having fun: something different...and Red Bubble update:-)

I seem to have to play between labor-intensive paintings. Last night, instead of tackling a new floral or a Venice cityscape ( not sure which will be next), I painted a small, quick painting from one of my Venice reference photographs: a Venetian Mascarone.

What is a mascarone, will most of you ask.

Also known as decorative keystones, nmascaroni are stone carvings that lie in the middle of the stones that together form an archway, holding them together and completing the strong structure over arched doorways, windows and bridges. Often, especially in the case of Venice‟s keystones, these important puzzle pieces play a decorative role. Over 300 of these mascaroni were catalogued a few years ago in Venice. I must have photographed a dozen or so...this probably means that I will have to return to Venice to photograph the remain 290 or so:-) Those that I photographed are carved heads...there is one in my painting "Venetian Guardian".

This little watercolor  is only 5" X 7"; it has a touch of metallic fluid acrylic on the inscription on the archway. The inscription is not entirely visible on the photograph. It is something like "Dominus custodiat", or "May the Lord ( or master of the house) protect  (you). I rarely paint paintings quickly like this - it was fun. Can you make out the face enough?

Now, what would be a post without a Red Bubble update? Do I hear a collective groan :-)
My recent Dahlia has just been featured in the Painted Nature's group.

 (Added Feb 24) It was also selected a one of the  Best in Show ( Feb 21-24)in Painters Universe:

And, my Springtime in Venice,, that you may not remember from over a year ago, placed in the top ten of a challenge on Spring in "The Painters Universe"group.

Have a great evening!

Dahlia WIP Part 3, ARTALEE feature...and Red Bubble update anyone?

I worked on the dahlia this afternoon. I like it, but would now change a few things if I redid it: I think that I would leave a lot more white on the light petals...I find that they end up looking gray with that yellow, pink and blue. I should perhaps have just put in a touch of blue...It would have been a lot simpler. What do you think?

I may also go back to experimenting with the Fabriano soft press paper: I do a lot of lifting with these florals ( with Q tips mostly while the paint is still wet) and I seem to remember that lifting was much easier on that soft press. When I played with this paper last year, I had noted that it would probably be a good choice for florals. It is also much cheaper than Arches in my area. So...I am putting this paper on my list for my next shopping expedition at my art supplies store.

I finally took the time today to add a new feature on ARTALEE: the wonderful poured watercolors of Leslie Redhead. Please have a look at her beautiful work.

And, yes, my lucky streak is still going strong apparently with Red Bubble, since I received a feature today for one of my doors, Venetian Doorway  in the group Windows and Doors; this painting had been submitted to that group more than a year ago and they have now discovered it:-) Thank you again, Red Bubble!

Have a great evening and I hope that you will all have time to paint or look at some great art tomorrow!

Dahlia WIP part 2 and more Red Bubble news

I worked a bit more on my Dahlia. Here is part 2 of this WIP:

The heart of the flower will have some reds and rusty-gold. The other petals should be mostly white, but how can one resist adding color:-)

I was hoping to make a lot more progress on this painting yesterday and today, but somehow time just flies and there is always something to do: today, it was grocery shopping, getting new passport pictures, cooking, cleaning. How did I manage before I retired in December??? How do you balance your painting and your other responsibilities?

 You may be getting tired of hearing about Red Bubble, but I really want to post this little bit of news: my  Cherries and Lace below won the Still Life Challenge in the Fine Arts group - it had to be a still life with some red.  Please have a look at the other entries - some are simply fabulous, so I was quite surprised to read that my painting had placed first. No big prize, just "fame and glory" they said:-)

Cherries and Lace

Have a nice evening!

Clematis update WIP - Part 2

Here is what I have done so far on the clematis.I am not finding it an easy painting so far. I am having trouble getting the color effects I am after.

I took this picture inside near one of my windows ( reason for the shadows) - it is very sunny here in Ottawa today, but we are freezing - it was -25Celsius this morning ( minus 13 degrees F.) and it is now about minus 17 C. Brr.....Can you believe that the forecast for tomorrow is rain!

Still lots and lots of work.I won't be getting much more done today since I have to drive my daughter to the airport this afternoon: she was home for part of the weekend since her office in NYC is closed today for a holiday.

Red Bubble Feature, final version and thank you!

Wow! The Red Bubble people are so supportive. Within minutes of posting my latest version of my Fuschias ( Garden Ballerinas), my painting was featured in one of the most respected groups of Red Bubble: Just Watercolours

Here is the final version of this painting: I followed your suggestion and toned down some of the highlights in order to focus more on the left bud.  I also darkened the two horizontal stems that distracted me and painted them dark reddish brown, as suggested by Rhonda.

Thank you all for your fresh eyes, support and friendship!

Fuschias -Completed for now

I have completed my Fuschias painting at least for the time being. As I am looking at the photo that I have taken, I see the need for some adjustments: for example, the horizontal stems at the center top portion are too light and are distracting.

What do I like about this painting or what did I enjoy about the process:
- I like the addition of the colors in the leaves.
-I really enjoyed working one petal at a time
-I enjoyed applying glazes on the petals - I am becoming more comfortable doing this.

What do I still find difficult:
- leaves and greens are not my strength

What do I want to work on:
- putting in a very dark and solid background is probably the easy way out
. I want to work on dark backgrounds that show more of a glow around the main subject

Remaining questions:
- is this painting too busy?
- are the highlights too distracting?
- are the colors clean enough especially in the large leaves? Should I have tried to apply more sections in one dark brushstroke rather than with so much layering?

I am looking forward to reading your thoughts about this.
I will eventually post for purchase it in my Artist International Gallery

Happy New Year and Fuschia WIP update 2

Happy New Year  to all my blogging friends! May 2011 be full of joy, good health, great friendships and super painting! Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. I appreciate them more than you could imagine.

To finish the year, I am posting an update of my Fuschias' work in progress. I like the little bit of work done on the flowers where I have practiced my glazing, but am not too happy with the leaves that I have probably overworked. What do you think?

I will work some more on this today if I can to be able to start the New Year with a new painting.

All my best to all of you.

Hydrangea WIP-Part 2 and Artalee Feature

I have worked some more on the hydrangea although I did not get as much done as I had planned during the last few days : I am celebrating my first week of retirement with a really bad head cold:-)
The hydrangea is certainly more complex than I thought. You really have to focus on each little petal...at one point, I think I was painting mini Xmas poinsettias instead of hydrangea petals:-)
I am using Arches CP 140 lb as usual, but from a pad rather than from a single sheet - I am finding that the paper is not reacting quite like I am used to: it bruises very easily and does not allow much scrubbing to lift the lights...For my next painting, I will certainly return to the single sheets cut down to the proper size.
So, without further ado, here is Part 2 of this WIP. The photo was taken insides and it is very overcast hre today again. I rarely say this, but I think this painting looks better in real life than on this picture.

There is still a fair amount of work to do on this painting.Let me know what you think.

Please visit the Artalee site where I have just featured another of my favorite artists and bloggers, Mollie Jones.!