There's nothing like journaling a trip. I used my favorite sketchbook, Handbook Journal, in the 5" square format, and my trusty Lamy Safari with Eel black waterproof ink. And my little travel gouache. Great memories.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Merry Ole England - June 2009
New Paintings
Lady in Blue Hat10 x 14" cp paper, watercolor, ink, collage
Dude 8 x 10" cp paper, watercolor, gouache
Freedom on the Seas
5 x 74" canvas panel, acrylic (first one!)
Freedom on the Seas5 x 74" canvas panel, acrylic (first one!)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Doodles and Stuff
Still in a bit of a slump, or maybe it's just the overhaul of my life and all i long for is SIMPLICITY. Doodling is the all-time no pressure hobby. And I've been working with my Lamy Safari pen again with Noodlers ink, and then dipping my waterbrush back on the pen tip to get my washes. Really fun. I'm working up to a new series of paintings, but don't know what yet. Actually may be trying out acrylics....that will switch it up!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Back to doodling
Kind of hit a wall, artistically speaking, after quite a fruitful season, too. So, my default is to go back to doodling and sketching in my journal. What's new is I'm going outside to find inspiration. And I am also receiving inspiration from Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing by Frederick Franck. Very good!
Another thing: FINALLY I'm getting used to desaturating my colors.....and looking better overall, to me, anyway. Not too much in Nature is pure saturated color I notice.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Some dear friends
Dolores & Michael in their beloved Channel Islands
9" x 12" birch wood panel (1/2" thick)
gouache and pastel, some ink
gouache and pastel, some ink
My dear friend, and mentor, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki is turning 80 in June, and I was truly blessed to visit her and her husband, Michael, in their home in Jersey, Channel Islands, U.K. last summer. They met fencing, so this pic is so cute with their crossed canes! Shhhhhh, this is a birthday present, don't tell!
Before I pack it up and declare it completely Finished, I will beeswax coat it and add a hanger on the back. No mat or frame with a painting on wood.
Before I pack it up and declare it completely Finished, I will beeswax coat it and add a hanger on the back. No mat or frame with a painting on wood.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Sky Series
Hot off the easel...each sky painting is 5" x 5" on Hot Press watercolor paper, underpainted in gouache, and accented with pastels. Inspiration is from the photographs of my world-travelling dearest friend, Giovanna, (oil painter extraordinaire) who generously sent me many of her sky photos from which to choose. These represent skies from all around the world, from San Francisco to Santorini Island in Greece, via Mexico. Enjoy!
The style of these, hmmmm: Expressionistic, perhaps? Defined by Wikipedia here
Expressionism was a cultural movement originating in Germany at the start of the 20th-century as a reaction to positivism and other artistic movements such as naturalism and impressionism.[1] It sought to express the meaning of "being alive"[2] and emotional experience rather than physical reality.[2][3] It is the tendency of an artist to distort reality for an emotional effect; it is a subjective art form.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Portrait revised.....
I uploaded this earlier today, unfinished......but this time i think i'm much closer to the final. My dear little Corra has big ole green eyes....a beauty. The evening color is a bit warmer, which tints this a bit on the yellow side.
UPDATE: I scrubbed this off, and re-gessoed it, so this pic is the only surviving copy! Will try a new painting....
Portraits - two versions
"The Kiss"5.5" x 10.5" HP watercolor paper
Charcoal, gouache , and pastels
I painted this one after I got frustrated with the realistic version below. This came together so quickly, because it's more my style...loose, inexact, fun. Capture the essence, not the details.
Based on a picture I took of my granddaughter a couple of summers ago when her mom was missing her so much, so i took a picture of her blowing a kiss. Have always cherished this pic. Not ideal for painting in terms of lighting, there's a dark strip down the center of her face, and bright light on the left, less so on the right....but just love it anyway.
Based on a picture I took of my granddaughter a couple of summers ago when her mom was missing her so much, so i took a picture of her blowing a kiss. Have always cherished this pic. Not ideal for painting in terms of lighting, there's a dark strip down the center of her face, and bright light on the left, less so on the right....but just love it anyway.
"The Kiss"9" x 12.5" birchwood
Gouache underpainting with pastels
I never intended to get so carried away with the pastels, but alas, i did. It's still not "there" yet......but i need to let it rest.
Sketching at the Cemetary
Finding inspiration, and some nice shadow and light, at the local cemetary. Pentel brush pen, light washes.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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