River and Marshland Here We Come!

On By Margaret Parker BrownIn art, California North Valley, Landscape painting, watercolor, Yuba River

 

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wip painting #1 on Lanaquarelle 140# 11 x 14 inches

I had to return to the river and have some fun with my favorite subject for now. I needed to really “feel” it and this is always what makes me feel like I have come home.

 

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painting #2 photo reference was Maria Jansson beautiful photo on Canson Heritage 140# 15 x 18 inches

I had a wonderful experience of translating Maria Jansson’s beautiful photo Maria’s photo but when I tried to depict the icy berry brambles then I started to fret but why try to depict a photo of such quality to the exact replica? Silly me! I do need to bring out the cattails more but other than that, I think I’ll call it finished. I could bring out more of the foreground but the star is the pond/marsh and the background.

Canson L’Aquarelle Héritage watercolor paper is new to me and I have to admit it I was a little leery because I HATE Canson, even their pastel paper. After viewing a youtube video describing the paper, I decided to give it a try and guess what? I love the paper and will buy more of it in the future.

 

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painting #3 on Soft Press Fabriano 11 x 14 inches

I think that I love this and yet at the same time feel that it needs more and yet, I am wanting to take a painting to the edge of just done, not over-done. I want to depict as minimal as I can and I will leave it alone for now.

*A word about photos. The photos on my blog are mine, taken by me and copying them would be stealing from me. If you find a photo that you would like to copy or use, I request that you ask me for permission and I expect you to give me full credit for my own photo. Thank you so very much.

 

 

 

 

34 thoughts on “River and Marshland Here We Come!”

      2. I will give some more thought on it….I painted this totally in the zone and by intuition. When I go back in I better know what I am doing or I’ll mess it up. I’ll leave it until I feel moved to add more. Thank you though for your assessments and ideas. 😉

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      4. No worries, I enjoy the discussion and am open to all possibilities. 🙂 I like to let a painting rest and then go from there. Sometimes I put it away for a while and bring it out to see if I feel that something needs to be done. I have been enjoying that part of the process lately, always leaves my options open.

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  4. Oh Margaret – I looked at them all, went back and looked again, found wonder and beauty in all of them. More detail or less, they all convey a mood and a love of painting and nature. You are an amazing artist!

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  7. boy, what you do on the soft press is magical! I want to ‘pet’ it, it looks so soft 🙂 I can see how you’ve gotten so much depth into these, so lovely M! is it just me…. or do I detect a subtle cool/warm of your gold/yellow greens in these….. I’m SURE I do!
    your #3 sky has me mesmerized and your #1 trees has my eyes riveted 🙂 they’re wonderfully fresh and free

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    1. I love soft press, let me tell you! I have started another painting today on it and I love…love it. I am going to order some more paper probably next week and I will be checking that box for sure. I had no idea or plan on how I handled the yellow or gold, I just went for it intuitively. Thank you Debi for your comments and assessments, they are gold tucked away 😉

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      1. I do realize as I suggest ‘my favs’ that not all will find them as cool as I do. I’m glad you did really like this one! but even if not, its such a great chance to explore and try new things… I know the intermediates will benefits from this kind of thing so much. even if it does cost a bit. Thanks for being so gung ho and Trying it out. Can’t wait to see your Next painting…….. Smiling. 🙂

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      2. I had to remove a bush in my current painting (I am using Soft press Fab.) and every bit of the paint came off, talk about excited! Just as excited as putting paint on! There is a slight ghost image but no matter, I can work with it. Of course it helps that I use mainly non-strainers but still if I were to attempt the same thing on let’s say, Arches, it wouldn’t have come off as readily. So that is another plus for this paper. 🙂

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      3. this is very exciting and satisfying Margaret! I haven’t tried this, but I do think that this paper would be quite accepting of pastels ie if you had a unhappy wc and gave it a ‘rinse’ let it dry. then Go into it dry, with your pastels to do the painting. You’d still have the ghost image of the original to work from, yet the yucky watercolor would be gone. With Arches, how I get paint off: soak the area with clean water for 2 minutes. then use a Soft toothbrush to …delicately… scrub 2x Then Blot with TP; rinse toothbrush, repeat this Twice More only. Stop. Let Dry. I can gs get 90% of the paint off …or more.

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  8. Beautiful paintings Margaret. Wow, these are really inspiring. I hope you are getting much joy out of making these and that they will find owners who will appreciate what a long journey lies behind them. All are special, but the foreground on #2 steals the show for me.

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  10. Your deep feeling and connection comes shining through with your river painting…stunning. Like the other two very much and isn’t it interesting how we can dislike a paper for years, and then suddenly perceive it differently, and voila….we love it. Have a superb weekend…janet 🙂

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    1. Thank you Janet! Canson Heritage is a new paper and their best, in my opinion. It is top notch which surprised me. I wouldn’t have given it a chance if I didn’t watch that youtube video. Have a wonderful and creative weekend!

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