Painting Delayed, Doggie Sitting Here I come

painting #1 Remembered landscape

The painting above is from a memory of a scene that I have been painting over and over again. It is actually at the North Yuba river but you wouldn’t know it by the way I simplify and abstract the elements.

I will be taking a short hiatus from painting while I am doggie sitting my Granddog. We have many plans for hiking, playing, watching tv, catching up with my reading, making new doggie friends. I am thinking about taking my art supplies but it might be too much of a hassle to take my watercolor equipment. I might do some research and take art books to study, we’ll see.

painting #2 North Yuba at Hall’s Ranch

I am undecided about this one, it is difficult to make sense of the rapids in this photo but in reality it is far better. I think that there is conflict about the focal area. But I do like the mood, let’s end on a positive note, right?

#3 Remembered landscape wip (I think!)

Another one, I did these in quick succession, hoping to thrust me into some imaginary land, creative muse on the mark, get set go mood.

painting #4 Remembered landscape of Lake Frances

Oh I wished that I could marry up the photo to my actual painting, I am very hard critic with my paintings but this one is beaming bright in my heart!

painting #5 Remembered landscape wip

This one I have yet to make some sense of various areas. I lost distinction of the river, I’ll work with it to get it to come alive.

painting #5 Abstract wip

I have no idea what this will be, who knows? I am not worried, I might get a sky or a landscape or both by the time I am finished with it. I wanted to include it just because I wanted to stress a point that sometimes a painting can be one that evolves over time. I might let it sit for a while and work on it once I get back to my studio. Or, I might turn it over and paint on the other side.

Until next Saturday, Happy Painting!!

 

 

Painting Out of My Mind!

Painting #1 Abstract based on Psalm 50: 1-6

I am so impatient today with this post, I am not satisfied with my photos, neither on my phone or via my camera. No matter what I did, I just can’t seem to marry up my photo to my paintings!! Sigh….

painting #2 imaginescape

I wasn’t sure if this one would work and I kept at it until I found my way in, sometimes you have to muck through to get to the gold.

painting #3 Sand Pond

I  almost gave up on this one, I am receiving high praise for it on Instagram, I am on the fence. Though I do like the feeling of serenity.

Painting #4 semi-abstract imaginescape

I kept at this until I had my “feeling” I wished that this photo shows the inner light, very transcendental.

painting #5 semi-abstract imaginescape

I was not able to tone down the yellow at the top, not as vivid in reality. This one was so fun to paint. For some reason my inner artist seems to try for this scene over and over. Perhaps someday I’ll figure out why.

painting #6 forest scene

Of all the paintings that I am not happy with the photo, it is this one. The yellow is really a raw sienna, not this yellow, the blues are too vivid, in reality the overall colors are all grayed. The over-all softness is not apparent in this photo, sigh, one last time.

I would have discussed more about my techniques but truthfully I am getting impatient and want to get to painting. If you have any questions, ask away. Until next time!

 

Painting into the New Year

painting #1 Imagined landscape

I am doing one last post for this year anticipating a break in January. I am going to be focusing entirely on painting and not posting here or on Instagram. By the way, I have no idea why my Kindle takes better photos of my paintings than my expensive camera. All of the blues are either too blue or it doesn’t show the transition of color very well. The above photo has more blue/green than it appears.

I was very frustrated looking for a painting to appear, so I sprayed on more water and there it was! a mountain!

painting #2 Imagined landscape

This one is not showing the nice transition of grays, blues are popping up. Ugh…. this one is one of a series on light coming through the mist.

painting #3 Remembered Landscape

As I am typing here I have 10 minutes before my lime flan is ready to come out of the oven, yikes….the rush is on! The above painting is one of a series of remembered landscape of the scene on Shenanigan Flat.

painting #4 Remembered Landscape

This one bored me when I finished painting it but then I think that it has a calm serenity that intrigues me now. The blue/green doesn’t show up as it should but you get the general idea.

painting #5 Remembered Landscape of Lake Francis

I wanted to test out a few colors combinations and this is one of two that I painted. I haven’t posted this one to Instagram, so it is new to those who view my paintings there.

painting #6 Remembered Landscape of Lake Francis

This is the other landscape with similar colors. This one is on Instagram and the colors are more true on there. I did come back in and punched up the values and created more of a focus.

painting #7 Imagined Landscape

I am trying to get this view painted as I have it in my imagination. I am not quite happy with it as of yet. The blues are too sharp here in the photo as in reality, more grayed down blues. Yikes! 2 minutes and my flan is done, I am almost finished here anyway.

I hope that you all enjoy New Year’s Day and I am looking forward to coming back to post in February.

Busy Painting

painting #1 Morning  light on Oregon Creek

I had hoped that I could marry up my photo to the actual painting, I did a pretty close job, the grayed down colors aren’t showing up as it should and the backlight isn’t coming through as dramatic as I like. But aside from my silly complaints, I adore this painting! One of my favorites.

Lately I have been delving more into a minimalist approach to painting and I feel that it fits my style. The painting above was one of those exercises that I pursue now and then to keep my technique honed but it came across with more feeling than I had anticipated. It is an area that I have visited quite often, only down the road a few miles from me and about a 5 minute hike in.

painting #2 imagined landscape

I painted this one when we were out of power and I painted in front of the woodstove. It is such a hassle to take my painting supplies down to another location in the house but it was well worth the struggle. I originally planned on a dramatic sky but my sky turned into a wild free for all landscape, punched up with dramatic color.

painting #3 Remembered Landscape of Sand Pond

I enjoyed painting this one and I love that glow coming through to the left.

painting # 4 imagined landscape

I struggled in getting the correct colors but I think that it is pretty close, though the foreground is more ochre in reality than it appears here. I loved splattering on water and watching the magic. Watercolor is so much fun! I ADORE the medium!!

painting #5 imagined landscape

I woke up on Christmas Eve with this glorious streaming light imagery in my mind’s eye and I had to paint immediately. I painted 4 within a 3 hour period. This is one of them.

painting #6 one of the four in a series based upon light

I think of all the four (of which I am showing only two in this post) this is my favorite. For one thing, I didn’t think it was working and I soon realized that the orientation changed on me. I envision it as a “waterfall” of light. I painted it entirely by instinct and I knew when to brush on water to create those swirls of bloom. I feel that this is where my spirit soars with watercolor. I find anymore that forego drawing on my paper but get down to business with painting. I thought in the past that it was impatience but it is because most of my paintings veer from the lines that I would draw anyway.

painting #7 wip imagined painting

I included this one though I didn’t edit the photo. I am letting this sit a bit to see what I need to do with it. I have a fascination with light. For the past several days as I paint these paintings focusing on light, I have been listening to an Icelandic group by the name of Sigur Ros, it fits the mood to the T.

I recently sold of one my paintings to someone here on WP and I think that it came at  a time that I needed a little validation. Thank you so much and you know who you are! I also sold two more just this past week and even though I don’t paint to sell, it has encouraged me to continue on. I am considering taking January off to focus on my painting but who knows I might post, We’ll see.

Happy New Year! Be encouraged and keep painting. It takes a lot of determination and work but well worth the effort! So keep on!

 

 

 

 

 

Happily Painting

Painting #1 remembered landscape

I didn’t realize that it has been almost a month since my last post! I have been painting up a storm and sometimes I forget or dread posting here because it takes more time than on Instagram.

The painting above was thrilling to paint because I let all restraint go and let loose. I love texture and flicking on some drops of water and watching the results was fabulous. I think that is why I adore watercolor. The opportunity to let the paint do its thing and I am a willing partner.

Painting #2 Humbug Creek

I gave up on this painting once it was dry. It was started as a saturated wet on wet but I didn’t like the weak look. I have to admit I get impatient and I like to “sculpt” my paintings while they are wet. Once it is dry I will go back in and adjust but I like to paint about 75-80% in the first round. I started an abstract on the other side and abandoned that one because of feeling picky.

I turned this one over and I realized that I liked it more than I thought originally and finished it. To me it looks like it could be in the swamps somewhere in the Southeast US.

Painting #3 Bullards Bar Reservoir – evening light

I love morning and evening light at Bullards, something magical with the area. I am fortunate that I live within 5-8 minutes of this area.

Painting #4 Bullards – remembered landscape

While our power was out, I sat in the front of the woodstove to paint this one. I used my memories to paint it and I am quite happy with it. I can go with more detail with the water but wanted to remain simplistic.

Painting #5 Imaginary Scene

This started out from referring to a photo of some trees at the North Yuba but it took on a different scene and I am alright with that. I do believe that I need to soften the horizon line, seems too sharp and “chunky”, an easy fix.

I have to tell you about those trees on the right. I am finding that I don’t like to depict something too realistic because frankly it bores me. I didn’t like the trees at the onset because of that fact, I simply took my sprayer and watched it pull the color away and I ended up with something I could build upon. Again, watercolor at its finest moment. The medium is meant to be spontaneous, finding serendipity in creativity.

Painting #6 abstract

Originally this started out as an imaginary scene but I didn’t care for it until I saw a shape that I spurred me on to start “building” my painting. Away I went and before long I ended up with this abstract. My photo gives some hard and dirty edges that are not in reality, bear that in mind.

Painting #7 Remembered landscape

My favorite scene of course! I had a difficult time getting my photo and painting to marry up but I am satisfied enough to include this. I am quite happy with this and I took a few days in assessing and painting it slowly.

I hope to post more often, a month is much too long. I am happy to report that I am feeling more and more confident and the scourge of my perfectionism is letting up. When I struggle with it, I walk away and work through it before returning to painting. Thank Goodness! Happy painting folks!

Glorious Color

Painting #1 Imagined landscape on Arches 140#

I have been enjoying more warmth in my paintings lately. I am a lover of blue but want to reach out towards a little heat. This particular scene is in Colusa County on a day trip with my big brother Doug. I am working more and more from my imagination and memory rather than photos. Easy for me now that I am willing to let loose and not rely on relentless detail.

Painting #2 Remembered Landscape on Arches 140#

I don’t think that I’ll ever tire of this scene. I am intrigued by the light and the overall feeling.

Painting #3 Sand Pond on Lanaquarelle 140#

One of my favorite scenes on my favorite paper. I didn’t plan on that golden pyramid shape in the background, it “snuck” in but I would like to think that it is a sunlit mountain, let the imagination work.

Painting #4 Imagined Landscape on Arches 140#

Basically the technique with these imagined landscapes is working wet on wet and building a scene intuitively.

Painting #5 Abstract

I love abstracts and when I paint them I work entirely by intuition.

Painting #6 Imagined Landscape Arches 140#

I had the most difficult time getting the colors to match up with my painting. I do believe that my photo on Instagram is much better.

I don’t have as much time this week to paint because I will be running into town twice this week. I have to pick up a painting from my framer that I won via ArtistNetwork. It is an original painting by Thomas Schaller, one of my favorite watercolorists. Talk about exciting to have won something, a first time for me.  Happy painting folks!

 

 

Go Paint Go!

Painting #1 Semi-abstract imagined landscape

I lost some blues in this which made this painting richer and the sky/sun is not as acid yellow, keep that in mind. I am rather happy using my computer lately for uploading photos and writing these posts.

This week has been pretty busy with painting, the above painting started out as intuitive though I had a directional left pull and I had to take a little time to resolve it. It might still have that pull but I do believe that the rays of light streaming down counteracts that.

Painting #2 semi-abstract imagined landscape

The purple lavender on the bottom is more of a grayed purple, keep that in mind. This one reminds me of a sand storm. I love granulating colors and it was perfect for this scene.

painting #3 semi-abstract imagined landscape

I was very pleased that I was able to get the photo to marry up with the actual painting, I lost some of the rich color when I posted it to Instagram. It reminds me of something out in space. I am really enjoying minimalism. I start with swiping on color, wet on wet use my sprayer, letting the colors mingle and blend. I turn it around and around and look for a scene. Most times it makes itself evident from the get go, I have been pretty lucky so far in that I find it so quickly. I only paint what I intuitively know what to do. If I don’t feel moved or am unsure of what to do next, I set it aside.

painting #4 Yuba river

I prefer to paint loosely and nowadays imaginary scenes but I do like to return to a more realistic scene to hone my skills. I had gone up to the North Yuba river about two weeks ago to plein air paint. This painting was from one of my photos. I use the photo as a jumping off point, I use artistic license, which is more fun.

Painting #5 North Yuba river

I was feeling a bit off the day I started this, I basically threw myself in a fury of painting hoping that I get out of my perfectionist funk. If anything, this is a creativity killer for me, being picky about how my paintings look.

Painting #6 semi-abstract imagined landscape

Woah, hold onto your socks! I love painting imaginary scenes but this one I am loving it but also scratching my head. I wanted to paint outside the box and really up my colors but boy, did I go wild!

Painting #7 semi-abstract imagined landscape

The sky/sun in this photo is not as acidic in reality and the blues are more of a Prussian blue which leans towards a blue/green. I wanted to go wild and minimalistic. More of an exercise, I think that Debi Riley’s last couple of posts inspired me.

Painting #8 imagined scene but inspired by Bullards Bar Resevoir

I wanted to add one more painting, sorry for the length of this post. The blues pop out more than they should, it was difficult to marry up the photo to the painting, the painting is very rich and deep with contrasting color.

Well, that’s in for now, keep painting happy!

 

More Fall Paintings

 

 

Painting #1 Imaginary landscape

I tried my best to match up the photo but at least the pixels aren’t messed up, too much, I think, yay! I think that I got the photo to marry up well with my painting except that the “sun” is way better than what it shows in the photo.

While my grandson entertained himself with drawing dinosaurs, I took the opportunity to get some painting done and this is what I came up with. No idea what I was going to paint other than the chosen colors. I love painting this way, no preconceived idea, and no expectation, just going with the flow of the paint and picking out an imaginary scene.

Painting #2 Lake Francis

This is an semi-abstract of a scene of Lake Francis that I have painted several times.

Painting #3 Imaginary scene

I started out the typical way and that is usually throwing on some colors and looking for a scene. This was painted saturated wet on wet. If you haven’t tried this technique I suggest that you give it a chance. It might seem different and out of control but that is the whole point, right? At least that is the way I like to paint with watercolor.

Be aware that while the paper is saturated, the whites are very easy to pick out but once the paper is dry, it is near to impossible to regain white without scraping the paper with a blade. As long as the paper is wet, wipe out to your hearts’ content.

Painting #4 Shenanigan Flat

This is a scene that I have painted the most so far in the past year. In fact I wonder if I have already posted this one but I am pretty sure I haven’t. I had a difficult time to get the light yellow to show up as light as it appears here, keep that in mind.

Painting #5 a river scene

Another painting that I had a difficult time getting the photo just right but you get the idea. This started out as a plein air and I finished it up in the studio. I am finding out that what worked for me in the past in regards to painting en plein air isn’t working for me any longer. I just can’t sit and paint, I need to stand, I do this at home and I often step away to take a “look see”. I am considering getting an easel but it has to be very light weight because my neck and back can’t take lugging in heavy equipment any longer.

So, while I painted this, I used a big flat rock as my table and I also painted wet on wet and very loose, just like I would at home. I am trying to carry my attitude and painting style to the field.

Paintings #6

These were painted on small square pieces of leftover paper and purely from my imagination/memory. I think that I had Lake Francis on my mind when I painted these.

Painting #7 Shenanigan Flat (of course!)

I wasn’t too sure if this was successful or not, I haven’t shared it on my Instagram just because of the uncertainty. I love the feeling of it but for some reason I don’t like at the photo of it, there is something lost in translation. No idea.

That is it for now. I have a few more paintings to share but until next time, count your blessings!

One last photo from my plein air painting trip the other day, enjoy!

Busy Makes Happy

 

painting #1 of the South Yuba river

If any of you have wondered if I have gone missing for good, here I am! Actually what happened is that I have recently purchased a Kindle Fire tablet and discovered that I can use it to take and upload photos to Instagram. I have tried Instagram before using my cell phone but I hated the quality of the photos (picky me). Posting there is so much easier, less than a minute and I am done. It takes me forever to navigate around WordPress, I almost dread it because it is so funky and slow. I haven’t given up entirely on my blog here but if you want to see what I am up to follow me on Instagram: Here I am!

I have also discovered that I can do a far better job of editing my photos of my paintings spot on. Going from my regular camera and editing I always seem to run into having my blues stand out a bit too much or my yellows are off.  On Instagram I am amazed how spot on I can get my paintings to be. Plus it is so fun and easy.

 

painting #2 of Bullards

This painting was started as a plein air but finished in the studio. It was so difficult to capture what I saw there and I almost decided to turn this over and use the other side. I decided to finish it and I really like the water.

 

painting #3 of Bullards morning light

This painting is not as yellow and pink in the sky, more subtle, keep that in mind. I had gone out to plein air paint at Bullards one morning, showed up at 5:45 am. So beautiful there but so very difficult to capture what I was looking at. I decided to sit and watch the light hit that section of trees and I think that about 30 minutes passed and I just sat and observed. In the not so long ago past, this would have upset me, the fact that I couldn’t capture what I was looking at.

Once I got back into the studio, I decided to paint entirely from my memory of the morning. It was simply magical how it poured out of me. To realize that you can’t truly capture Gods’ creation to the absolute T is imperative to being at peace as an artist, imho. But, we sure can express how we feel about what I see or experience, that is for certain. That is my goal.

 

painting #4 of the North Yuba

Perhaps a little more detailed with the rocks than I like but then I had fun with this one. 

 

painting #5 of the South Yuba

No don’t adjust your monitor, this was purposely painted with an out of focus, soft approach. I didn’t want to fuss with details or bringing it up to a finish, I wanted an impression, that is all. This was painted saturated wet on wet. 

Thank you for bearing with me on this long post, have a wonderful 4th of July for those who celebrate!

**A word about photos. The paintings and 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Painting

 

painting #1 Canson Heritage 140# quarter sheet

I normally don’t paint on Sundays but I felt the creative call, so here we are. I painted a large piece of a waterfall with an abstract quality but I will post that when I am finished with it. On this painting above I painted saturated wet on wet and I had no idea what I was aiming for, I ended up with a remembered intuitive of a landscape. My camera wasn’t able to pick up the rich blues in my painting and so you see more purple than blue but I got pretty close.

Painting saturated wet on wet is one of my all time favorite ways to paint a watercolor. It allows you a lengthy time to “sculpt” your painting, it brings out the intuitive in me.

 

painting #2 wip on Canson Heritage 140# quarter sheet

I started this painting several days ago and I am undecided if it is finished or not, there is no rushing creativity. I started out in the saturated wet on wet method and the next day I gave more dimension to the shapes. I am after the essence and not superfluous detail. Perhaps I will stop explaining this as I think if you have been following me long enough, you would know that by 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.