No. 389 Composition Study

Composition Study

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

We are studying composition in Elizabeth's class from the book The Artist's Design: Probing the Hidden  Order by Marie MacDonnell Roberts. The current topic is "unity" and some of the ways you can create that in a painting. When we talk about unity we mean everything in the painting looks like it belongs there. It feels like a cohesive whole. One way to create this feeling of "wholeness" is to use similar or analogous colors. In other words, colors that are close to each other on the color wheel.  That was my goal in this very loose study.

This has been my Tuesday morning haunt for almost six years. Yes, I am one of the very fortunate people to be in Elizabeth Kincaid's weekly watercolor class. Elizabeth is, hands down, one of the best art teachers I've ever had. Her weekly class is currently full with a wait list. However, she will be teaching two workshops this summer. If you would like more info you can email her at ekincaid@cruzio.com.

I love the way one of my fellow students had her work laid out on her desk. Karen Burns is working hard. Here you can see her photo inspiration, the transfer drawing she created, a study and the final piece in progress. Pretty cool, huh?

My desk (after a little tidying up) This is a watercolor I've been working on for many moons of my youngest daughter Megan.

Day 293 House Finch Thief

House Finch Thief

Watercolor

6 x 6

A watercolor I've been working on here and there for quite awhile. It's just about done, thank goodness. This innocent looking house finch was slowly but surely stripping the flowers off a small cherry tree in my front yard. The least it could do, I figured, was pose for a picture.

Posted with Blogsy

Day to Celebrate!

 

Heirloom Silver

16 x 24?

Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

 

I worked long and hard on this painting hoping to enter

it in a show and receive an award. Getting an award for a

painting can be a tricky thing. It's based mostly on the quality of the

work but also partly on what catches the judges eye. This one finally

caught a judges eye. I won second place for Heirloom Silver in the

Arts of the Terrace, a local show. Whoopee!

Day 67

 

Megan - the middle

watercolor

5 x 7

 

If you paint one daughter you absolutely have to paint

the other one. They'd be happiest if you painted both

at the same time. Honestly though, it wasn't a trial

 painting Meg. This is from the same photo shoot as Anika's painting.

It will be turned into a much larger painting some day.

I wouldn't consider this one finished either.

I just needed something to post this evening. Maybe I'll

get it finished at the "Mom's Getaway" this weekend. :)

 

Anika - the middle

 

This is the same painting I posted a couple days

ago just further along. Which one do you prefer -

the earlier one or this one?

 

Oops Day 64

Anika - the beginning

Watercolor

5 x 7

 

Sometimes you surprise yourself. I started this one evening

while sitting with my mom. It's based on a photo I took

this summer in preparation for a major piece. Never did

I expect this quick study to come out so well in that it

actually resembles my daughter! This is a beginning stage.

Weather permitting, I will take a photo of it's current state

tomorrow. Sometimes the beginnings are the best . 

Day 65! 300 to go

 

Pears

Watercolor

6 x 6

 

What is it about pears? I think if you looked at the top most

painted fruit, pears would probably be number one. I love paintings

of pairs. I own a beautiful painting of a golden pair by local artist Nikki Wheeler.

Pears are very anthropomorphic.  This, I believe, is the reason for their

universal appeal. Who do these pears remind you of? 

 

 

 

Day 59

Megan's Sugar Bowl
Watercolor
6 x 6



Sketch of Megan's Sugar Bowl

Previous to starting the Daily Painting Adventure I was doing
a fair amount of sketching. Books, teachers, the web, they all say how
important it is to draw as much as you can. So I've decided to add a
drawing element to my daily painting. I will draw for at
least fifteen minutes before I begin to paint.
If nothing else, this blog keeps me accountable.
As a result, you will be sort of forced to look at my drawings.
 Plein air painting is the exception as the light is changing so rapidly.
Thanks for hanging in there with me! 

Day 58

 

Watercolor

6 x 8

 

Here is another scanned watercolor. The image is a

little fuzzy and the blues are much more intense. If you

can get it to work, scanning is definitely the way to go.

 

I mentioned a artist's blog talk show yesterday.

This is the description from the website:

 

Welcome to Artists Helping Artists, the #1 Art Show on Blogtalk radio! Join in each week as your host Leslie Saeta discusses how to market and sell your art, along with interviews with guest artists, gallerists, and others sharing their knowledge of the business side of art.

 

If anyone is interested I'd recommend giving it a try. I've enjoyed

the talks I've listened to. A nice accompaniment to a painting

session. Click here to check it out.

 

Day56

 

Watercolor with Mussel Shells

5 x 7

 

I have the great good fortune to study watercolor with

master watercolorist Elizabeth Kincaid. If you haven't seen

Elizabeth's work you're missing out. Click here for her website.

 

This painting was started in class last week. I'm accustomed to

taking a good 40 to 50 hours to complete a watercolor. So this

painting-a-day in watercolor is very new to me. There's a lot

of grumbling and stomping around the house right now

while I figure this out. Oh, you can throw some serious

pouting in there too. My poor family.