watercolors

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Dragonfruit

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Dragonfruit, 9 x 12 inches watercolor pencils, graphite on paper

I’ve discovered a strange and wonderful new fruit here: Pitaya, commonly called Dragonfruit, is cultivated in Vietnam, but apparently is native to Mexico and South America. Possibly then, it’s imported to the U.S. and hopefully is sold in Texas. I’ve seen it in the markets here but thought it was some sort of artichoke. Rarely do you find a fruit that is so large and fleshy where you don’t have to deal with removal of seeds or pits or cores to get to the yummy part. This one’s all yum, about 6″ long, and tastes much like a kiwi, but more sweet than tangy.

Medicinal

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Medicinal - Orange Milkweed, Kentucky (sold) 15 x 22 inches watercolors Above: finished, below: Nov. 19th almost finished

Driving from Texas to Ontario one summer I had to pull over to take photos and a closer study of the vivid orange bouquets growing beside the highway in southern Kentucky. The colors are irresistible, and this is not the first or last time I’ll portray this subject. All plants and trees contain medicinal and useful chemical properties in their leaves, stems, roots and flowers. I looked up Orange Milkweed in the most informative books about plants, The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism edited by Malcom Stuart, which contains details about every plant I have ever sought to find information for. According to it, Appalachian Indians made a tea from the leaves to use during religious ceremonies. One common name for this plant is Pleuracy Root, as it is still useful to treat infections of the respiratory tract including pleurisy It is used as a diaphoretic, antispasmodic, carminative, expectorant… Whatever! Color also has enchanting, supernatural energizing properties!

See also: The Fourth of July progress as painted with acrylics, and this link seen as it is finished, The 4th of July Oil Pastel version, and Orange Milkweed photography

Bird Party

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Bird Party, Watercolors on molded 140 lb watercolor paper – in progress.

I’m not exactly sure where this is headed, but shapes were cut out of the painting, the paper drenched , folded , stretched and sculpted. Every evening just before sunset in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Grackles, blackbirds, Starlings and pigeons gather on lawns, parking lots, overhead wires and cables, rooves and trees. The event is unique to this area as far as I know, and exciting beyond words to be amongst the thousands and thousands of birds. Here is a previous piece on the subject.

Breathing new life into work

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

At The Alamo, San Antonio, TX 15 x 22 inches watercolors

Left: just started, before drip techniques Above: finished
Rather than continue with an “I’ve scene it all before” approach, the paper was held up straight let drips happen. Blowing through a straw cut in half (less effort than a whole straw to create the effects) the paint was directed around half-planned, half not.

Color Study

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Angels Trumpet (Brugmansias) San Antonio Riverwalk, Texas - 14 x 22 inches Watercolors in progress Nov.7, 8, 9th: 1) Upper left detail 2) Upper right detail 3) Lower right detail 4) below, today’s work

I definitely pushed the work too far and am not pleased with today’s results, but on this blog I think it’s really important to show that failures are part of the learning process. Sometimes things turn out to be purely study. I didn’t trust my intuition this time and leave the painting when it was bright and fresh with lots of white paper showing through. While attempting to be bolder than usual with color – recognizing that as a positive step forward here - reworking the surface just made it muddier. I’m more familiar with acrylics properties and having a longer window of time to fix things. Now onto another version of this painting, or another subject, but still in watercolors because it’s time for a success after learning so much with this one.

Preliminary value study

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Trumpet Flowers, San Antonio Riverwalk, Texas -12 x 16 inches value study in progress, Tombo pen wash on 140 lb. WC paper.

The Tombo pen is a two-in-one water-soluble marker available in colors as well as black. One tip is medium-fine and the other looks and behaves like a Chinese paintbrush, where thickness of lines can be controlled. What’s more difficult to control is that black once it’s on the page! The edge of the ledges on the bridge here were much brighter, but I couldn’t lighten them without making a mess of the surrounding areas, so they are OK. It’s something to pay attention to when painting the colored version.

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San Antonio, Texas

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Buildings, San Antonio, Texas – 22 x 15 inches Watercolors on 140 lb. acid free, cold press premium paper

The Campsite

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Above, finished Oct 29th: The Campsite, Maine, USA – 15 x 22 inches Watercolors on 140 lb. acid free cold press premium paper

Thumbnails: 1) Value sketch using Payne’s Gray 2) Oct 21st in progress 3) finished, left detail

~ 2nd week of Watercolor course offered by Jo Williams ~

Brushing up on other skills

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Red peppers and pear, left: second study, 14 x 11″ watercolors. I just started watercolors classes today with Jo Williams in Denton, TX. Watercolors are in a league of their own…that’s what I learned today. Acrylics are my favorite medium because of their versatility, and I always start out covering the canvas using watercolor techniques, but even though both have similar properties at the wateriest level, they are nothing alike. Brushing up on watercolors skills though, will positively add to confidence in using acrylics. I haven’t worked alongside others for a while either, so class critique will be really helpful too.