This painting was done in watercolor with colored pencils and a stamp.
Girl in Blue
Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts
Friday, September 02, 2016
On the 2nd Day of September
Twas the 2nd Day of the (29 Faces) Challenge and I barely managed to do a quick little painting; scan it, blog it and post it - get it online before the clock strikes 12!
This painting was done in watercolor with colored pencils and a stamp.
This painting was done in watercolor with colored pencils and a stamp.
Getting Back in the Groove!
After being the child care provider for my little granddaughter for the past 5 years, Miss Lily started Kindergarten! That has freed me up to make a heck of a lot more effort towards my art adventures.
Hooray! I will miss my daily dose of Lily Rain, but I still get to see her a lot as she lives right above my place.
A few years back I joined a facebook group called 29 Faces with Ayala Art. Currently there is a September Challenge to paint a face a day. I painted one yesterday but didn't get a chance to post it.
So here it is.... I love challenges because they help me to paint daily and explore mediums.
Hooray! I will miss my daily dose of Lily Rain, but I still get to see her a lot as she lives right above my place.
A few years back I joined a facebook group called 29 Faces with Ayala Art. Currently there is a September Challenge to paint a face a day. I painted one yesterday but didn't get a chance to post it.
So here it is.... I love challenges because they help me to paint daily and explore mediums.
A Few More Days of Summer
Watercolor
One thing I wanted to experiment with is painting on a DIY absorbent ground.
I had a book of watercolor paper that I didn't like the way it absorbed the paint, so I decided to paint the ground on it and see what happens. The ground is not as absorbent as paper of course, but I liked the way I could lift off the colors. I think I will paint all my 29 faces with this ground and see where it goes and what I learn about it. I am also trying to paint a bit more loosely.
Saturday, July 02, 2016
Are Commissions Scary? Tips on doing Portrait Commissions
Are commissions scary? Well in several ways they can be, especially if it is a portrait of someone. I have done quite a number of portrait commission and I still worry about getting a good likeness. I can't help but wonder if the person who commissioned me will be pleased with the painting. So yes, I kinda think doing commissions can be scary, but not enough to say "no" to one!
This past week I completed a commission of a darling little girl named Alice. The painting is done in watercolor and it was commissioned locally, but in the past I have had quite a few requests from online. Over the years I have come up with some guidelines that I follow to insure success with the client.
1. Get to know something about the client and the subject of the portrait.
Whether I am meeting with them in person or am corresponding through email, I ask about the person they wish me to paint. Getting to know something of the personality is helpful, because I rarely get to meet the subject in person. I also find out what is the occasion for the commission. In this case it is for Alice's birthday and she is the client's granddaughter.
2. What does the client want included in the portrait?
The client gave me a photo of Alice and I asked if he wanted me to crop the photo so that it was a more traditional portrait of face and shoulders, or would he like the pose as shown? As they often do, he asked me what I thought. I explained my preference for the whole pose because I thought it added more of a story about Alice. He agreed (obviously!). I then asked what size he wanted it done in. The client was going to get it framed himself. A lot of times people are not familiar with standard frame sizes, so I showed the client how different sizes would look. He ended up choosing an 11"x14" painting and it would fit in a 16"x20" frame with mat.
I also asked if he wanted the same background in the photo or would he like to choose other colors for the background. He wanted to keep it the same as the photo. It's best to confirm what you are going to paint!
3. Keep the Client updated.
I asked for the client's email address with a promise that I would email him the drawing to get his approval before painting it. I also asked when he would like it finished by. It was the third week of June, and he said Alice's birthday was in mid-August and they were going to California to celebrate it with her. I estimated my commitments for the next little while and told him I could have it done by the first of August. It is best to make sure you allow yourself enough time. Then if you get it done sooner, the client will be pleasantly surprised.
I asked Mr. Client if he would like me to email a photo of the finished painting. He chose to be surprised and see it when he came to pay for it.
Normally I charge 20 -25% of the purchase price upfront (non refundable) and collect the balance when the painting is finished. A lot of work can go into doing a commission and this insures that your efforts are covered in the event of a cancellation. Don't forget to mention that you will collect tax on the purchase price.
4. Drawing the subject.
This is where I spend the most time of the whole process. It is very critical to get the best drawing you can do before you start painting. I usually draw it, then wait til the next day to look at it again. It seems with a fresh view I can fine-tune the features so that I get a very good likeness. I used to not do the second step and quickly realized how important it was. Once finished I take a picture of it and email it to the client for approval.
Don't be too discouraged if the client suggests a few changes. For this commission it was approved as I had drawn it, but in the past I have had suggestions given. I found this was very helpful, especially since one of them was a commission from the internet. I usually only get to see one photo of the subject, but the client knows the person and their personality so their suggestions help me create a better portrait.
5. Ready to paint!
Tips on materials: Make sure you use quality paints and paper/canvas for your commission. If you use a student grade paper or watercolor paint, you will fight with the lack of quality and it's just not worth your time and can affect the quality of your painting.
Make sure you don't rush through the painting process. You owe it to your client to do your best work and it should be fun!
6. Finished!
Once I was finished, I made sure I had fulfilled all the client's requests. For the Alice commission, the client requested a Certificate of Authenticity. Some artists always include these with their artwork, but if you don't there are numerous websites that offer templates to download. In this case I used a COA from an online group I belong to.
7. Packaging.
Because this was a local commission, I placed the painting on foam core that was cut to the size of the painting. As previously mentioned the painting was 11"x14" and I allowed an extra 1/2 inch on each side so that I could tape the paper down for painting. That way no white edges would show through the mat when the tape was removed. I then either use clear plastic envelopes to protect the painting or wrap it in cellophane. I sign my name on the back of the watercolor paper with the title and date it.
On the back of the foam core I attach one of my business cards as well as the Certificate of Authenticity.
8. Success!
The client was very pleased with the painting, and noted that he loved my style and felt that I had carried it across to the commission. He chose two of my blank cards with images of my artwork for family birthdays, etc and I told him that they were my gift to him for giving me the commission. With my online sales, I usually include one of my blank cards as well when I ship a commission. I always feel very grateful when someone purchases my art, so I like to give them a little gift!
So is painting a commission scary? Not if you do the best you can and communicate well with the client. Oh and one more thing, I charge a little more for commissions than I do for artwork that I create for the gallery. I do this because of all the additional steps that are involved when working with a client.
One more thing... I practice drawing people all the time so that I can improve my skills and I would recommend that to anyone who is interested in doing portraiture.
My largest commission ever?
The largest commission I have ever done was a cow painted on a 4'x8' piece of plywood that a client wanted for the side of his barn in New York. Shipping was a bit tricky but I managed!
This past week I completed a commission of a darling little girl named Alice. The painting is done in watercolor and it was commissioned locally, but in the past I have had quite a few requests from online. Over the years I have come up with some guidelines that I follow to insure success with the client.
1. Get to know something about the client and the subject of the portrait.
Whether I am meeting with them in person or am corresponding through email, I ask about the person they wish me to paint. Getting to know something of the personality is helpful, because I rarely get to meet the subject in person. I also find out what is the occasion for the commission. In this case it is for Alice's birthday and she is the client's granddaughter.
2. What does the client want included in the portrait?
The client gave me a photo of Alice and I asked if he wanted me to crop the photo so that it was a more traditional portrait of face and shoulders, or would he like the pose as shown? As they often do, he asked me what I thought. I explained my preference for the whole pose because I thought it added more of a story about Alice. He agreed (obviously!). I then asked what size he wanted it done in. The client was going to get it framed himself. A lot of times people are not familiar with standard frame sizes, so I showed the client how different sizes would look. He ended up choosing an 11"x14" painting and it would fit in a 16"x20" frame with mat.
I also asked if he wanted the same background in the photo or would he like to choose other colors for the background. He wanted to keep it the same as the photo. It's best to confirm what you are going to paint!
3. Keep the Client updated.
I asked for the client's email address with a promise that I would email him the drawing to get his approval before painting it. I also asked when he would like it finished by. It was the third week of June, and he said Alice's birthday was in mid-August and they were going to California to celebrate it with her. I estimated my commitments for the next little while and told him I could have it done by the first of August. It is best to make sure you allow yourself enough time. Then if you get it done sooner, the client will be pleasantly surprised.
I asked Mr. Client if he would like me to email a photo of the finished painting. He chose to be surprised and see it when he came to pay for it.
Normally I charge 20 -25% of the purchase price upfront (non refundable) and collect the balance when the painting is finished. A lot of work can go into doing a commission and this insures that your efforts are covered in the event of a cancellation. Don't forget to mention that you will collect tax on the purchase price.
4. Drawing the subject.
This is where I spend the most time of the whole process. It is very critical to get the best drawing you can do before you start painting. I usually draw it, then wait til the next day to look at it again. It seems with a fresh view I can fine-tune the features so that I get a very good likeness. I used to not do the second step and quickly realized how important it was. Once finished I take a picture of it and email it to the client for approval.
Don't be too discouraged if the client suggests a few changes. For this commission it was approved as I had drawn it, but in the past I have had suggestions given. I found this was very helpful, especially since one of them was a commission from the internet. I usually only get to see one photo of the subject, but the client knows the person and their personality so their suggestions help me create a better portrait.
5. Ready to paint!
Tips on materials: Make sure you use quality paints and paper/canvas for your commission. If you use a student grade paper or watercolor paint, you will fight with the lack of quality and it's just not worth your time and can affect the quality of your painting.
Make sure you don't rush through the painting process. You owe it to your client to do your best work and it should be fun!
6. Finished!
Once I was finished, I made sure I had fulfilled all the client's requests. For the Alice commission, the client requested a Certificate of Authenticity. Some artists always include these with their artwork, but if you don't there are numerous websites that offer templates to download. In this case I used a COA from an online group I belong to.
7. Packaging.
Because this was a local commission, I placed the painting on foam core that was cut to the size of the painting. As previously mentioned the painting was 11"x14" and I allowed an extra 1/2 inch on each side so that I could tape the paper down for painting. That way no white edges would show through the mat when the tape was removed. I then either use clear plastic envelopes to protect the painting or wrap it in cellophane. I sign my name on the back of the watercolor paper with the title and date it.
On the back of the foam core I attach one of my business cards as well as the Certificate of Authenticity.
8. Success!
The client was very pleased with the painting, and noted that he loved my style and felt that I had carried it across to the commission. He chose two of my blank cards with images of my artwork for family birthdays, etc and I told him that they were my gift to him for giving me the commission. With my online sales, I usually include one of my blank cards as well when I ship a commission. I always feel very grateful when someone purchases my art, so I like to give them a little gift!
So is painting a commission scary? Not if you do the best you can and communicate well with the client. Oh and one more thing, I charge a little more for commissions than I do for artwork that I create for the gallery. I do this because of all the additional steps that are involved when working with a client.
One more thing... I practice drawing people all the time so that I can improve my skills and I would recommend that to anyone who is interested in doing portraiture.
My largest commission ever?
The largest commission I have ever done was a cow painted on a 4'x8' piece of plywood that a client wanted for the side of his barn in New York. Shipping was a bit tricky but I managed!
Monday, February 15, 2016
The Art Within
I am preparing for my workshop this Friday and Saturday and I am really excited! I have so much to share! This workshop is not about teaching you how to paint like me, but it is about teaching how to reach into your subconscious mind and really make your artwork you! I have always thought that in order to stand out in the art world, you either have to paint exceptionally well, or you put yourself into it so it stands out uniquely from other artwork. Not that you can't do both, but perfecting our craft takes much practice. Meanwhile...
We can arrive at being unique in our art now. My students will deepen their understanding on how to listen to our inner voice and have the courage to paint what we think, This can apply to the most traditional artist. We will do fun painting exercises that make you really think.
I believe goals are important and we will talk about our goals as artists. Lewis Carroll wrote: "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there". I love that each of us are beautiful, unique individuals and when we apply this to our art, we share that beauty!
Only a few seats left! To join me for this workshop adventure, click on this link!
See you soon!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Daily Painting 5: Experimental
Yesterday was Sunday and I decided I will not be doing daily paintings on that day, so here is today's painting. I chose to do a little portrait;
size 3.5" x 2.5"
Title: A Red Head
It is done in watercolor, and I used the same technique that I used on Daily Painting #4
This art card is available for sale
$25
Free shipping in the US
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Daily Paintings 3 & 4: Trial and Error
I am continuing painting in watercolor. Since these daily paintings are studes, I have been painting on Canson 140 lb. paper. This is not my preference of papers, but I had a pad of this paper so why not use it! I have a few sheets of the really good stuff, but thought I would use it for the Spring Show for the Utah Watercolor Society.
The Canson paper is not too bad though, better than some papers. This Canson is not bad if you don't over work it, and if you like to lift color, it is good for that. All in all, I figure if I can learn to paint successfully on this paper, I should do ok on the better paper. Is that logical?
So on day three, I painted 3 sheep. I did them with a little landscape behind them. I am not big on doing landscapes, but I have a many friends that are excellent plein air painters, and they go to plein air paint outs and have a lot of fun... so I decided I needed to practice painting landscapes so I could do some plein air this summer.
As I did the landscape, I really overworked it. It turned out ok, but it's not my favorite painting. I will show it to you anyway, just because I feel kind of obligated since it's one of my daily paintings.
Three Sheep
6"x 10"
Free Shipping in the US
You can be sure that I will be working on landscapes again... You know, practice makes perfect, or so I hope! But for Valentines Day I am not going to do a landscape!
Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that I may not post daily paintings everyday, just because I figure it is more important to get the painting done for the day, and sometimes that doesn't leave time to blog about it. So today is a double whammy!
Watercolor takes a lot of thought, and I decided that my daily painting for today I would put down color and try not to go back to it,so I don't over work it.
I drew another sheep, a big woolly one and since the paper is great for lifting, I decided I would do some lifting. I like the way this one turned out. I still overworked the trees in the background though. *sigh*.
Fancy Ewe
8" x 10"
Free shipping in the US
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Day 2, A Painting a Day
Today wasn't my usual schedule. Even though it is only day 2 for my painting a day, I found I had to really make an effort to get my painting done. Here it is 9:30 PM and I am only posting it to my blog now! If I wasn't trying to do a painting a day, I probably wouldn't have finished it today. So see, it's doing me good already!
This painting is 11" x 6" on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It is painted to the edge. It is titled
"A Girl and Her Dog".
It is available for sale here:
$85
Monday, February 09, 2015
A Painting A Day
I recently read a book by Carol Marine called Daily Painting. Carol discovered daily painting in 2006. Her theory is paint small and often to become a more creative, productive, and successful artist.
I agree that if an artist would do that daily, they are bound to improve their art.
Since that is one of my new year resolutions to improve, daily painting makes sense to me. Another thing that Carol talked about is selling your daily painting online for $100. So today I begin my daily painting! My first painting is a study in watercolor, titled "A New Day"
A New Day - 8" x 10" Watercolor
I agree that if an artist would do that daily, they are bound to improve their art.
Since that is one of my new year resolutions to improve, daily painting makes sense to me. Another thing that Carol talked about is selling your daily painting online for $100. So today I begin my daily painting! My first painting is a study in watercolor, titled "A New Day"
A New Day - 8" x 10" Watercolor
$100
Free Shipping in US
Friday, January 16, 2015
Watercolor Studies Continues; The Midnight Bunny
Today I completed another study, this time of a bunny. As I am doing these studies, I am trying out different kinds of paper, graphite pencils and color palettes. The bunny today was painted on 90 lb. Arches Cold Press. It is too thin for my liking, but wasn't too bad to paint on. Because of it's light weight, it absorbs the water like a sponge all the way through. That can result in a unflat painting when you are finished painting. Last night I put weights on the 'Vintage Lady' Painitng which I mentioned in my previous post. It was painted on this same arches 90 lb. paper. I sprayed the back of the painting with water, put a paper towel over it, then a heavy book with 2 three pound exercise weights (gotta use those weights for something!)
This morning I looked at the Vintage Lady painting to see if it was dry. It was and it was pretty flat. not perfectly flat, but reasonably flat and ready to mount in a mat.
Ok, so back to Midnight Bunny. As mentioned I have been trying different graphite pencils to do my sketch for the painting. This time I used a 6B. I liked it, you could get a nice dark if you want. On Vintage Lady I used a HB. Which is very hard. It was a lot lighter lead color and didn't smear much.
If you don't want your lead to show up in your watercolor, the HB is pretty good for that.
On Midnight Bunny, I used the same color palette as I did on "Vintage Lady". Three colors; cobalt blue, rose madder genuine, and azo yellow. Although I used a lot of layers on this painting and it has some darks, it still has some luminousity in places. I guess that's what you get when you use transparent paint, right?
In this painting I lifted color out on the bunny, the grass, and around the moon. A few years ago I took a workshop from Joseph Alleman, and he lifts color out. His work is wonderful and he has the awards to show fpr it. Here's his website: josephalleman.com
Look at Joe's paintings, especially those that have darks in them and see if you can see where he has lifted the paint out. If you are new to watercolor, you may not know what this means. When you put several layers of color on the paper, you can go back after it's dried with a wet brush and lift out spots. I you look at the bottom of my bunny painting, you can see blades of grass that I have lifted out.
I am finding as I am doing these studies, that I have picked up and implement some things from the people I have taken workshops from. I hadn't realized that I had done this till now as I am re-evaluating my painting skills.
I have to admit that as I got into this bunny painting, I wasn't liking the way it was turning out, but committed myself to finishing it. Lifting really saved it. It's not a great painting,but it is ok and was a valuable study. The purpose of doing studies is not only to practice, but to also find what techniques and color palettes I like and don't like. So I am satisfied with what I learned today.
How's your painting coming along?
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
An Art Card ACEO Commission
Last week I received a commission for an miniature portrait. I have been painting very small lately 3.5" x 2.5 known as collectible ACEO's (art card editions originals). The commission was from a man who wanted a portrait of his wife, and wrote to me the following:
"I am a family historian and have a lot of pictures and paintings of ancestors around and my wife always teasingly asks why I don't have any of her, so I thought this would be a fun birthday surprise for her!"
He sent me a photo for reference and I painted her from it. He also sent me an antique watercolor of a lady from around two centuries ago when miniatures were popular and asked if I could do is wife's mini portrait similar to it. The vintage portrait was in an oval frame so I suggested that I paint his wife's portrait on a larger piece of paper than the traditional art card size. The image I painted is still 3.5" x 2.5" but I painted it in watercolor on a 7" x 5" 140 lb. Arches hot press watercolor paper. That way if he wished to frame it with an oval mat he has plenty of paper.
News! I will be teaching art card painting classes.
Classes: Starting later in July I will be teaching Art Card classes at Local Colors of Utah gallery in Salt Lake City. Art cards are a fun affordable way to collect art, or you can trade them with your friends! The art card originally was created by artists to trade among themselves. Later an artist started the ACEO movement on ebay and artists were creating art cards to sell.
For more info comment below.
If you are in Salt Lake on July 4th, come visit Local Colors at the Sugar House Art Festival. I will have framed art cards in the gallery as well as a sign-up for my classes. Local Colors is located at 1054 E. 2100 So. Salt Lake City.
If you are interested in an art card commission you can order one from Etsy:
Art Card Commission by Cathy Darling
Or if you are in Salt Lake City, You can order a commission through Local Colors gallery.
Questions?
"I am a family historian and have a lot of pictures and paintings of ancestors around and my wife always teasingly asks why I don't have any of her, so I thought this would be a fun birthday surprise for her!"
News! I will be teaching art card painting classes.
Classes: Starting later in July I will be teaching Art Card classes at Local Colors of Utah gallery in Salt Lake City. Art cards are a fun affordable way to collect art, or you can trade them with your friends! The art card originally was created by artists to trade among themselves. Later an artist started the ACEO movement on ebay and artists were creating art cards to sell.
For more info comment below.
If you are in Salt Lake on July 4th, come visit Local Colors at the Sugar House Art Festival. I will have framed art cards in the gallery as well as a sign-up for my classes. Local Colors is located at 1054 E. 2100 So. Salt Lake City.
If you are interested in an art card commission you can order one from Etsy:
Art Card Commission by Cathy Darling
Or if you are in Salt Lake City, You can order a commission through Local Colors gallery.
Questions?
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Very Inspired By John Salminen!
I was very inspired by John Salminen's lecture. I don't want to paint like him,
but he motivated me to paint the best I can.
Catherine Darling Hostetter
I suppose some people might have been disappointed that he didn't actually paint, but I was not unhappy at all with his presentation. Not one bit! He was very good at explaining some of his techniques and how he came to paint the way he does. It left me feeling very inspired. I love watercolor, but have often ventured into the less transparent medium of acrylic. For subject matter I have focused a lot of my art on the whimsical (as you can see if you've read my blog at all!) However, I love many artist's work and the interpretation of their world, which is a more realistic view than I often portray in my art.
I decided for my next project to paint more realistically and do it in watercolor. The last two months I have been focusing on painting very small - 3.5" x 2.5" art cards. It's been a good exercise, and I will continue to paint them. The lovely thing about John Salminen's work was how he rendered scenes that were realistic, yet very much displayed the beauty of the watercolor medium. He is a very talented man!
Yesterday I painted Mr. Sheep, a sussex sheep. It's not a street scene or detailed like Mr. Salminen's, but it is more realistic and very watercolor-ish. (Is that a word?) It is a start for me. I am not much of a landscape or street scene painter, I enjoy people and animals. So that's where I began. But who knows where this project will take me?
To conclude my last project of painting art cards, I am posting three that I recently finished.
"In the Iris Garden"
I painted these cards in watercolor and
watercolor pencil and wc markers.
"Poppy Garden Girls"
"Waiting For a Party"
For the next couple of months, I will be posting my "Inspired by John Salminen" watercolor project, and I hope you will come back and comment. If you would like to know more about John Salminen here is a link to his website: John Salminen
It will be interesting to me to see how this project will influence how I paint. Life is about learning and changing, improving and enjoying!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Another Small Painting
Painting art cards is a challenge. The 3.5" x 2.5" canvas makes it difficult to get the detail you are able to get with larger painting surfaces. I have been trying different mediums so see what gives me the detail I would like to have. Yesterday I tried pen and ink and watercolor. Still not satisfied with the results.
As I paint these art cards, I've been drawing from my head without reference. I think the artist is the biggest critic of their artwork. That's me for sure! I find I am not satisfied not only with the way I am painting but I am not happy with just painting what I see in my head. I am going to keep going with my experimentation with art cards until I am satisfied with what I produce. Anyone want to join me painting art cards? It's a great exercise that I think will benefit my larger pieces.
As I paint these art cards, I've been drawing from my head without reference. I think the artist is the biggest critic of their artwork. That's me for sure! I find I am not satisfied not only with the way I am painting but I am not happy with just painting what I see in my head. I am going to keep going with my experimentation with art cards until I am satisfied with what I produce. Anyone want to join me painting art cards? It's a great exercise that I think will benefit my larger pieces.
"Planting Seeds of Faith", pen/ink and watercolor.
My critique is that it is too cartoony for my taste :-) I like it for what it is however,
and it was fun to try.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Painting in Portland
I am in Portland to help take care of my grand-daughter Lily. A couple of weeks ago a dog bit her in the face. :(
I packed up the biggest suit case we had. Not just for my clothes, but for the inflatable mattress. My daughter had just moved to Portland the month before leaving her furniture behind. We were worried my suitcase would go over the 50lb. weight limit, but it weighed in at exactly that... 50lbs!
I came out on Jet Blue and they have a policy of no oil or water based paints, so I packed up my watercolor palette (dry) and brought along mini watercolor paper to paint art cards. An art card is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" so I could pack a lot of them!
So far I have only painted 2 cards, they are in my whimsical style.
I packed up the biggest suit case we had. Not just for my clothes, but for the inflatable mattress. My daughter had just moved to Portland the month before leaving her furniture behind. We were worried my suitcase would go over the 50lb. weight limit, but it weighed in at exactly that... 50lbs!
I came out on Jet Blue and they have a policy of no oil or water based paints, so I packed up my watercolor palette (dry) and brought along mini watercolor paper to paint art cards. An art card is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" so I could pack a lot of them!
So far I have only painted 2 cards, they are in my whimsical style.
This one (above) is titled "Breakfast at Tiffany's,
Pupper's and Miss Pretty Kitty's.
This art card is titled "Finding Spring".
It is fun, experimental and a good exercise to paint this small. I will continue to paint while here in Portland. It rains a lot and often cancels my daily walk... I thought my waterproof windbreaker would be sufficient but I was wrong... so I will happily paint when it rains.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Arches Watercolor Paper Disappointment
A few months back I moved. Which means I was forced to go through and organize all my art supplies. This past week I needed to paint a watercolor to enter into the Utah Watercolor Society Spring Show. This year we have the amazing John Salminen to jury our show.
Determined to use some of the supplies I had in store, I found some Arches 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. I haven't used Arches for several years now but my memory was soon refreshed as to the reason for that.
Starting the painting with the first couple of washes was fine, but then as I applied more layers of color, the paper acted very weird and the colors would not blend properly. Frustrated, I kept on going; I had a deadline to meet and no time to start another painting! If you have read my blog at all you may have gathered that I tend to procrastinate painting for shows til the last couple of days before it's due.
The painting ended up ok, but I wasn't pleased with the face of the girl. Painting skin tones can be delicate work, and this paper would not let me blend the colors as well as I wanted. *sigh*.
The title of this painting is "Then It Dawned On Her". Kind of a poetic tribute to why I will never buy Arches again. Yes...
NOW I remember why I switched to Fabriano WC paper.
Determined to use some of the supplies I had in store, I found some Arches 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper. I haven't used Arches for several years now but my memory was soon refreshed as to the reason for that.
Starting the painting with the first couple of washes was fine, but then as I applied more layers of color, the paper acted very weird and the colors would not blend properly. Frustrated, I kept on going; I had a deadline to meet and no time to start another painting! If you have read my blog at all you may have gathered that I tend to procrastinate painting for shows til the last couple of days before it's due.
The painting ended up ok, but I wasn't pleased with the face of the girl. Painting skin tones can be delicate work, and this paper would not let me blend the colors as well as I wanted. *sigh*.
The title of this painting is "Then It Dawned On Her". Kind of a poetic tribute to why I will never buy Arches again. Yes...
NOW I remember why I switched to Fabriano WC paper.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Summer Bunnies
Marketing art online has become quite a good venue. I have been selling on ebay since 2001. After much study and learning how to sell there, I finally started on Sept. 11th. However I had a free dial-up connection and a very slow computer and my first auction didn't go live until about 10 minutes after midnight on Sept. 12th. It took all evening to get everything loaded up and ready to go. I was also watching the horrific events on TV and I am sure that slowed me down a bit.
So here I am almost 12 years later still selling on ebay. Because of my gallery connections and other online venues I have decided to make collectible art cards (ACEOs) my main product for this venue- tiny paintings for tiny prices. I am also in the process of cleaning out my studio and offering art at clearance prices. They need to find a new home.
I have a set of auctions that will be ending this evening for Bunny art cards. They are in watercolor and are 3.5" x 2.5".
So here I am almost 12 years later still selling on ebay. Because of my gallery connections and other online venues I have decided to make collectible art cards (ACEOs) my main product for this venue- tiny paintings for tiny prices. I am also in the process of cleaning out my studio and offering art at clearance prices. They need to find a new home.
I have a set of auctions that will be ending this evening for Bunny art cards. They are in watercolor and are 3.5" x 2.5".
Check them out before they are gone!
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Update on My Activities
I have been working hard on my art lately. The past two years I have been tending my baby grand-daughter who is just turning 2. My grandmotherly duties have been relieved a few days a week as little Lily Rain is going to pre-school to expand her social skills.
That means I have more time to work on my art! I am working on my watercolor painting currently.
I was recently juried into Xanadu Gallery of Scottsdale AZ as one of their online studio artists.
You can purchase my work there at:
I was also accepted into the Trodden Path Gallery; You can purchase my work at this link:
If you are live in Utah, you can find my art at Local Colors Gallery 1054 E. 2100 So. Salt Lake City, UT 84106 Or visit their website:
Sold!
Also in Utah you can find my whimsical art at Paisley Pomegranate of Park City, and Salt Lake City.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Life is Just Beachy
I am a bit rusty, but I did a little 7" x 5" painting titled "Life is Just Beachy". With summer coming on, and peaches not quite in season, I was imagining bare toes in warm sand and a feeling of how great life is. I really love painting in watercolor.
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