acrylic painting (ampersand)

Worked on my acrylic painting today.  I added an ampersand, blocked it off with wax and then added a layer of blue paint around it.  It doesn't look like its quite finished yet.  I think I will need to build up the ampersand a bit.

acrylic painting

Today I started a new acrylic painting. I have only put down 2 base layers so it doesn't look like much yet. 

first layer

second layer

watercolor Michigan

A watercolor of Michigan.  I think I will have to try this again sometime using a pink/orange color scheme.  The blue/green colors I picked for this one makes it look too much like a topographical type map.

ATC (artist trading cards)

A couple of Artist Trading Cards, on watercolor paper with watercolors, ink and joss paper .

watercolor sketch

beech tree

watercolor sketch

A quick little value sketch of a possible painting subject.

landscape number 2

 Landscape number 2 - only 198 more to go.    This watercolor painting was inspired by a recent trip to Gaylord, Michigan.  It isn't quite finished yet.  I'm not sure what it needs so I will just put it aside for now.

acrylic painting no. 1 - finished

Finished up the acrylic painting I started a few days ago.  At least I think it is finished.  I am going to leave it sit for a few weeks before I decide if it needs more work.  It is not quite what I has envisioned, but I need to be able to look at it without that in mind to really decide if I like how it turned out.

Acrylic painting no 1 continued

Continued working on the acrylic painting that I started yesterday.  I decided to stick with the collaged bird theme.  It still has a ways to go.

 I probably won't have a chance to post anything tomorrow.  I have a wedding to go to.  My niece is getting married :)

acrylic painting 1

This is the rough beginning of a new acrylic painting (20"x24").  I'm thinking it will be somewhat similar to the bird painting I did about a week ago.  However, I don't pre-plan these acrylic collage paintings so it may end up very different than the bird one.

landscape number 1

 Did some plein air painting with my brother over the weekend.  I painted a couple of watercolors of the old pine tree by my uncle's cabin.  I can't say I am happy with where I'm at with my landscape painting.  Inspired by a conversation I had with my brother I've decided to paint 200 landscapes.   He read somewhere that it takes about 200 paintings to find your own unique style.  Sounds reasonable to me, it took about that many figure paintings before I was happy with my "style".

landscape 1a & 1b

watercolor sketch

 I had planned on doing a larger painting today but.... it was just too darn hot.   At least I did manage to complete a little watercolor sketch.

watercolor/gouache sketch

A little watercolor & gouache sketch of a butterfly

acrylic bird collage painting

the finished painting

Today I painted this little (12" x 12") acrylic collage painting.  I started with a canvas that I had previously painted a few layers on but then abandoned.

the original canvas

with mulberry glued on

after adding a light layer of green/blue paint

another piece of mulberry paper glued on

with a piece of metallic paper & birds cut from sheet music

finished it by adding some ink drawn tree branches

watercolor painting

Another watercolor painting inspired by the dunes along Lake Michigan.

acrylic gouache tree

 Today I got out my acrylic gouache paints.  Not  my favorite medium, I have yet to paint anything that I like with these paints.  This latest effort is no exception.  I'll wait a day or two, when I can look at it with fresh eyes, before deciding if it goes into the trash.

watercolor painting

1st wash of color

Today I worked on a little watercolor painting inspired by a recent trip over to the Saugatuck Dunes State Park, located on the shore of Lake Michigan.  This is just inspired by being there - this scene only exists here.

Paints used: iridescent russet (daniel smith), quinacridone sienna  (daniel smith), transparent gold ochre  (daniel smith), rich green gold  (daniel smith), cerulean blue (winsor & newton), olive green  (winsor & newton), and french ultramarine -red shade (da vinci paints).

2nd wash

some details added

and finished (I think)

watercolor sketch

watercolor value study

original sketch

 A little value study for a watercolor painting.  It is based upon a photo I took of a tree in Savanah, GA.  In the past I've avoided working from photos.  It is, however, far more convenient to work from a photo rather than from life.  My goal is to learn how to use them without merely reproducing the photo as is.
Next I have to determine my color palette.  I'm thinking I will go with a very green, spring-like color scheme.

converted to sepia tones

the photo I'm working with

watercolor butterflies

For some reason lately I seem to be obsessed with butterflies.  Today they emerged as watercolors.

supplies:  scrap paper, 2h pencil, watercolor paper (I used 6"x6" 140 lb paper), watercolor brush (I used a round 12), several watercolor paints - I used cobalt violet, permanent rose, cadmium yellow, bright violet and cobalt green

to make: 

 Fold a piece of scrap paper in half and draw half of a butterfly along the fold line, cut out butterfly.  Using the cut out butterfly as a template lightly trace around it onto watercolor paper.

"Paint" the butterfly with clear water, paper should be shiny but not super wet.  

Drip brush into paints and lightly touch the wet butterfly with the paint coated brush, let paint spread and add more colors to fill in the butterfly.