White Rose in Oils

Flowers, a nice challenge for me, and I know some of you also. We just love our flowers. Now that I'm working in oils, I itch to get out my watercolors. Isn't that always how it goes? You see a gorgeous charcoal drawing, and that's what you long for. Then there's a delightful watercolor, maybe with pen and ink (Karen, Jana) and there's what you want to be doing. Or a wonderful graphite piece (Felicity) and you want your pencils right away! But I guess that's part of the motivation, and we'll all get there. This is a more careful study on canvas instead of masonite board, done from a photo I took. I want to try some glazing on it, to see how subtle a white I can achieve. This particular rose had a yellow glow to it, very soft, that I'd really like to attempt capturing. This is the first of four challenge 76 postings. I've really been enjoying all the postings for this one. Thanks, EDMers!

EDM 76 Hydrangea at Barbara's

Sunday afternoon I went to paint again at Barbara's house, and since rain and clouds were predicted, we painted together in her backyard studio, a wonderful screened in patio porch, with the fans going. It was still-life time, and we wound up with hydrangea in a vase. As it turned out, I had just done hydrangeas the day before (see next post), so I had at it. The color in this one is better, but the composition is somehow not quite right. There's just something about it that feels off somehow. Any ideas, Karen, Teri, Jana, Roz, Clare, Sue, Donn, Lin (and any other EDMers) ? Drawing problems keep cropping up, boy do I need practice just plain drawing.

EDM No. 76 Hydrangeas

The hydrangea in our neighborhood is a three color bush, and has been calling to me for quite a few days. Simply gorgeous! I finally got out there and painted it, but had to work in the full sun to get close enough. My colors got too bright, I think, especially the green, but anybody in plein air work will advise you that this is exactly what happens when you work in full sunlight, your colors wash out. I think it needs toning down, and the sky color needs to pop out in some of the upper branches still. Oils on masonite. Any advice, now that I ignored the basic advice I had in the first place?

EDM Challenge 76 Flowers

An oil in progress of the geraniums on my balcony. I am pretty happy with the way it's turning out, but still want to change the color of the pot. It actually is a white pot, and I need to remember: warm light, cool shadows, warm light, cool shadows.... and make the pot more white and the shadows on it more blue. The wall really did look creamy, as I had dragged the geranium inside to paint, and it was really sunny out.

Plein Air at Barbara's House

My friend and artist buddy has a wonderful home and backyard. This is a view of her backyard bird feeder which sits beautifully by the pool surrounded by gorgeous flowers and a gurgling fountain. I'm trying to get more oil work done lately. It was getting dark as I tried to get at least one layer on this one. The copper patina on the feeder and tube is not quite right yet, but I really like how the patio tiles came out, and the suggestion of grasses. I think sometimes the less we "think" about what we paint, and just go quickly and instinctively, at least with this kind of plein air work, the better the outcome. Has that been your experience also? 

Bird Feeder

Unfinished plein air oil of the copper bird feeder at Barbara's house. Something not quite right with the sky holes, and the color on the bird feeder isn't yet working, but I do like some of the tree work. Any suggestions? (Besides the crookedness of the feeder, of course. A little drawing accuracy problem there.)

Bruno Twice

Really do need to learn to use Photoshop, where I could clean up the ear problem. Bruno the GS does not really have three ears. This one and the next were done in the Moleskine, with watercolor pencils, and water added later for the wash effects. I am glad to report that the Moleskine is becoming less "precious" by the drawing. I'm more likely now to just play around and make lots of doodly stuff, instead of only drawing "seriously" in it. If you are still being shy with your sketchbook, take a page and make a huge mess, it's very freeing.

Bruno

Bruno is a German Shepherd who belongs to a friend of mine, and was being cooperative while I drew him stretched out and sleeping on the floor. He did get up and move, but I was able to make several drawings of him. This one was done with watercolor pencils with water added later. You have to start with heads, since you aren't likely to get the whole dog done before they change their positions. I'm not sure where his other ear went, he does have two. Moleskine sketchbook.

At the Pool with Waterpens

One advantage of living in an old apartment complex is the wonderful size of the trees. The pool is surrounded by huge old trees, and this one I tried to watercolor just went on and on, so I simply used two pages in the Moleskine watercolor notebook. Done with waterpens, which are great, so portable, and a little Daler-Rowney travel watercolor set. Some of the kids came over from time to time to see what I was doing.

EDM No. 63 Nature Walk

This is a detail of the graphite drawing posted below. I would like to be really loose and free with the pen and ink, watercolors, but every once in a while, the pensils call me. I love how you can just sit and "color", reminds me of the coloring books we loved as kids. Doesn't it look like the jawbone is gonna eat the beans? Not intentional, but if it works....

Bone Beans For Alex

This is EDM challenge number 63, Nature Treasures. Last time I visited my grandkids, my oldest grandaughter, sweet Alex, was worried about taking a nature walk, "Oma, are we going to have to take walks and search for nature treasures?" Of course not, sweetie. Apparently I had scared her a little on a previous visit by taking them exploring on a nature trail I hadn't been on before, and it got a little wild in spots. Admitting I didn't know where the trail came out worried her more than I knew. So this one is for Alex (with no hiking involved.) I found this jawbone on a different trek, and the two pieces were both there, all naturally cleaned up. A deer I would guess, with really cool teeth. The bean pods are more mundane, but I always collect some when I find them. Done in graphite, and so relaxing, like having a coloring book at hand, to just color in between projects. It came out very silvery in the Moleskine, but I'm not sure that shows up in the photo. Don't you just love sharpened pencils? Thanks for looking.

Clouds, Same View

Here's the one from today. Let me know what you think. Thanks for looking.

EDM No. 74 Clouds

I love my balcony. I've got my comfy chairs, and lots of flowers, and the finches and hummingbirds come all day long, though they complain at me when I'm sitting out there. The hummingbirds make these cute little chipping sounds, and they are so much fun to watch. One of these days I may just try a photo, see what I can get. These two are oils done while sitting out on the balcony, same view, different day, and some artistic license with the trees. We've had some gorgeous skies this week, with all the thunderstorms rolling through the Eastern seaboard. Delmarva has seen it's share of weathery weather. That's Delaware, Maryland and Virginia slang, for those of you wondering. Thanks for looking.

Chocolate Cake with Cherries

Had a sweet tooth the other night, and the only cake mix in the pantry was a chocolate, and being Dutch, yes, well...chocolate is a very good thing. Add some chocolate frosting, and there you go. Had to eat two pieces while drawing and painting this one. Ate the cherries from the back of the plate. I tried the Fabriano Artistico Cold Press, and didn't like it. It's not nearly as workable and forgiving as the Arches or my favorite, the Twinrocker magic paper. Has a nice little weave to it, I think I would like it for the watercolor pencils, especially the Swiss Caran D'Ache Supracolors. Anyway, in spite of the arguments with the paper and some problems with the Friskit, this one is not too bad, all in all. Thanks for looking.

Detail of Watercolor EDM 69 Teatime

I know I made the silver spoon too dark, but really don't know what I could have done other than use a lighter value to make it look real. Any ideas out there? Tricks you've used? It just doesn't look silverish, or reflective. What do you think might have worked better? Thanks.

Tea for Mieke: EDM 69

Sometimes our kids know what we need even better than we do. My daughter was kidding around on the phone today, telling me she was sick of looking at the front porch(last post in early June), and that I needed to sit down and draw. She was more right than she knew. I have been "spring cleaning" in a way, in order to move my studio into a bigger room, yanking up old carpet, washing windows, floors, walls, and the things I'm moving as I go. It's been...mumble mumble...a long time since I really cleaned my studio equipment. (When was the last time you wiped down your electric pencil sharpener with Mr. Clean? Yeah, me too!) And I really DID need to just center, sit and draw. So here's challenge number 69, draw a beverage. The cup and saucer are from a set of six Ansley cups that my mother treasured and enjoyed using, and the silver spoons (the real kind that get hot when you stir your tea) belonged to my grandmother, very beaufiful things, and interesting to watercolor. They will go to my daughter someday. The drawing angle was off, I should have tilted up my sketchbook more to be at the right angle to my line of sight. And the ellipses are a bit "off," as are the values...white porcelain that reflects is tricky, but by and large, I'm happy with the sketch. If anyone's done reflective surfaces, and has hints, I'd love to hear them...silver, liquids, porcelain? Thanks in advance.

Front Porches

There are a couple of wonderful streets in old town Gaithersburg, where the homes are all different and most are Victorian looking, and every single one of them has its own charm. The front porches are so inviting, and most of the yards are filled with flowers. It's a great place to wander and take pictures. This is a little sketch with marker and watercolor, just because it's fun to play.

Caroline's Permission

Caroline Jasper is one of my favorite painters, and a lovely human being and teacher to boot. Since I've decided to take oils back up, I have begun by simply copying the work of some painters that I like, Caroline among them. This way the composition is worked out, and I can concentrate on technique and color mixing, rather than having to be concerned with everything at once. I recently finished a very "growing" painting copied from one of Caroline's pieces. (In that, I feel like I learned a lot.) The paintings that I copy I give away, and sign them with my initials and after that "after Caroline Jasper" (or whoever) right on the front. This way the artist is given credit, and the recipient is happy too. In this case, my son, who likes the way this one turned out. I wrote to Caroline, and she gave me permission to post this for you. Here is the URL to her web site and this particular painting, which is really a neat piece called Trail Lights: http://www.carolinejasper.com/P1_landscps/trllghts.htm, so you can see her original. Her book is wonderful also, which is posted here on her site: http://www.carolinejasper.com/. Enjoy!

Same Photo with Pitt Brush Pens

Love the new Pitt Brush Pens! This is the same image as previously posted Graphitint landscape. The quote I wrote in the margin was "Color gets all the glory, but value does all the work!" I'm not sure where I read it, but I am convinced it's true. So much hinges on using good value, creating a value path. Good darks flowing thru the work. Thanks for looking.

Illustration Friday Cake

Decided to buy the most complicated cake I could find to draw, and it turned out to be a hit to eat as well. The perfect contribution to a neighborhood picnic. Done with watercolors and Pitt brush pens in the Moleskine sketchbook. I really like these challenges. Can you tell it's ladyfingers on the sides?