tulips and fence - finished

I spent another hour or so today on this and I think I'll call it done.

work in progress: apples and pot

An update on the apples: I have about seven layers of glaze down for the background, and have started building the apples and pot. I find watercolour painting convenient with my schedule because I can sneak up to my desk for 10 minutes at a time, long enough to lay down a wash, and then leave it to dry.

work in progress: tulips and fence

Taking a break from the apples while layers of glaze dry, I've been working on this last evening and this morning.

I did the line drawing last night, while hurling insults at Tracy Barlow and Charlie Stubbs on Coronation Street (okay, I confess... I don't watch much TV, but I am hooked on Corrie).


This morning, I transferred the drawing to my watercolour sketchbook and began by masking out the brach and tulips with masking fluid, so I could work on the fence. After I'm satisfied with the fence, I'll peel the mask off and do the twig and tulips. I'm trying something new with this painting: I am mixing all my colours from the three primaries (primary cyan, primary magenta, and primary lemon yellow) and black. You can see my mixed palette in the photo below.

today's sketch: strawberry mug

cookie ingredients

The latest sketch, done last night. The items were all for the Scavenger Hunt on www.wetcanvas.com, and they all turned into nummy chocolate chip cookies with pecans. In graphite, on cheapo Bienfang wc paper, about 10" x 10".

spring is sprung

Just to give you an idea of how mild our east coast winter has been, check out my bulb garden. Those are lilies and irises poking out of the ground... they're between 4 and 5 inches high already! Reilly and I are on our way out now to cover them with boughs from our old Christmas tree and tuck them in against any cold weather we might get.

Sunday hike to the shore

Here are some photos I snapped on Sunday when I went for a hike by myself to clear my head of a lot of stuff that happened last week. It had been a rough week, lots of stuff going on, including the loss of my dad's sister Bonnie.

It was windy on the shore, but the walk through the woods was quiet and peaceful. I could feel the thunder of the surf pounding the rocks before I could see the water. As always, I find a stiff bracing wind and the rhythm of the waves cathartic. I just let the wind and water carry away my pain and stress. I always feel cleaner and purer after.

The path through the woods.

Waves rolling in.

Breakers pounding the rocks.

more work on the apples

I worked on the apples last night after I got the kids to bed. Bobby was at the annual $100 buddies poker game, so I knew I had a few hours.
I traced the value sketch on a piece of tracing paper, then used the tracing paper as carbon paper to transfer the basic line drawing to a watercolour board. You can see the board circled in blue, with the top edge of the apples and pot masked off with greenish-blue masking fluid. I got a layer of paint down for the background, but didn't get a shot of it as the lighting wasn't great for photos.
The pad of paper you see is cheap watercolour paper. I'm using it here to plan what colours will go where in the painting. I drew a quick sketch of the outlines of the apples and pot, and used that to test the paints colours on.
The earphones on top of my colour wheel are also an important piece of art equipment! Last night I was playing an old Dave Matthews Band CD. I hadn't listened to it for a while, and it took me back a few years.

work in progress: apples and pot

I worked for about two hours on this the other night, but haven't had the chance to upload or go further with it. I am working from a photograph from the reference image library at www.wetcanvas.com . It will be an 11" x 14" watercolour painting. This value study is done in graphite, with charcoal for the darkest value, in my large sketchbook. I apologize for the poor lighting - the grey rectangle in the upper left is a shadow, not part of the drawing. I'll post more as I work on this.

where I make art

I spent a few hours today assembling my new art desk that arrived yesterday. It was a gift from my husband. I've been using a rickety old table and a ricketier mircrowave stand. My "studio" is a well-lit corner of our bedroom.

BEFORE

complete with overflowing wastepaper basket

AFTER

It is a computer desk, but I am using the keyboard tray to hold my large watercolour palette and a tray for coloured pencils or pastel. The cupboard behind the glass door will hold up to 16 x 20" canvasses. I'm quite happy with my new set-up.

And here is the view from my windows: In the distance are Dartmouth point to the left and Peter's Island Lighthouse to the right. How's that for inspiration!