Sunday, July 1, 2012

Experiments in Watercolor...

I was afraid I wouldn't get a chance to post this week, my life has become very complicated suddenly. I have two rentals that have gone empty this month, and they both need a lot of work to get them rent-worthy again.  We are finishing up on a house flip as well, which we can soon list and quickly (hopefully) sell. Our other rental is having plumbing problems, and tomorrow Mr. How2 and I will be digging the new lines out to the city sewer, with the help of our John Deere backhoe.

 But I was able to slip in to the studio this evening to share the results of my first watercolor class...
These three poppies were what the instructor had us paint,
 and this single poppy was a little extra sketch I did, because I was stressing out so much over trying to copy the instructor's style exactly.

   I found it complicated, fascinating and had a few "Ahh ha!" moments when I really "got" what she was saying. I found that it is very difficult to work with student grade supplies, and that you should buy the best that you can afford and still be able to eat that month...and that I wanted to keep trying. After I returned to my cousins house where I was staying, I tried again...
I know his expression is a bit odd, but he is close to what I wanted. It seems so backwards to work from light to dark, and it is hard to remember that the paper is your only white, so you have to think in a completely different way than when working with acrylics.
   But it is a very portable art form, supplies are easy to carry, and with my new Yasutomo Niji Waterbrush, I don't have to bring a water jar along. The class was a whole lot of fun, and I can't wait to wrap up all this building and cleaning so I can play some more. Until next time...enjoy!

The theme this week for Every Inchie Monday is "border" and I, of course, painted a flower border. 

17 comments:

  1. Your work is beautiful. I love watercolors and the special effects you can get when you use them. They are definitely something that can help relax you after working in a rental house getting it ready for the next renter. I know this from experience. Good luck!

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    1. Thanks! It is very relaxing, Ginny, I am just getting in a bit too late to do anything but pass out right now. But this is an unusual week, with two rentals going empty right on top of a remodel wrap-up. It should swing back to normal soon, then I can paint again, something other than 5 gallons of "Country White"...

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  2. Very pretty sally. Very nice watercolours too. I have poppies in my flower borders too.

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    1. I have always loved poppies, rt, not really sure why, but they are a favorite!

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  3. Excellent watercolors ~ Love the dog especially ~~ thanks, ^_^ (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. Glad you like him, but I need to work on those eyes a bit...

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  4. Wonderful watercolors- so vibrant! Hope your rental challenges get better soon- it sounds like quite a bit of work ahead of you.

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    1. Thanks, Carolyn, I hope things calm down soon, I cannot keep this pace up forever...I loved how using layer after layer of color added to the vibrancy of the petals. The instructor said that is the real trick, and I have to agree...

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  5. Wow. I love the poppies, esp the extra one! I was just thinking yesterday about the whole white page/watercolor thing, isn't that odd?

    Love the dog! I have a Jack Russell mix that looks much like that!

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    1. That is odd, Karen, and it is very hard to remember, when you are used to working in acrylics, where you can just add white wherever you want! Talk about planning ahead...I had never heard of a Parson Russel until I painted this picture, they look very similar don't they?

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  6. Love the poppies! I tried growing poppies one year, planted them in the fall and by the spring I had forgotten that I had planted them. I pulled them up thinking they were weeds instead, then realized that those fuzzy leaves were my poppies!

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    1. Oh No! That is too bad, Gayle! I have done the same thing with other plants too! Did any of them make it past your weeding? I hope you try again, they are so pretty.

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  7. Love the poppoies! You do such a terrific job.

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    1. Thanks, Teresa, I am glad you think so, I really agonized over these, and can only hope that, with time, I can learn to relax and enjoy the process more.

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  8. Wooow, I love the poppy's!
    They are my favorite flowers and the results are really great.
    And that little dog...so cute!
    enjoy your day,
    Henny

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