Taking a Second Look

Painting outdoors doesn't come easily to me, but pushing myself in that direction has taught me a few things. First, I always bring at least two or three small-format painting surfaces –– 140 lb. paper securely taped to a 10" x 14" Gatorboard panel, a watercolor block (7" x 10" or 9" x 12"), a watercolor notebook made with high-quality paper (Moleskine sells a good one). Too, my three-legged, collapsible, folding stool (with a shoulder-strap for carrying) guarantees a place to sit. A one-gallon water thermos and a folding vinyl water bucket are both necessities, as are a few folded sheets of paper towel and a clean scrap of 100% cotton fabric (a man's discarded T-shirt is ideal) for blotting my brushes.
After painting non-stop for 40 minutes, I generally need to step back and check my work to see if I've misjudged an aspect of perspective, or if I have focused too closely on details. My goal when working outdoors is to capture the general mood or feel of a scene, without worrying about a completely accurate rendering. Recently I was painting at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, and discovered that the color values in my sketch were too uniform and the scene lacked depth.

Before adding deeper colors...

Rather than "fix" the problem right then, I set it aside and reached for a second watercolor block. When I got home, and my problem painting was fully dry, I thought about which areas needed deeper color, and how to make the background recede which would give the bright foliage more emphasis.
I started by mixing a wash made of Mineral Violet with a little Burnt Umber to darken the background foliage on the right. Using Burnt Umber and Sepia and a 1/2" flat brush, I dropped in dark shadows where the lawn met the gravel roadway, I added a few strokes of Mineral Violet wash to give depth to the road. Finally, with Shadow Green and Sepia, I added more deep green foliage. The changes I made were subtle, but the results are sketch that is more dramatic, and the eye is drawn to the vivid trees on the left at the front of the scene.

"Bend in the Road" transparent watercolor   10" x 7"
Available for purchase at my Daily Paintworks Gallery

Tim at Breakfast -- portrait sketch

Step #1

I've been experimenting recently with watercolor sketches of portraits and figures using old photographs as references. Some of my subjects sat for these photos more than 100 years ago, although I've also found it enjoyable (and challenging) to work from more recent family pictures. Many of these were shot in B&W, so choosing a color palette that would reflect the mood of the original photo is always interesting.

Step #2

Reference photo

Today's portrait sketch is of my son, and I used a photo taken when he was about four years old. It is slightly out of focus, and the shadow contrast is quite pronounced. I recall that my son was acting moody that day, and it was this slightly dreamy moodiness that I hoped to capture in my watercolor portrait.
I began with a light pencil sketch, then added a wash of Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber. The eyes are done with Cobalt Blue and French Ultramarine. (Step #1) I added successive layers of wash, using a slightly darker tone to suggest shadows along the left side of the face. The mouth was emphasized with a pale wash of Quinacridone Scarlet  and the eyes received more details with Sepia and French Ultramarine. (Step #2) The hair is done with Yellow Ochre and Burnt Sienna, and the shirt details are Cobalt Blue. (Step #3)

Step #3

In the final version of this sketch (below) the pensive look on my sons's face is emphasized, and the contrast between figure and background, by combining French Ultramarine and Sepia along the left edge of the face. I used this same combination to add depth to other shadows as well. This entire sketch took about 30 minutes to complete.

"Tim at Breakfast"
watercolor   9" x 7" 

Announcing two award winners

Thrilled to have two winning watercolor paintings in the 2019 LightSpaceTime Online Gallery's 9th Annual “Botanicals” Art Competition. There were 678 entries submitted by artists from 28 different countries, as well as from 32 different states and the District of Columbia, to this year's "Botanicals" show.

"Garden Royalty" (below, left) received sixth place among the top 10 best entries in the category "Overall Winning Artists." This part of the competition can be seen HERE.

And, my watercolor "Peony Awakening" (below, right) was one of 40 paintings chosen for a "Special Merit Award" in this competition. Winners in this category can be seen HERE. 

Cliff Walk

After spending a few days in Newport, RI, I have been wanting to paint a few images captured on my phone. Yesterday's project was to lay down the cloudy sky in this small (12" x 9") painting of one of the mansions along the Cliff Walk.
My photo reference isn't the greatest, but I'm aiming mostly for atmosphere and "feel" of this water-edge setting, rather than to capture every windowsill, gable, and shrub.

Reference photo

French Ultramarine was my choice for the sky, with a little Sepia for the shadowy parts of the clouds. I added a wash of Cobalt Blue on the left to indicate where the sky was clearing.
The grass, shrubbery and trees are done with Green Gold, Undersea Green, and Shadow Green, plus some accents of Winsor Blue GS, Burnt Sienna, and French Ultramarine.

The finished painting, below, is available for purchase through my online gallery at Daily Paintworks, which can be accessed HERE. 

"Cliff Walk View, Newport RI"
transparent watercolor  12" x 9" unframed

Peony Awakening

I recently spent a few morning hours taking photos at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA, and am excited about the results. A series of peonies provided me with some needed inspiration. I completed this painting, which is based on an image taken when the sun was at a bright slant.

"Peony Awakening"     transparent watercolor  

This painting is available as shown,  double-mat and gold wood frame,  23" x 19". 

Juried into a Rhode Island Watercolor Society show

Pleased to announce that my painting "Christmas Day Dinner" was juried into the upcoming regional water media exhibit, "Tell-A-Tale" at the Rhode Island Watercolor Society.   The show runs from June 22 through August 19, 2019, at the RIWS, Slater Memorial Park, 831 Armistice Boulevard, Pawtucket, RI 02861.  Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

"Christmas Day Dinner"
transparent watercolor 15.5" x 13.5"

Magnolias

Both of these paintings were done quickly, with little or no preliminary sketching. I've discovered that the results can be interesting if you plunge in without worrying too much about making "mistakes," or "wasting" paper, or whether the final image duplicates the original reference...

"Magnolia" watercolor  9" x 12"

"Pink Magnolias" watercolor  9" x 12"

The goal with these paintings was to emphasize shadow and form, rather than to execute an exact copy of my photos. Allowing the intense colors -- Winsor Blue (GS), Green Gold, Shadow Green, French Ultramarine, and Quinacridone Rose -- to blend on the paper minimized any need to add fussy details. Both paintings were done with one brush -- a #12 Pointed Round. The single white magnolia was done on 200-lb. Saunders Waterford Cold Press; the pink magnolias were done  on 140-lb. Kilimanjaro Bright White, Cold Press. Both paintings are available at the Creative Hands Gallery, 812 Paint St. #2, Osterville, MA. Phone: 774-521-4304.

Rhododendron

Not the first time I've painted these gorgeous blooms -- and surely not the last time, either. This painting is a creative combination of several digital photos taken in a number of locations -- including Amsterdam. My goal was to capture the foliage with its multiple colors and shadows, as well as the bright fuchsia blossoms, which were done with wet-into-wet applications of Permanent Rose, Mineral Violet, and Winsor Violet. The warmth of the sunny areas was emphasized with thin washes of Burnt Umber brushed on after the upper areas were completely dry. The depth of the shadows on the right sight of the painting was enhanced by washes of French Ultramarine mixed with a bit of Winsor Blue (GS). I used Sepia to give definition, and add contrast, to stems in the lower area of the painting.

"Rhododendron  Shadows" transparent watercolor  9" x 12"

This painting is available at the Creative Hands Gallery, 812 Main St. #2, Osterville, MA.

Some of my rhododendron reference photos...

     

Deserted Dune, Orleans MA, part one

We seem to be locked into a pattern of perpetual gray skies and rain... today's antidote to dull weather is to pull out some photos of a Cape Cod beach on a sunny morning. These photos are from early April 2017, and the painting combines elements of two photos -- one showing a weathered, split-rail fence along the edge of a parking area at the First Encounter Beach, in Orleans. For compositional interest, the fence photo is flipped so that, in the painting, it runs in an opposite diagonal to the sloping dune. The second photo of a sloping dune with grasses and scrubby brush casting shadows, will need some creative additions -- perhaps a weathered Adirondack chair or a small section of broken-down fence. The painting is done in a limited palette: Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Mineral Violet, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Sepia, and Shadow Green. Only two brushes are needed so far  -- both pointed rounds -- #8 and #14; later I'll use a 1/4" flat for the fence details and a #4 rigger for the dune grasses. The paper is Saunders Waterford 200 lb., cold press -- heavy enough to stand up to watery washes and requiring tape only on the corners.

Reference photos

Frognerparken Rose, part two

After letting a bit of time pass, I returned to the pink rose painting began last week. (See the start of this project at Frognerparken Rose, Part One by clicking HERE.) The largest portion of work had already been done, so this stage only requires enhancing the background -- by adding depth to the foliage at the bottom and the blossom.
Scrubbing out some leaf shapes with a Liquitex brand, size 2 angled brush (designed for acrylic and oil painting) which has fairly stiff bristles -- easily lifted the non-staining watercolors without damaging the surface of the paper. A thin wash of Yellow Ochre brightens a few of the leaf shapes, and several darker lines and shapes, in a mixture of Shadow Green and French Ultramarine, adds interest.
The shadows on the petals are glazed with washes of a mix of Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, and Permanent Rose. The intense color at the center areas of the blossom is deepened with a slightly darker glaze of Permanent Rose and Burnt Sienna. Although the petals at the very bottom of the flower show up white in the reference photo, they are glazed with a pale wash of Permanent Rose, and Yellow Ochre in the center lower petal, to avoid an unfinished look.

"Oslo Rose"  watercolor  12" x 9" unframed, $65.00
Purchase this painting via PayPal at my Daily Paintworks gallery (Click HERE to go to the Gallery)

Memorial Day Parade

So pleased to learn that my watercolor painting, Memorial Day Parade, was juried into the upcoming show,  "Color My World," at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod. The exhibit opens on June 5 and runs through June 30 at the Center, 307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA 02664.  See the step-by-step process I followed to do this painting in an earlier post on this site (CLICK HERE TO VIEW) 

Memorial Day Parade  watercolor  20" x 16"
SOLD

Golden Iris

"Golden Iris"    22" x 15"  watercolor
Available for purchase at my Daily Paintworks gallery. 
Click HERE to go to my gallery. 

Yellow flowers pose a challenge: yellow pigments sometimes "misbehave" if combined with other colors. This painting shows how easy it is to end up with muddy or dull tones when adding shadows. Because they are complementary colors (e.g. opposites on the color wheel), purple/violet and yellow can make a useful gray when mixed together on a palette.

Early stage of painting

Reference photo

However, glazing a thin wash of purple/violet on top of a blossom that has dried in order to indicate a shadow results in brown tones, and not gray.
I began this painting by covering the entire 22" x 15" sheet of paper with a pale yellow wash of Winsor & Newton's New Gamboge. (All pigments used in this painting are Winsor & Newton Professional Artist Watercolors, with the exception of Shadow Green and Brilliant Orange which are both Holbein Artists' Watercolors). I'm providing links here to two useful online resources: Cheap Joe's Art Stuff and Jerry's Artarama. Both offer great prices and either low-cost or free shipping (depending on your order).
Process details:
After doing a simple outline sketch of the blossom, I dampened the area of the petals and added color, wet-in-wet. I used Winsor & Newton's Lemon Yellow, New Gamboge, and Transparent Yellow, allowing the three colors to mingle on the damp paper. When dry, I began adding Holbein's Brilliant Orange and Winsor & Newton's Cadmium-Free Orange, accenting the ruffled edges of the blossom. After these layers dried, I added several thin washes of Mineral Violet combined on the palette with a small amount of French Ultramarine Blue, allowing each wash to dry before laying down another. I also used Burnt Sienna to deepen the shadows in several places, notably on the front portion of the left-hand petal, and on the central, upper areas of the blossom.
The center portions of the blossom where the petals come together at its core, and the stamens, were painted in Transparent Orange, Cadmium-Free Orange and Brilliant Orange. Parts were then glazed with Burnt Sienna to further deepen these shadowed parts of the flower.
The leaves were done in stages, weaving with freehand painting, the different layers and sizes of leaves. I used multiple thin washes, in various combinations, of Winsor & Newton's Permanent Sap Green, Green Gold, Winsor Blue (GS), Hooker's Green, and Holbein's Shadow Green. Foliage shadows were added last, in pale washes of Mineral Violet. The iris buds and stems on the right were painted using the same colors as above.

Frognerparken Rose, part one

Step 1

While in Oslo last year on vacation, I took as many photos (surprise!) as I could without feeling distracted from our "in-the-moment" time in Norway. We went to Frogner Park (Frognerparken) several times, as it was only about a mile or so from where we were staying. Its location offered a nice walk through picturesque neighborhoods. Even though it was October, the weather was quite mild (usually between 55F and 60 F), so a lot of plants were still blooming. The roses were especially lovely, and today I decided to use one of these photos as a reference for a small painting.

Reference photo

My palette is a limited one: Permanent Rose, Cobalt Blue, Mineral Violet, and Yellow Ochre for the rose itself. And for the background: Permanent Green, French Ultramarine, Green Gold, Winsor Blue (GS), Shadow Green, and Sepia. To paint the blossom, I used my favorite #12 pointed round brush from the Robert Simmons "Expression" series, purchased from Jerry's Artarama.com. (I have three of these #12 brushes, and have just ordered two more).

I did a simple graphite sketch to begin, and then started with glazes of Permanent Rose and Mineral Violet in varying intensities. I put in the deepest tones first, and slowly added successively lighter glazes -- working from dark to light –– the reverse of how I normally do a blossom like this one. It seemed that this would be the best way to avoid a too-heavy application of color, in the shadow areas, during the final stage of the painting. 

Before beginning the background,  I erased all of the pencil lines and painted free-hand around the rose, relying on the dark tones of the background to give the blossom its shape and form. I used two different brushes –– a 3/4" flat brush from the Cheap Joe's "Golden Fleece" series (CheapJoes.com), a synthetic fiber brush that holds an edge well, and a pointed round #8 from the "Da Vinci Cosmotop Spin" series (available from DickBlick.com). 

I mixed a large puddle of rich color (not too much water) blending on my palette Shadow Green, Permanent Sap Green, French Ultramarine, and a small amount of Sepia. Applying this mix without  concern for coverage resulted in the effect I was looking for –– a suggestion of foliage shapes and varied tones, with a lighter patch of bluish-green in the upper left corner where there might reasonably be a patch of sky peeking through. As I worked toward the bottom of the painting, I added more Permanent Sap Green to the mix, along with some Green Gold. While the bottom section was still damp, I scrubbed in a line of Yellow Ochre for a flower stem, and made some additional lighter and darker marks on the right, again giving a suggestion of foliage without actually drawing in any leaf shapes.

Although I wanted to finish the painting in one sitting, I knew it would work to my advantage if it sat overnight. When I return, I'll have a fresh eye so I can perhaps see something I've missed during these initial stages of painting.

Stay tuned!

Painting a landscape, Part Two

After spending a day or so away from this project, I was able to tackle it with a fresh view. I wanted to eliminate the problem diagonal -- the line of gray-blue running from the bottom right of the painting to the left, where it connected with the curving path. You can see it here in the small image, or see a larger image at Step 3 in my post "Painting a landscape, Part One." The challenge was to fix the diagonal without scrubbing away a lot of what I'd already laid down. In my experience, 140-lb. paper does not stand up well to a lot of scrubbing, as it destroys the surface.

I added some mid-range and darker greens in the mid-portion of the painting, and extended that greenery to the left and slightly downward so it almost touches the curved walkway. I left a bit of white along the top edges of this green area to emphasize a separation from plantings farther back.

With Mineral Violet and Winsor Violet, I added more washes to the flower area at the left in back of the greenery, and also along the walkway. I let the colors mingle because I knew that this would help this section of the painting recede in the viewer's eye. Along the back of the garden, I suggested a fence with a series of posts and connecting wire. Using Sepia, with a #3 pointed round brush, I added branch details in the three areas of Burnt Sienna to suggest large, flowering shrubs.

I decided against painting in some brick-work on the walkway. This unnecessary detail would have been distracting, and wouldn't have improved the composition. Instead, I dampened the curved path and covered it with a pale, slightly uneven wash of Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet. While this was damp, I used Sepia and the #3 pointed round brush to suggest separations between the pavers. At first, the green lawn at the left seemed too bland and uninteresting, and I considered adding a small evergreen at the left. But I decided it would be more effective to leave the smooth lawn as a contrast to the busy, overgrown garden. With a wash of Mineral Violet, I added shadows to the lawn at the back of the plot and in front at the lower left of the painting.

Now the distracting diagonal is gone, variation of color and shape in flowers and foliage suggests movement, and the fence adds interest and anchors the scene. Finis.

"Gardenscape #1"
 watercolor   14" x 10.5"   SOLD

Two Paintings Juried into the "Bay State Open" Show

Pleased  that two of my newest watercolors "Garden Royalty" and "Daffodil Waltz" will be included in the upcoming Cape Cod Art Center Show "Bay State Open" which runs from Tuesday, May 14 through Sunday, June 16, at the Center. The Cape Cod Art Center is located at 3480 Route 6A, in Barnstable, MA. Click HERE for more information, e.g. hours, directions, etc.

"Daffodil Waltz"        17" x 17"     matted and framed  
Contact me for pricing.

"Garden Royalty"   transparent watercolor      19" x 23" matted & framed
SOLD

Painting a landscape, Part One

I've started an 8-week independent study watercolor class, offered at New England School of Fine Art (NEFSA) in Worcester, MA. Our class is a group of approximately twenty artists working in various mediums. Many are watercolorists, and a few of us have been in classes together in the past. I continue to attempt to "loosen up" my approach to painting in watercolor. So the goal in my first three-hour class was to attempt a freehand landscape, relying only on my ability to render accurately with a paintbrush –– and no pencilled-in guidelines.
My reference photo is one I took at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA, several summers ago. While I don't intend to replicate the scene exactly, I hope to evoke a sense of the place as I use this photo (and several others taken at the same time) as a basis for my landscape exercise.

Reference photo

Step 1 (above) My paper is a quarter-sheet of 140-lb. Kilimanjaro Original White, from Cheap Joe's (my go-to source for art supplies). I prefer 300 lb. paper, but I have a few more sheets of 140-lb. to use up and this seemed like a good opportunity. I began by covering the upper half with a pale, thin wash of Pthalo Blue, using a 2" Robert Simmons Skyflow brush, and after this dried I added shapes of green for the foliage (trees and low bushes, a suggestion of garden plantings, etc.) For these shapes, I used diluted washes of Green Gold, Undersea Green,  Yellow Ochre, Shadow Green, and a very pale wash of Pthalo Blue (which can be too intense if used straight from the tube).

Rinsing my brush (a #12 pointed round) with each color change, I allowed the first splotches and puddles of colors to mingle on the paper. This produced some pleasing blends and soft edges (e.g. in the small clump of almost-white shrubs at far left). I dabbed in Burnt Sienna as a basis for some deeper-tone flowers, and then applied a thin wash of Green Gold and Pthalo Blue for the green lawn on the left. While this area was still damp, I added a bit of Shadow Green to the edge of the grass. I saved adding color to the distant curving path for later; the photo shows it as paving stone but I may change it to the type of brick-work on the path in the photo's foreground.

Step 2 (right) I built up details slowly, trying always to keep it loose. Using a mixture of Shadow Green and Sepia for the deepest green colors, I indicating shaded parts of the trees, and just barely suggested tree trunks and a few branches with almost straight Sepia. Using darker, almost full-strength pigment for smaller details on the trees adds depth; cool, blue-ish green helps the distant foliage recede into the background. I began to paint the curving walkway by applying a thin wash of grey, made from mixing Sepia and French Ultramarine and lots of water.

Step 3 (left) Although this third image looks as if I added more color to the sky, I didn't -- I just photographed this one in a sunnier room!) I added more detail in the distant trees and mountains, using deeper mixes of Pthalo Blue, Shadow Green, and a bit of Permanent Sap Green. This  background section is now approaching the strength I am hoping for, so I will probably not do anything else to it.

I continued to add shadows in the trees on the right, a few leafy details to the tree on the left, and more color variation in the largest evergreen in the middle. Alternating applications of pale washes of Mineral Violet, Burnt Sienna, and Pthalo Blue, I suggested banks of flowers –– again softening  the edges by allowing the wet washes to mingle. In the foreground, I used stronger washes of those same three colors, and when these dried I added some leafy Green Gold and Permanent Sap Green details to suggest clumps of flowers. Mineral Violet combines beautifully with French Ultramarine and a wash of this along the garden edge of the path suggests a bit of a cast shadow.

Jo Ellen Reinhardt, our instructor (and founder of NESFA) suggested I look closely at what might be a problem area: a too-obvious diagonal that draws the viewer's eye from the lower right of the painting, to the left where it connects with the curving pathway. The task now is to find a solution.
      

Silent Auction, Friday May 10 at "Art in the City 2019"

My original watercolor painting, "Celebration," will be featured in the upcoming silent auction at "Art in the City 2019" to benefit the Family Health Center in Worcester, MA. This will be the fourth year I've donated to the auction –– six paintings in all –– and I feel honored and privileged to be included in a large group of community artists and artisans. We all want to help meet the goal to support delivery of high-quality, comprehensive health, dental, vision, and social services for low-income and uninsured patients at the Family Health Center of Worcester, the Family Health Center - Southbridge, and the Lois B. Green Breast Health Center. 

Mark your calendar now for "Art in the City 2019" on Friday, May 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the beautiful and historic Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St. Worcester MA, 01608. 

Individual tickets can be purchased via the Mechanics Hall website. Click HERE for access to the Mechanics Hall ticket site for "Art in the City 2019."

Sponsorship-level tickets are also available. They can be obtained by contacting the Family Health Center Development Office. Click HERE for sponsorship ticket information/prices for "Art in the City 2019."

Freehand...

There are times when I just want to grab a brush and paint -- I might have an idea for a subject or I might need to search for a bit of inspiration. Today, I was admiring the peony paintings of several watercolorists I know, but I also felt daunted by the attention to detail they gave to this subject. My solution was to approach peonies in a different way -- totally freehand. These were quick watercolor sketches, but they were fun to do and also were the perfect, colorful antidote to the grey and drizzly weather we've had lately. All are available for purchase at my online gallery at Daily Paintworks. Click HERE to go to the gallery.

"High Noon Peony" transparent watercolor  6.5" x 4.5"

"Peony by Night" transparent watercolor  6.5" x 4.5" SOLD

"In the Cool of the Evening" transparent watercolor  6.5" x 4.5"

On the line

"Wash Day"
transparent watercolor  6.5" x 5"
Click HERE to purchase via PayPal at my Daily Paintworks gallery

Clotheslines used to be commonplace in almost everyone's yard, but not any longer. In our neighborhood, there are fewer than four (obvious) clotheslines in use (some people may have one of those retractable lines that they roll out only when needed...).

My grandmother washed everything, including sheets and towels, by hand and hung her laundry to dry in the back yard. I can recall the dismay I felt when asked to help my mother clothes-pin dozens of my younger siblings' recently washed cloth diapers to the line –– and then later having to un-pin and fold them...

And although it may seem like drudgery as you face a pile of wash to hang on the line, it's difficult to argue against the picturesque quality of laundry flapping in a fresh breeze...!