The Contented Cow and Other Stories

I started with a lot of w/w washes, with the cow masked. Above, I did one of aureolin, more intense at top and bottom, then one of pink, darker in the middle.

Some orange ...

... and some indanthrone

I removed the mask [it left the paper surface a bit rough - must get new bottle of masking fluid] Then I started the shadows with a violet made of quin. violet and indanthrone. I added a thin line of indanthrone to suggest a treeline in the distance. 

I did several w/w washes with a black [quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone] ...

... and also some direct painting with thin black paint. Looks like she needs her front end and eye area a bit darker, and some shadows painted on her white patches. And I think I'll add some friends for her out in the distance.
 I had started painting background washes like this about ten years ago, after I came across a book by Catherine Anderson, a California painter. Her work is exquisite, and well worth a look if you like this type of work.

My contented model

I started this as a class demo, with thin washes of aureolin and indanthrone.  [Can you see them - I can't!]

Then I did some spattering [using yellow, orange and blue] and spraying, after covering the area on the left with  watercolor paper and tape.

Some glazing with quin. violet ...

... some detail in the background ...

I removed the masking, toned down the fence with violet, and added some branches. It doesn't look quite as ethereal as I would have liked, but it's not bad.

This was another demo I did in class. I used aureolin, a pink, and cobalt and indanthrone blue.  The background was done w/w, and the grasses were painted directly. The grass shadow/reflections were done by painting vertical lines below the grass, and then dragging a wet flat brush though the paint. It always amazes me how something so simple could look so effective and attractive. [Must remember that - I seem to tend to the very complicated]. 

This is a quick thumbnail sketch for a painting my aunt requested. One of her friends is moving back to Toronto, and she would like to give her something that reminds her of British Columbia, hence the tugs in the mist with the forested shoreline.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful summer, and are enjoying these last weeks of warm weather.
Thank you so much for dropping by!

Two New Paintings Off and Running ...

This is one of the photos I took while visiting the dairy farm - one of the very young calves. He or she [I didn't check] was very photogenic!!!

My drawing

A barely-there beginning ...

Sketch for the second painting

I've done several w/w washes for the soft and distant background - may still need more. And I have laid in some aureolin to start the robes.

Looking a bit livelier after dipping into the quin. sienna. I have a feeling many more glazes will be needed ...

Thank you for dropping by! Your comments are always welcome.

Flying by the Seat of My Pants ... or ... No Reference Photo

Not wanting to waste paper, I decided to experiment with something drawn from my imagination.  At the cooperative gallery, cards sell well. Christmas is coming [ack!], and I have to get something somewhat seasonal for a card idea. I came up with this - some sheep heading home through the snow.
I did a drop-blobs-of-paint very wet wash at the top [using cobalt blue, quin. violet and a bit of quin. burnt orange], and a very thin wash on the left side [cobalt blue and phthalo blue].   

I removed the masking, and did some shadowing and detail work on the sheep. For my liking, the background trees were too dark, and there was no cohesion.  

So I lightened the trees, and added a wet-in-wet wash of phthalo blue and quin. violet. I think that has integrated the painting well. All that is left is some more detailing on the sheep and shed.
The paper size is 11.5 x 5.5 inches, and it is Arches 140 lb. CP.

This is the second part of the experiment - trying a similar idea on the Fabriano. The paper size is 13 x 7.5 inches.
Again, I started with a very wet application for the background, using quin. gold. alizarin crimson, quin. violet and cobalt blue. The left was done as in the previous painting.

The background needed some trees ...
Another w/w application of quin. violet, quin. burnt orange and cobalt blue.

To achieve more unity, this received the same treatment along the left side with quin. violet and phthalo blue.
So far, both paintings seem to be humming along nicely.

Thank you so much for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!  

The Rose on Fabriano Continues ...

Here are the results of two W/W washes of dropped in color - quin. rose and aureolin.

I then went into the greens, a mixture of phthalo blue and quin. burnt orange.

 I did a second W/W wash with the same mixture.

At this stage, I can see that it will need a lot more of the dark green, as well as colors to intensify the rose petals. I worked on it a bit last night, but stopped when I found myself becoming impatient. I had a strong urge to mask the rose, and dump on the dark green.
I was hoping to finish yesterday, but thankfully checked my inner voice - the one saying "let's get it done NOW".  And as I am working for the next two days, I thought I would post the progress today.

Thank you for dropping by, and your comments are most welcome!

She Is Starting to Look Like a Cocker Spaniel ... a Process

FINALLY started Krystie. I had been procrastinating because she is not an easy subject, and I wanted to do a super job.
 I masked, and put down two w/w washes - a greyed blue, using indanthrone blue, and a purple, made up of quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone. Then I started the ears, using the same three pigments. I painted w/w, trying from the very beginning to create some sense of the wavy hair. 

I did the upper torso, neck and part of the head, then removed the masking, and stroked in some quin. burnt orange for her tan patches.  The eyes I did w/w, with several glazes, and used some alizarin crimson on the inner canthus and lower lid.

More w/w everywhere, and some direct painting to suggest the hair texture.

I honestly didn't think I would get this far. Painting all the texture of the hair was quite a job, but I think it looks credible. The eyes appear a bit off to me right now, but when the shadows are done, I think they will be fine. Spaniels have heavy upper lids, so there is a lot of shadowing. More glazing to be done, but I feel I am on the right track.

Thank you very much for dropping by, and your comments are always welcome!

Done

Day light, before last wash

Day, after wash. I masked only the eye.

Studio light before

Studio light, after wash.


I think it's all right for a first attempt. Now I'd like to try this technique with a variety of subjects.

As always, your comments are most welcome. And if you absolutely cannot live without it, it is for sale. :)

Before I Go out and Play with the Lad ...

W/w wash of aureolin, brown madder and ultramarine. Then I lifted, while still wet, some of the highlights of the face.

RATS! I did not make up enough of my soft black mixture. 

Second black wash, and then some lifting while still wet. I must sat I am really thrilled with the effect. I am not as thrilled with what I see in the paper, and which becomes more apparent as each wash is applied. I am usually very careful about clean hands and surfaces while handling paper, so I'm not sure if it's me or something in the paper. I will say that I am very keen to try some Fabriano.

As always, your comments are most welcome! 

From Barn Grunt to Watercolor ... Today's Efforts

 I painted my first washes on the "practice" landscape - an overall warming wash of yellow ocher. I  let it dry, then masked the skyline and mountains. Then I painted a w/w wash with aureolin, quin. coral and phthalo blue.

Here I've done the shadows with a glaze of  quin. burnt orange and phthalo green [blue shade, I think].

These are the under-glazes - alizarin for the dark center, quin. siena for the warmer areas of the tulip, and quin. pink for the cooler spots.

Believe me, it IS redder than this. I've started applying carmine w/w, to get the varied depths of red in the flower. I've never used carmine before, and I quite like it. It is a bit warmer than alizarin, and it has more body, so when applied w/w it doesn't explode all over the wetted area.

This is it for the next few days - back to the office. As always, your comments are most welcome! 

The Weather Is Conducive to Painting ... or ... When Will the Decent Riding Weather Arrive????

It is SO close, I can taste it!
No ... I have not been eating pigment ... yet!

Close up - it is almost hair by hair now.

Himself

Stage 1 of haunted house.

I painted the shaded side of the house with a similar mauve, with a bit more blue.

First washes are on roof and chimney.

First w/w wash is on the foreground.

As of now, I have accentuated the faces and some of the surrounding trunk.  I also placed a w/w wash of indanthrone blue in the background, as well as a w/w wash on the right side of the trunk.

I must admit I am going a bit squirrelly with lack of riding, and I'm sure His Nibs is, too. I didn't see it [I was at work] but apparently he went completely ballistic on Friday, charging around in his paddock and even rearing. Let's just hope he doesn't decide rearing is a fun thing to do under saddle, too!!!

As ever, I welcome your comments!