My Work Since June...

It hasn't been a complete dry spell!

Trying to get back into the habit...

...of taking a sketchbook out with me.  Here are some sketches I did a week or so ago.  I'm going to try and do a painting of the hotdog stand from downtown.  Right now I'm working on the layout of the painting and hope to have it drawn on watercolor paper today.  Then time to a draft 1 painting.

Downtown Hotdog Stand

Doctor Office Waiting Room

Aussie Outback Shed - Take 2

Here is my second time working on this subject.  I'm posting four steps along the way.  Again mixed feelings on the final outcome but I do like it better than "Take 1" (see previous post).  I feel like I captured the shadows on the shed better this time and again I like the inside of the shed.  Not too thrilled about my tree and I have mixed feelings about the foreground objects (wheel, barrel, ?) - I tried to match the colors to the actual photo but in a painting they don't pop.  All in all a good learning process and this painting is my current style...

The Undercoat

Adding in darker  values...

Even darker values inside the shed...

Final Version!

On My Own...Aussie Outback Shed

Working on a painting of my own of a shed I photographed when traveling in the Australia Outback a few years ago.  First the photo, then a value study/color study plan in my sketchbook, and then a painting.  I call it "Take 1" because I'm painting it again.  I hated it when I first finished it.  But when I looked at it later, I didn't hate it so much.  I even found parts I liked such as the inside of the shed.  I really feel like I captured depth here.  The rest is okay but the part I like the least is my attempt at capturing the shadows on the shed.  Mine is too splotchy...I want to paint the shadows softer.  So today I'm working on "Take 2" and probably after that a "Take 3"...

Aussie Shed - Take 1

Getting Back into the Swing of Things...

Took a class from Ron Stocke right after school was out.  I love his impressionistic style and while it was a challenge to mimic, I'm pleased with what I produced.  But, how do I integrate this into my own style?  What is my style?  I'm a great mimicker... if you spend time looking at this blog, you will see my style varies according to the artist I take a class from or the book I study from.  The only style that seems to be truly my own is my pen and ink watercolors.  My challenge is to just get over myself and to paint, paint, paint in order to let my style come through!

Round 2: Time for this Dry Spell to End...

...actually, I just haven't been posting.  I took another intermediate watercolor class with Joyce Anderson this past winter and am signed up for her Spring Class.  Also took a three day workshop with Deanne Lemley a few weeks ago and came away extremely challenged.  Now I just want to start focusing back on journaling so I'm getting ready to take another Jane Lafazio class through Joggles.com

Heading to Arizona next week for Spring Break and hope to find some fun (hopefully cactus) flowers to sketch and paint!!!!