5 Minute Landscapes

"Golden Sunset"   5" x 7" image.
Matted:  8" x 10"   $45

Every now and then, it's just fun to do really quick paintings.  These little gems will test your skills at timing in watercolor.  I start with a 5" x 7" watercolor paper.  Then I wet both sides of the paper several times, so it is very wet.  Then lightly sponge off the right side and begin.   Using a bright color (red/orange), I paint the sky and the water, leaving a big white shape.  Then I pick it's complementary color and smear that into the first color to create a grey color and then have the complementary color (green) on the upper left and lower left corners.  Switching to a 1/2 " flat brush, I double load the two complementary colors in a dry brush mixture to make the tree masses.  I do NOT mix the color on the palette or it would be too wet.  Pull down the colors to create the reflections.  Use a thirsty brush to wipe out the water line.  Then wipe out a ripple in the water.  You can put more detail on the trees, using a small round brush that is double loaded with the 2 colors.  That's how I was able to get the points on the top of the trees.  You do all this is only 5 minutes!  It's fun to do color studies using this process.  Odd colors are usually my favorites.

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 18!

"Sleeping on the Job"  $145  Watercolor and Acrylic  (11" x 11" image)

I knew that I wanted 2 owls in my series.  One that was wide awake, and one that was getting sleepy!  There is a double meaning to this painting.  I'm half asleep these days too!  Again, I want to thank Sarah Rosedahl for the use of her photo.  Love the way this owl's eyes are half open.  I used the same colors in this painting as yesterday's, just in case someone is interested in purchasing the two of them as a set.  Working on a wet surface is an easy way to get the feathers on the owl, but you must work with thicker paint so that the paint doesn't spread out too much.  This was a fun painting to do!

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 14!

"High Wire Act"   (11" x 11" image)    Acrylic and Collage  $125

My goal with this painting was to make it fun and really easy.  So, I started the painting by covering the whole paper with bright colored acrylics.  Then I sprayed it with a water bottle, held it vertically, and let it drip, so that the colors would be interesting.  Below is what it looked like in the early stage.  It was so much fun!!!

First Step

After that dried, I drew the bird shapes on and negative painted around them to create the birds.  The only collage on this painting is the checks.  Otherwise, it is all acrylic. I actually wanted to go further with this, but slapped my hand, reminding myself that today's goal was to keep it very simple.  :)  Don't you think this would look so cool on a canvas bag?  I might look into that!

Cleaning the studio can be a GOOD thing!

"At the Beach"

Every now and then, my studio gets so messy that I'm FORCED to stop painting and start cleaning.  All my students know that I own 2 of everything, so that I don't have to waste time looking for whatever is missing.  But when I can't find either screwdriver, or ruler, or ATG tape, or WHATEVER..... it becomes mandatory that I clean out my studio.  I've been working on this for several days now, asking myself every time where would be the perfect spot to store certain things. I moved tables, and sitting areas, and shelving.  I'm trying to have stations.  For instance, all my card making crafty things would go in one corner, and the acrylics would go in another, the collage papers (wow, do I ever have LOTS of collage papers!!) would go in another!  My biggest fear is that I will lose something, because it won't be in it's normal spot.  Anyway, this painting, "At the Beach" had been missing for several months, and it is a favorite of mine!  And I found it behind lots of mat boards that were in a corner.  I'm so happy!  It's a little like Christmas, when I keep finding things.  This painting is only 6" x 6", but I love the connection of light patterns, and I did it in only 30 minutes, thereby keeping it fresh.  I had wanted to do a huge one of this, but wonder if I'll ever do it.  I had watched the Don Andrews DVD  before doing this.  He works on an easel, letting the paint run together, and the colors are kept very fresh in this approach. I recommend him highly as an instructor.