Colorful drinks 5 1/2 "x  7 1/2 "

As an artist, it surprises me sometimes where I notice colors. (Once I noticed some lovely contrasting colored garbage in the trash can at work) I also liked the bright colorful drinks in the cooler at a convenience store. I bet I'm the only person taking pictures of drinks in the cooler. Drawing the shapes was a bit boring though since they're identical. It was fun using bright colors and was mostly a study in something new that I've not painted before. It's good practice changing the subjects so I don't get in a rut.

Rose Study 5 1/2" x 7 1/2"

I put bright colors (yellow and peach) on the roses first, then added darker colors on top after the first colors dried. I made up the dark background to contrast with the lights on the flowers. I like how the blue I added on the shadowed petals contrast cool (blue/purple) against warm (yellow/red/oranges) in the flowers. That usually works if you layer watercolors (called glazing) instead of adding the blue in the initial layer of color. Too much mixing of colors on your paintbrush usually makes mud.

Dean and Kipper on the porch

I removed some paint (negative spaces) between the background leaves which gives a feeling of a sunny day. After reworking Kipper's face, I think she came out ok. I've left Dean and the swing in simple shapes which makes the eyes go to the detail in the dog as the focal point. I'll live with the painting for awhile and see if I need to add or subtract anything. Time to move on to the next painting.

Photo of Dean and Kipper on our porch.

Watercolor on Yupo paper. I covered the whole sheet with mostly greens. When that was dry, I lifted off the paint in the shape of the porch post first. As I traveled across the paper, I lifted off the color in the shapes of the dog, then the flower box, relating each shape to the last one, trying to get the correct sizes. I like the shapes of the newspaper and legs. I like the look of untouched painted areas, so I left the porch swing as the original colors. Next, I need to lift off the paint where the bright siding shines through the plants. I think the shapes relate well with each other considering: I did no drawing on the paper before or during the process. 

This is the journal that Lauren gave me for Christmas. I think that I finally understand it. It has lots of ways to get past your creative blocks and inhibitions, because every ounce of reason tells you NOT to tear the page out and chew it and NOT to take the book in the shower with you. (just two examples) Therefore, it helps you get past that reasoning voice when you go to paint/create.

One of the pages I did recently

learning to paint watercolor on Yupo (plastic paper) I painted the whole chair, lifted out the chair's light areas and put in brighter colors just to see how I can manipulate the paint: to see if the colors would stay separate or run together. It all depends how wet the paint is.