Stage 1 is the first layer of watercolor paint after it dried.

Stage 1

Lamp post finished     (4"x 6")   

This is the finished Lamp Post watercolor painting.

Stage 1:Squirrels

Stage 1 is the initial layer of color with the whites lifted off with a brush.

Squirrels (finished) 6" x 7"

This is the finished Squirrel painting.  I used Chinese White for the white whiskers and white hairs in the tails. I like the dramatic lighting.










My January art calendar is full - I painted every day this month. Yay! I'll treat myself with a Gardening magazine subscription as a reward. One month down, 11 to go.

Stage 1: I soaked the paper, let it dry till it was damp, applied watercolor, and quick took a picture.

 Stage 2: As the watercolors dried, I took off the paint at the lightest areas with a damp brush.

Stage 3: After the painting dried, I started adding mid-tones and darks. This is about 2/3 done.

This shows how I draw from a photo on my Nexus tablet. I put a mat around the image with tick marks that match the tick marks on my watercolor paper. (I divide each side of the photo into fourths) I then eyeball the position of everything in the photo as I draw it on the paper. This photo was more detailed than most and took awhile to draw.

I'm not familiar with painting with gouache (opaque watercolor), but I'm about to learn.

Foxfgloves 

I was using images from my phone in the last two posts, which reverted to weird circles instead of photos, so I'm going to have to figure out what that's all about.  Meanwhile, here is the finished foxgloves.  I used some gouache for the whitest parts. This is a bit overworked, I was 'sweating the small stuff' too much, but learned a few things along the way.

Bell Tower (5" x 7")

This is the finished bell tower watercolor painting.

(Stage 1) Bell tower 5" x 7"

After soaking the paper in water for about 2 to 3 minutes, I mix the colors while waiting for the water to evaporate and the shine to leave the paper.  This leaves the paper wet enough for the colors to blend, but not run everywhere.  While the paints were moving on the paper, I kept removing the paint from the white areas with a thirsty brush. Eventually the paints start to dry and stay put.  I hope to post Stage 2 tomorrow.

Water Lily with Reflection (4 1/2"x 7") -SOLD-

I finished the water lily painting last night.  It took awhile to refine the reflections and the values (darks and lights) of the flower.

(In Progress) Water Lily  4 1/2" x 7"

This is what I'm currently working on.  The right side shows what the first layer of watercolor looked like when it dried. I've started adding the dark blue/black reflections in the water, starting at the left side, moving toward the right.

Beach Chairs (4 1/2" x 5")

My New Year's resolution is to paint every day - even if it's only for 15 minutes. I've painted every day for the last 17 days so far. I think I've averaged around 20 days per month the last few years that I've kept track. Here are a few of the small paintings that I've done.  

Child at the beach #1 (5" x 7")

Child at the beach #2 (5" x 7")

Corn shocks in the fog (6" x 7") from Ron Geib's photo

Galen's Sheep (6" x 7 1/4")

Pink Poppies (5" x 7")

Pink Trio (2 1/2" x 4")

Old Truck (Ron Geib's Photo) 5 1/2" x 7 1/2"

Lexi's red rose
Someone at work told me what her favorite flower was, and I said I'd do a painting of it.  That was some time before Christ-x, so she probably will be surprised when I give this to her.  I just love surprises.  (5" x 7")