Watercolor: Stella

Stella 4 x 4 Graphite & Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 300 paper
Available here.
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My friend Nancy Eckels works big. When she cuts paper down, she has lots of long, four inch scraps. She left a huge bag of various weights, surfaces and brands on my porch Thursday. I wasted no time in cutting a pile of squares (see below) to experiment on new surfaces, and I'm nowhere near the bottom of the bag. My tail is definitely wagging! Thanks, Nance!

Watercolor: Adele

Adele 3 x 6.5 Graphite & Watercolor on Canson Bristol paper
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Sketched yesterday in a waiting room while a friend was seeing a doctor. Based loosely on my imagined wanderings about Adele Bloch Bauer (1882-1925), the model for several Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) paintings, including his most famous portrait.

Watercolor: Holland on Evening Star

Holland on Evening Star 5 x 7 Watercolor on Canson Bristol
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A Holland tomato sliced on a Syracuse China Evening Star plate. Tomatoes are a big deal in my family; there's competition in the growing, size, variety and flavor from everyone's gardens. Unfortunately, I live too far away to participate in the taste testing.

Watercolor: Charlotte

Charlotte 2.2 x 3.3 Watercolor on Arches Hot Press paper
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Watercolor: Umber

Umber 2.75 x 5.3 Watercolor on Arches Hot Press paper
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Sketched while watching the Olympics, and painted this afternoon. I enjoyed dropping random color into the face and neck, and resisted the temptation to "fix" the color into something more realistic.

Watercolor: Firehouse Dog

Firehouse Dog 4.25 x 5.5 Watercolor on Arches Bristol
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My husband took the reference photo for this at an annual fund raising rally called Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors. Firefighters caravan from station to station, with lights and sirens, to collect donations that benefit peers who have become burn victims. This dalmation attends every year, riding proud on a fully restored antique engine.

Watercolor: Warm Sheets

Warm Sheets, Watercolor on Arches Hot Press 4 x 5
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Watercolor: Swaying to the Music

Swaying to the music 6.75 x 5 Watercolor on Strathmore Plate Bristol
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I picked up a flat of pears the other day, and I've had a nice time painting (and eating) them. The gold pear on the right had a dried leaf still attached, waving like a scarf in the wind. I took photos of it in various positions for paintings in the Fall. This one was painted with watercolor glazes; thin layers of pigments layered like colored cellophane - one on top of the other. Each layer is dry before I add another (see below) and I'm careful not to disturb the layers underneath. Each new color is laid on in a single, soft stroke, and the support gets tilted to encourage the pigments in various directions until it's smooth and almost dry.

Watercolor: Four Figure Studies

Figure Studies 1 through 4, 5.25 x 4.5 each
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Each of these little figure studies are sketched on 5x4 scraps of Strathmore Bristol with a Berol 2B pencil, and painted loosely with watercolor. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I'll be studying the figure, exercising line qualities and sharpening skills in rendering for the next few months. I'll post other work too, but I'll be swimming in figure studies. Please bare with me while I practice, practice, practice.

Watercolor: Blinn

Blinn 3.3 x 5.2 Graphite & Watercolor
Available on Ebay here.
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From a photo of a young girl who came to one of my exhibits with her parents. I've altered her features (she posed with a big toothy smile) for a subtler expression here, first in pencil (below) and then sheer glazes of watercolor on the drawing.

Watercolor: Brita

Brita 2.6 x 4.3 Graphite sketch with watercolor
Available on Ebay here.
I've recently discovered the work of Swedish artist Carl Larsson (1853-1919). I wonder how I got to this age without seeing his art before?! His watercolors are amazing illustrations of life in Sweden with his textile designer wife Karin, and their 8 children. Perhaps some of the appeal to me is that his subjects - like mine - are his family members. I'm transfixed by his amazing design, and his masterful handling of the medium. There is so much delight in his art. The little watercolor posted here today was sketched and painted after pouring over online galleries featuring Carl's art.

Watercolor: Pirouette

Pirouette 4x4 watercolor on bristol paper
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Quick study of a golden d'anjou pear on a shiny white tile counter in the sun, twirling above the abstract reflections.

Watercolor: Chloris

Chloris 4 x 6 Watercolor on Arches Bristol
Available on Ebay here.
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I've been reading a book on Victorian Watercolors by Christopher Newall, and the way pigments are handled to model the figure in landscape - especially faces - is new to me. The approach appears more illustrative than painterly, but I'm enjoying experimenting with it.

The name Chloris is from the Greek Khloros: "greenish-yellow," "pale green," or "fresh." In Greek mythology, Chloris was a Nymph associated with spring, flowers and new growth. Her Roman equivalent was the goddess Flora.

Watercolor: Fountain in Fall

Fountain in Fall 4 x 6 Watercolor & Graphite
Available on Ebay here.
I went sketching in Descanso Gardens with some artist friends in December. It was an overcast, gray day, but that didn't stop us from drawing sweet little scenes tucked into every corner of that beautiful park.
Graphite sketch before adding watercolor