Painting from the Model

I love to paint the figure whenever I get the chance. My artist friend Kamillia organizes a model to come to her studio. About 6 other people can fit in the space to paint, and we all contribute to pay the model. 16 x 16

DSDF 15-16 Watercolor Boots Oscar Myers

"My Winter Thoughts" 5.5x8.5 watercolors

Sung to the tune of the Oscar Myers jingle:
"Oh I wish we had a California winter
'cuz Arkansas just gets too cold for me!
My feet get cold and only Ugg shoewear keep them warm,
And those datburn things just do not come for free!" *curtsy* :)

Painted as my challenge response to Karin Jurick's DSDF

Blonde Ambition

Watercolor on cold press 5 x 7

Early Winter Farm ~ Pennsylvania ~

Here's another landscape from me. Size is 5x7 inches.
Painted from memories of Pennsylvania.
Happy Winter, everyone!
Elaine

Misty Gorge

"Misty Columbia Gorge" - a Northwest site everyone should get a chance to see! I painted this in the Skamania Lodge - looking out the huge windows - a fire at my back.

No moment could be as warm and cozy!

This is an ACEO (2.5"x3.5") and is on it's way to Iraq, where my daughters friend has been for just over a month. It will be a reminder of home that he can carry in his wallet.

A little world - ACEO

This month's Theme Week of the ACEO E-bay group is "snowglobes"
I enjoyed so much painting this little mices and imagine them alive inside the globe.

About This Piece:
Watercolor on 140 lbs Canson Paper painted with Winsor & Newton artist's paint, black indian ink and white water base marker
-:¦:- »-(¯`v´¯)-» -:¦:- -:¦:- »-(¯`v´¯)-» -:¦:- -:¦:- »-(¯`v´¯)-» -:¦:-
What's a snowglobe if not a little world.

The fortunes of snowglobe isn't in the object itselfs it's in what you can see inside, a little world that makes you dream and brings your mind into a tale, a moment that keeps life and tousands snowflakes steal a wisheper.

Our little mices are still skating, as time goes by you shake the globe and can still say "Look it's snowing!!!"

Zephyrus ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolour and gouache , 2008.

Zephyrus was another of the Anemoi, the God of the gentle west wind, brother of Boreas. He was known as the messenger of spring. In one story, he and Apollo vied for the love of a handsome Spartan youth, Hyacinth. Hyacinth chose Apollo, which made Zephyrus mad with jealousy. He later found them playing with a discus, and blew a gust of wind that caused the discus to hit Hyacinth in the head and kill him. Apollo then created the hyacinth flower from his blood

FOUR O'CLOCKS

White "Four O'Clocks", the "Alba" variety. White flowers are always my favorites. I always envisioned a garden of all white flowers. Wouldn't that be amazing!

My watercolor blog: http://paintinginwatercolor.blogspot.com

White Roses

Seems like I can't stop painting flowers. I wonder if there's some deep psychological reason for that. They just make me feel comfortable. Anyway, this one is a white "John Kennedy" rose. In order to create the illusion of "white", I used so many colors - gamboge, transparent yellow, sap green, hooker's green, ultramarine blue, and burnt sienna.

My watercolor blog: http://paintinginwatercolor.blogspot.com

From Dragon to Sphinx

The Dragon is one of my old pieces, and I am redoing it as a Sphinx, applying composition principles I've learned recently, such as value patterns, balance, and pathway for the eye.
The Dragon is ink and watercolor, approximately 4.5 x 4.5 inches.
The Sphinx sketch is ink and watercolor about the same size. I plan to do an oil or acrylic painting of it.
You can read more about it in my blog, Thick Air Gallery.

Is this really for Santa?" - ACEO

Watercolor on Fabriano 140lbs paper painted with Winsor & Newton artist's paint.


In the house everybody's sleeping... waiting for the old nice man. The dark is enlighten only by a candle that shines in the night. A shadow comes through the living room and reaches the ligh attracted by the sweet fragrance of the gingerbread biscuits and coffee. Maybe a taste... but: "Is this really for Santa???"

Quilted Challenge in Watercolor Group

"Quilted Hat Lady". 4x6 on cp 140# paper. From a photo I took of my niece. I love to use a photo as a starting point, and then find a creative direction to take the painting in.

Saint Martin de Porres ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, 2008.

Born in 1579 in Lima, Peru, the illegitimate son of a Spanish noble and a black former slave, Saint Martin de Porres is known for the work he did for the poor and sick during his life. He is the patron Saint of many things, incuding people of mixed race, Peru and public health. He is usually shown with a broom to symbolise that he saw no job as beneath him and the austerity of his life. He died in 1639 and was canonised in 1962.

Narrative Figure Study

Susan Ironing, 15 x 22, Watercolor with Watercolor Crayon

Susan Ironing, detail

Banokles ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolour and gouache, 2008.

Banokles is another character from David Gemell's Troy novels. He is the friend and companion of Kalliades, both being outlawed Mykene warriors. Whereas Kalliades is thoughful and intelligent, Banokles is more brawn than brain, but is good natured for the most part.

Boreas ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolour and gouache, 2008.

Boreas was the god of the north wind and bringer of winter in greek mythology. He was one of the Anemoi, the gods of the winds, whose parents were Eos and Astraios (the dawn and dusk gods). He was strong and bad tempered. He fell in love with an Athenian princess, Oreithyia, but after refusing his advances, he kidnapped her by wrapping her up in a cloud and whisking her away, raping her and fathering four children by her.

Preparing for Christmas?

Here I go...I've made it so far! All the birthday and anniversary , etc. greetings I've mailed this year have been watercolor paintings. Now, here's the big holiday and almost the end of 2008 and I've managed to keep my promise.

So you have to know I will be painting for the next several days while cooking a Thanksgiving Feast.

A very HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

Here's a sample. (one down thirty nine to go?)
A little Fog, a little Snow...
Happy Christmas from the Oregon I know!

The Centaur's Spear (PC version)

8.5 x 11.5 inches, watercolour and gouache, 2008.

This was a commission for a client who saw liked my previous Centaur painting and asked me to do a full body version. This is a slightly altered version that has had some anatomical details removed in photoshop.

Great Western Steam along the River Dart

This is the painting, of a Great Western Railway pannier tank locomotive running alongside the River Dart in Devon. This is from a photograph I took of the scene about twenty years ago.

Astraios ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolour and gouache, 2008.

Astraios was the greek god of the dusk (or nightfall). He was married to Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and they produced many children including the winds Boreus and Zephyrus.

NFAC Bunny Got (Christmas) Tree ACEO

"Bunny Got (Christmas) Tree" ACEO

This jolly folk art bunny is my lovely entry for the NFAC (NibbleFest Art Contest). I think he may have come out of my holiday spirit hahaha!

This item, as the rest of the NFAC listings start at 99 cents.
VIEW HERE TO BID

One Choice

One Choice

5 x 7

Oh Christmas tree... - ACEO

Today it's the NFAC (Nibblefest Art Card) day at E-bay. Every month we have a Theme and we prepare something on it, any size and any media is allowed and a tiny price to involve people to bid on it.
Due to my busy time, I have prepared a little ACEO on this months's theme "Christmas Tree".
I'll list it in E-bay tonight:


"Oh Christmas tree"
Watercolor on Fabriano 140lbs Paper painted with Winsor & Newton artist's paints.

The most beautiful Christmas tree can attract anyone passing there and the wishpers become a carol
"Oh Cristmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches..."

This auction starts at 99 cents please!
VIEW HERE TO BID

DSDF #11 Upside Down Walker and Charles Reid thoughts

"Upside Down Walker" 7x10 watercolor

Oh my, this week's challenge is pretty challenging. I laughed to myself when I turned my painting upright and I was a bit disoriented that the woman was facing the opposite direction from when I was painting her LOL! Ok, maybe you can understand more what I'm talking about when you visit this week's Different Strokes by Different Folks, a blog hosted by Karin Jurick.

I need to note that I've determined an additional benefit I've inherited from Charles Reid when I took his workshop. His painting technique has allowed me to not discriminate against most papers. In fact, I haven't encountered a watercolor paper that I can't paint well enough on. This paper is Portofino Aquarello Cartiera Magnani. I didn't like this paper when I used it the first time. The paper wasn't letting me get crisp edges; I guess not enough sizing. But I am perfectly happy this time around.