Watercolor challenges by Art by Erika

"Solo Rose" ACEO / 2.5x3.5 inches

Hello from the absentee! Here is my submission for "Life Springs" and Red Flower challenges HAHAHAHA! I know, I'm such a cheater! Spring is coming so sloooowly this year to Northwest Arkansas. My daffodils and other bulbs are like children stubbornly pulling their covers over them for a longer slumber. But this was based on my photos from my garden last spring before the last cold snap disrupted many happily blooming plants. I sure hope mother nature will be kinder this year as I did lose some well loved items.

Red? Well in my opinion this meant to be red rose is not a very good representation of the subject but it was hard to sacrifice "pretty" to achieve a more solid red. Perhaps I shouldn't have chosen a backlit subject. *rolls eyes*

Life Begins

Several images came to mind when I was thinking of how I wanted to illustrate "life begins". I have experienced many changes in my life this past year and I can say that I am transitioning into something much greater than I could ever have imagined. I chose a butterfly to symbolize "life begins" because once they have transitioned from a caterpillar, they soar and life really begins for them! To bid on Ebay, click here.

Wednesday Watercolor

LIFE BEGINS:ACEO (size 2,5 x 3,5 inches) on grain satinè 140 lbs ARCHES watercolor paper.
painted with Winsor and Newton artist's watercolors.


Loredana

Red Red Rose

"Red Red Rose" watercolor 4 x 6 on cold press paper. Done in response to the "red flower" challenge from the Watercolors Wet & Wild eBay group. From life.

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Sunday Painter

This little painter was one of many participating in a holiday weekend last year in Missouri. Lots of creative expression was going on. To bid on Ebay, click here.

Edward IV

4 x 6 inches, watercolor, gouache and gold ink, 2008

Edward was born in 1442, the eldest son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York. It was Richard's claim to the throne of England that began the Wars of The Roses. After Richards death in 1460, Edward inherited the claim. With the support of the Earl of Warwick, his cousin, he defeated Henry IV and declared himself King in 1461. Warwick planned for Edward to marry and ally with France but Edward secretly married Elizabeth Wydeville. The marriage alienated Warwick, especially after Edward began to show preference to his new Woodville relations. Warwick and Edwards younger brother the Duke of Clarence joined forces to try and defeat Edward but in 1470 were finally defeated and forced to flee to France. Later that year Warwick returned with French support and invaded, forcing Edward to flee and the weak Henry VI to be restored to the throne. Edward went to Burgundy with his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester and there got support and with a small army returned to England. Clarence then changed sides and joined Edward and at the Battle of Barnet Warwick was defeated. Edward reclaimed his throne after the final decisive Battle of Tewkesbury. In 1475 he declared war on France but signed a treaty which gave him a yearly pension. With Elizabeth he had ten children. He died in 1483.

Red Poppies

In our Watercolor Wet and Wild group WnW we began discussing how we create different "reds". Some go more brown, others more orange. And how do you shade a red?

Well this got us talking about a possible red flower challenge. I decided to give it a try today with my Daily Painting. So I painted these poppies. They tend to the brown red and the scan lost the highlights.

Tomorrow I hope to paint more poppies with a more orange red. It will be fun to compare!