Color Selections

 I often do small sketches to try out different techniques and color combinations before starting a larger painting. The one above is 5" x 7". I was playing around with the new acrylic inks that I bought and was experimenting mixng them in with regular watercolors. The cliff is made up mostly of the acrylic inks. The watercolor below is just a little larger but was also done to test color selections. I find it very useful to do these small sketches.  It also is a good exercise in loosening up because I do them rather quickly. I usually use these as greeting cards for family and friends. I cut and fold watercolor paper a little larger than the sketch and then glue the painting to the front of the card. My friends and family love getting these original greeting cards. However, I really like these two and decided to put them up for sale on my web site.

Twighlight Hour

Another watercolor using multiple glazes to achieve the effect I was aiming for. I'm going back to glazing for now because I enjoy building up a watercolor with multiple glazes and slowly seeing the depth of the piece come to life. I sold a number of watercolors this month using this technique. They all also are paintings of sunsets, dawn and sunrise. For this watercolor I used raw sienna, indanthrone blue,  transparent red iron oxide and burnt umber. Size is 12.5" x 9.5"

Dusk

I did multiple glazing for this watercolor to achieve the depth you can only get through this method of painting. The piece was inspired by scenes of the African Savannah, with it's vast unspoiled areas of grassland dotted with acacia trees that are indigenous to the area. For those who follow my blog on a regular basis, you know by now that I love to paint tonal landscape scenes depicting dusk, sunrise, sunset or dawn. I love the light at that time of day. I was rather pleased with the end result of this watercolor.

Solitude II

I sold my painting Solitude this week and the buyer asked if I could do a companion piece with the same colors. He wanted me to come up with a design that would complement and somehow be an extension of the piece he bought. Never having done a commission before, and with nothing specific in mind, I was a little hesitant at first. Then I realized it would be a good exercise and if he did not like it, I could always offer it on my web site. It's not easy to recreate a mood and get the colors just right. The values are a little different in this piece, but that could be a good thing.  The pathway is designed to lead the eye towards the tree and for the buyer, also leads beyond to the lake and the hill with the cottage which is in the first piece he bought. I used indigo, burnt sienna and raw sienna in the sky and the same colors mixed with a little burnt umber for the land area. I'm also happy to say that the buyer's reaction was, "it was just what I was looking for as a companion piece," and now the two watercolors will hang side by side.