Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

SquarePeg · Oct 25, 2025

Latest WIP from yesterday’s art class - attempt at impressionist style based on a photo on Stock Cake. I need to add the barn doors and window and a few additional background trees. I’m happy with the barn and flowers but unsure if the tree is finished. Trees are hard.

snowbear · Oct 25, 2025

Thank you.

snowbear · Oct 25, 2025

terri said:
Nice haul! I've heard nice things about the General brand.

Be bad more often.

The bad part wasn't the pencils, but I've been wanting to get back in to oils for a while. I just couldn't decide on two brands. These have a good reputation (as did the others).

I've used them before. There was a charcoal drawing from the deck, I did back in Spring or Summer where I used General charloal pencils.

terri · Oct 25, 2025

SquarePeg said:
Latest WIP from yesterday’s art class - attempt at impressionist style based on a photo on Stock Cake. I need to add the barn doors and window and a few additional background trees. I’m happy with the barn and flowers but unsure if the tree is finished. Trees are hard.

View attachment 291390

Oh, it's beautiful. Yay!! Sounds like such a fun class.

Impressionism is hard for me because my instinct is to add details - totally the wrong way to approach Impressionism! :lol:

I'm a failure so far. So - I see a tree when I look at your tree, and I don't see anything wrong with it. I like your brush marks on it.

So, barn doors and a few background trees, and this puppy should be done. I'm sure you're instructor is explaining about making the impression of the barn, trees, and general landscape. You're doing great!

SquarePeg · Oct 25, 2025

terri said:
Oh, it's beautiful. Yay!! Sounds like such a fun class.

Impressionism is hard for me because my instinct is to add details - totally the wrong way to approach Impressionism! I'm a failure so far. So - I see a tree when I look at your tree, and I don't see anything wrong with it. I like your brush marks on it.

So, barn doors and a few background trees, and this puppy should be done. I'm sure your instructor is explaining about making the impression of the barn, trees, and general landscape. You're doing great!

I know the barn is a bit on the nose for Impressionism but it’s closer than my usual so going to leave it alone as far as overall shape goes and then try this one again with a less distinct barn. I’m not great at structures to begin with. I think I need to be able to paint an actual barn well before I can just suggest it. Going to practice the different elements of this one for a while.

SquarePeg · Nov 8, 2025

This one is just about finished. After consulting with the instructor, I decided to add some sharper flowers and contrast in the foreground to create a bit of a triangle with the sharpness of the tree and the contrast at top of the barn. Also added the window and doors. It’s not as loose as I’d envisioned but isn’t that what always say?

terri · Nov 10, 2025

I do like the more colorful flowers. Honestly I think you should be tickled with this one! Overall there's a very nice softness. The barn shape is great!

SquarePeg · Nov 29, 2025

Back at it again this weekend at home. This first one is a WIP - I needs to soften and blend some of the petal edges and there’s something off on the open flowers - I think it’s that the centers are too high. Also not sure about the stems… I’m happy with the color and the overall background and most of the marks. I’m trying to make it a companion piece to this other one that I did over the summer. Just wanting to add some color to my dining room… Suggestions and critique always welcome.

terri · Nov 29, 2025

SquarePeg said:
Back at it again this weekend at home. This first one is a WIP - I needs to soften and blend some of the petal edges and there’s something off on the open flowers - I think it’s that the centers are too high. Also not sure about the stems… I’m happy with the color and the overall background and most of the marks. I’m trying to make it a companion piece to this other one that I did over the summer. Just wanting to add some color to my dining room… Suggestions and critique always welcome.

View attachment 292334

View attachment 292335

Both so pretty - I like these palettes.

The second one is really eye-catching - I love that big bloom!

Fun stuff.

SquarePeg · Dec 1, 2025

Still working on this one. Not happy with it yet. Might be too much contrast between the background colors and the white of the flowers. I want to fix the transition with a lighter color but I don’t want it to be pink. Thinking of adding some gold tint to the petals and/or toning the background with some orangey red.

SquarePeg · Dec 1, 2025

Made some major changes. Still a WIP but I think it’s heading in the right direction. Thinking of closing that flower on the left.

snowbear · Dec 1, 2025

Looking good. I'm guessing you will add some separation between the lobes on the top-right flower, to break up that white space.

SquarePeg · Dec 5, 2025

WIP from today’s landscape painting class. I think the house and background are pretty much finished but I didn’t have the color I needed to get the lavender the way I wanted so I decided to finish it at home over this weekend. Also may darken the upper part of the sky a bit. This is a loose copy of a painting I saw online that I liked. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcomed.

snowbear · Dec 6, 2025

I love it. I don't think i'd do anything to the sky.

The way the path turns at the bottom looks a little odd to me. I'd probably kept it diagonal to match the others.

terri · Dec 8, 2025

SquarePeg said:
WIP from today’s landscape painting class. I think the house and background are pretty much finished but I didn’t have the color I needed to get the lavender the way I wanted so I decided to finish it at home over this weekend. Also may darken the upper part of the sky a bit. This is a loose copy of a painting I saw online that I liked. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcomed.

View attachment 292569

Sorry I missed this one until now! I agree with Charlie about the one little path that turns. I'm guessing your reference did the same, turning the path because of the little patch of flowers at the end - probably looks this way in real life.

Great job on the house! Also the light on the vertical trees, the hills, sky - you nailed it.

Love it. What a fun class this must be.