Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[SquarePeg]

Finally had some time and motivation to paint. I’ve been having our interior walls painted so the house has been a bit of a mess and any free time has been spent cleaning and reorganizing. Pics of the finished rooms later.

This is from a pic a friend of mine took of Portland Head Light the other day. It’s a bit simple. Going to spend a bit more time on this and try it again.

 

[terri]

These always make great ref pics, though - lighthouses are fun! Beautiful palette, too.

One comment - watch those vertical lines, they can be a distraction.

 

[snowbear]

That one, in particular, is difficult being what I refer to as "compound building" and the multi-level roofs.

Nice job.

 

[SquarePeg]

These always make great ref pics, though - lighthouses are fun! Beautiful palette, too.

One comment - watch those vertical lines, they can be a distraction.

good to know thanks!

That one, in particular, is difficult being what I refer to as "compound building" and the multi-level roofs.

Nice job.

Yeahi completely ignored the rest of the buildings!

 

[waday]

Started as pencil, went to ink, then decided to watercolor.

 

[terri]

Cool!! I think it looks great! I admire all the detail work.

 

[SquarePeg]

Sat down to paint tonight and realized I’ve totally forgotten everything I’d learned from all those tutorials. Painted some flowers to get back in the swing of things.


Meadow copied from an Instagram post

Practicing skinny stems and flower details

trying something different with some bolder colors for the background- does it compete too much with the flowers?

 

[waday]

Cool!! I think it looks great! I admire all the detail work.

Thank you!

 

[terri]

Sat down to paint tonight and realized I’ve totally forgotten everything I’d learned from all those tutorials. Painted some flowers to get back in the swing of things.


Meadow copied from an Instagram post
View attachment 196006

Practicing skinny stems and flower details

View attachment 196007

trying something different with some bolder colors for the background- does it compete too much with the flowers?
View attachment 196008

Love your skinny stems, I think it looks light and almost fairy-like, in a good way.

I don't think the background is competing with the flowers in the other one. The reds are popping here.

Each one is lovely! I don't think you've forgotten a thing.

 

[SquarePeg]

Sat down to paint tonight and realized I’ve totally forgotten everything I’d learned from all those tutorials. Painted some flowers to get back in the swing of things.


Meadow copied from an Instagram post
View attachment 196006

Practicing skinny stems and flower details

View attachment 196007

trying something different with some bolder colors for the background- does it compete too much with the flowers?
View attachment 196008

Love your skinny stems, I think it looks light and almost fairy-like, in a good way.

I don't think the background is competing with the flowers in the other one. The reds are popping here.

Each one is lovely! I don't think you've forgotten a thing.

Thanks for your kind words and the helpful feedback. I definitely lost some progress which annoys me. I had to go back and look at previous paintings to try to recall the different techniques. I’m going to try to paint at least once/week going forward. It just wasn’t going to happen while everything was in disarray during the painting (of the walls).

 

[terri]

Yeah, it can be hard to find time to get art in, especially when shooting photography as often as you do! But I think you've learned a lot already.

@limr is getting ready to move, so I'm guessing all those supplies are packed in boxes atm!

Life definitely intrudes on creativity.

 

[snowbear]

I agree, I don't think the background is competing, and I like your use of grey. Something done in cartography is to use gray as a fill to downplay an area.

I still have stuff in boxes from when I was building the home office.

 

[SquarePeg]

A couple of recent ideas that I was sort of able to execute.

this one started out as something different and ended up here.

still deciding how it should be oriented and if I want to bring out the feline face I see in there.

this one I regret the wavy stems and need to figure out a way to ground the flowers so they don’t look like they’re floating

 

[terri]

Here is one I did awhile ago. I was rearranging some of my older stuff I have stacked in the closet, and looked to see if I'd made WIP photos to show with it. I like how it turned out, but am somewhat embarrassed by it because of what it is: it's from a ref "photo" which is actually a digital composite, for fantasy's sake, that someone posted as a challenge elsewhere. What drew me to it was my desire to try to paint the book, as well as try my hand at reeeeally long distances, tree tops and thin horizontal lines. I ended up following the image blindly, including the odd addition of clouds and birds floating by the book. I even mimicked the blown-out digital sun. It's all kind of silly, but I learned a lot by trying it.

So, here is my offering from a ducked head:

The book was easier than I thought it would be. I wasn't concerned about the cover as much as the side view of the pages. I made the little V's at the top and changed the base colors. After getting some other colors rubbed in there and there, I just used a ruler and a photo oil pencil and made several lines. It only took a few minutes.

Here are a couple of WIP shots of doing the book.

It was also weird to do because every section was so different, because as a whole it doesn't really make any sense. This was one of the first times I reached for the larger paper, too, 12" x 16" Arches, and it felt awkward.

Anyway, I thought I'd show it, so there it is.

 

[terri]

Sharon, I love your new ones! The dripping flower is gorgeous (love that shade of blue). It's pretty cute how the cat profile comes out when you change the orientation, like a cat is smelling the flower (or wearing one on her nose). There are lots of possibilities there. You could re-orient it as the beautiful blue flower wash, and it would be awesome. Or turn it into something completely different following the cat face.

Maybe just make notes on the face and the ideas and go at it another time? It's hard to know what to do sometimes - when I see I've somehow started a new direction, I usually listen to my inner level of enthusiasm with the outcome of what I already have. Hard to let go of something so perfect, but the kitty angle is so playful!

I love all your drips and droplets!! In your second one, I don't see a way to ground them without adding a darker color. Not sure it's even necessary, unless you just personally don't care for it. It's not bothering me, I just adore it as is. It's light and floaty. Yum!!