Puppies and washi tape

The two things that I just love are puppies and washi tape, both of which I've had abundance.  I stop counting my washi tape after I reached a 100 washi tape rolls.

 

As for puppies, there is nothing like sweet puppy breath!

 

With this small painting I combined my two loves.

 

 

 

Maddie

When making journals sometimes I don't need the whole piece of watercolor paper.  So when I cut the watercolor paper to size I usually have a small piece of watercolor paper left over.  I've been saving those pieces and creating small watercolor paintings. 

 

This watercolor painting of Maddie is only  4" x 4.5". 

 

 

 

Ventura Beach

Last weekend I went to Santa Barbara and Ventura to enjoy the nice sunny warm weather.  This is a quick wet-on-wet watercolor that I did in my small watercolor notebook 3.5" x 5.5", using 140lb watercolor paper.

 

 

 

Three Finches

 

 

I'm working on a series of finches that I thought I could use for note cards.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue and Green Finch

In the morning when I'm sitting outside in my backyard  drinking my morning coffee, I can hear small birds chirping.  I wanted to try a different size of watercolor paper that I normally don't use.  For this painting I used a 9.5" x 4.5"  140LB watercolor paper, which I thought would be perfect to capture the small finches that I heard in my trees.

 

Sometimes it's good to mix things up!

 

 

 

 

Primorsky -- Kay Region Russia Virtual Paintout coastal view

 

I only have a few more pages in my journal, so I thought I'd paint another view of Primorsky Kay Region in Russia...a coastal view.

 

With this painting, I used my new set of Landscape watercolor pencils from Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle.  I really like these pencils...the colors are rich, they go on smooth, and blend really well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primorsky -- Kay Region Russia Virtual Paintout

 



I discovered this cool website: http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com

a couple of years ago.  It's a blog that uses Google Street View as a resource for traveling the world to find interesting locations and subjects to paint.

 

I sometimes visit the site to see what country they are exploring. For the month of June, they are visiting the Vladivostok - Primorsky Kay Region in Russia.

 

 

I only have a few more pages in my 6" x  8" journal and thought looking for something to paint in Russia would be ideal.  I finally found this view, somewhere in the country side of Primorsky. 

 

On this painting I started with my Daniel Smith watercolors and let the first layer dry.  When I went back to continue painting, my DS were in the car and I didn't want to get up to get them, so I used my Prang watercolor set that was right on the table.  I also used Paper mate flair markers to give my definition to the painting.

 

Overall I like how this turned out.  As I told my husband, this is a great way to save airfare and paint in my pj's.

Gel Crayons

 

While in Dick Blick last week, I came across these gel crayons.  For $12...I wasn't breaking the bank.  They go on smooth and are watercolor soluble.  It's a nice set to play with.

 

 

 

A little bird

 

Still painting wet-on-wet using the student grade watercolor set on the left.  For being a student grade paint set...the colors are rather nice.

 

 

 

Sunflowers...

Today I worked on a small painting wet-on-wet of this sunflower.

 

 

 

Using only one color to render a painting

 

Today's paint I used only one color French Ultramarine Blue to paint this Venetian city. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazel Soan's Watercolor Rainbow

 

I discovered Hazel Soan a few months ago and really liked her style of painting.   She paints wet-on-wet and very loose.  I had downloaded her 10 minute a day book on Kindle and started to work through it...basically just looking at the photos and seeing if I could render something similar.  I was hoping that her hardback book "Watercolor Rainbow" would give a little bit more technique.  I ordered the book and it took several weeks to get, since it was coming from the UK. 

 

It's a beautiful book that explores the colors in your palette.  Lots of paintings with a list of watercolor paints she used to complete the painting. Unfortunately, no step-by-step technique. 

 

Even though the book doesn't have the step-by-step technique I was hoping for, she does explore colors in your palette. I still found the book useful to me, that I've order a couple more of her books.  I'm hoping to take a workshop from her next year in the UK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look what I got all the way from Australia....

 

Come and meet....Piper


I'm always looking for a pencil case that would accommodate my pencil, pens, markers, a small watercolor set, and a 3.5" x 5.5" watercolor journal.  When I saw Piper I knew he'd do everything I wanted.  I found him on E-bay.  Now to take him out for a test run.





Acacia tree

Still working through Hazel Soan's "Watercolour Rainbow".  Today's exercise was paint an acacia tree using only Cerulean Blue, Aureolin yellow, and a tad of violet for the dark tones.

 

 

 

 

French bull dog

 

I love French bull dogs, and I do see one in the near future.  Ever since I saw one up close in Florence, Italy, I knew this was the dog for me.  Now trying telling that to Maddie, Sophie, Coco, and Jolie.

 

 

 

More small journal dog portraits

I'm not sure what breed this dog is.  If I'd have to guess I'd say probably made part beagle.  His eyes were so sad. 

 

 

 

Bull dog puppy

I saw this bull dog puppy at the vet.  He was so patiently waiting for his turn to see the vet.

 

 

 

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

I have owned 4 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  They are the sweetest, gentle, and loving dog you could own. 

 

 

 

bull dog with a happy face

 

I love bull dogs and would really like to own one, but due to their size and weight it's not going to happen.  So painting or drawing them is almost just as good as owning one without all the work.

 

 

 

 

Paintings from my dog journal

 

Everyday I sketch and paint a different dog.  Some are my own, some are dogs I've seen out when I take my dogs walking.  Today's dog is a terrier mix from the dog park.  I used the following materials to render this painting in my 3.5" x 5.5" journal.