Pallini, Greece Virtual Paintout

 

I really love roaming around Google Maps of Greece.  In doing so, I've discovered the really blue ocean water.

 

 With this painting I was able to use my new Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle Marine set.  The set has the perfect shades of blues for the ocean and light bluff color that I used for the sand.  I did have to grab a couple of colors from my landscape set to help with rendering the sand.  I've never been a messy painter and I found it challenging to splatter the flecks for the pebbles on the beach.  But it got done.

 

This was painted in my 4" x 5.5" watercolor journal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pallini, Greece 

 

 

Greece Virtual Paintout

On Virtual Paint Out for July, Greece is the country to visit.  So I went on Google maps and scouted out a location I wanted to paint.  This ocean scene was in the neighborhood of Istiea, Edipsos, Greece.

 

 I painted this in my small watercolor journal that is 4" x 5.5".  I used Daniel Smith watercolors.

 

 

Sketchbookery Journal with Chevron binding week 2

After two days of watching videos, making my sketchbook for class and doing my first journal page...I'm tired, but happy with what I've created.

 

I've never have included lettering to journal pages in the past, but I think this is something I'll probably include in the future.

 

My journal measures  5.5" x 7.5". I used handmade paper for the covers which I bought in Santa Barbara a few weeks ago.  I have 3 signatures with 5 pages per signature.  The watercolor paper I've used 140lb cold press, handmade watercolor paper that is 300lbs cold press, and 140lb hot press watercolor paper.

 

The binding was a little tricky because the holes had to be an even number and I really didn't like the tying off in the center of each signature.  But I did put washi tape over the center pages so I wouldn't see the bumps created with the tie offs.

 

Overall I'm please with my journal and can't wait to fill it up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monet's garden

 

I was going through some of my photo's from Monet's garden that I took last year and decided to use one as a reference for a painting.  Lots of detail was going on in the photo and I had to pick and choose what I wanted to convey about that moment in time.

 

 

 

Modified contour drawing

I started a new class with Mary Ann Moss "Sketchbookery".  First week is about contour drawing and modified contour drawing.   Here is the first page in my journal.  On the left side is my small watercolor palette with 14 watercolors that seem to work for me.  On the right side is a modified contour drawing ( I look at my subject and if I need to, I can look at my drawing to make sure that the lines are meeting up in the right place.)

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Chinese Crested Powder Puff

 

Jolie when she was just a puppy.  Pen and ink with some watercolor.

 

 

 

Dog portraits Coco

 I working in a small watercolor journal which will have about 12 to 14 pen and ink with some watercolor drawings of dogs.    Today's dog is Coco.

Prismacolor brush tip markers

 

Walking around Joann's last week, I came across  Prismacolor markers.  These markers are water base, so using a water brush to spread the color is no problem.  I've seen the ink base Prismacolor markers, so I was surprised to see these.

 

These markers were perfect for my backyard painting session, using a limited palette.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised with the color saturation.

 



 

 

I started out with the blue marker to sketch in the bird.  Then I switch colors to do the flowers, and finally used the orange and yellow for the background.  When everything was dry, I went back in with my black sharpie to define the shapes.

Ostrich running

 

 

Another backyard painting session.  I used only the brown in the Prang watercolor set.  This was a  5 minute study.  140lb watercolor paper.  8 1/4" x 5 1/4".

 

 

 

 

Koala bear from Los Angeles Zoo

 

Last November I spent a day visiting the Los Angeles Zoo.  I took a lot of photos and now just beginning to look at them.

 

This is another backyard painting session.  140lb watercolor paper. 8 1/4" x 5 1/4".

 

 

 

 

Ocean surf

 

My new past time, while the weather is comfortable to sit outside in my back yard, is to paint.  I go through my IPAD photo's and pick something out and see what I come up with.

 

I'm using Prang watercolor pan set of 16 colors.  I wanted something that was portable with a limited palette and this fit the bill.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this painting was created using the above watercolor set using a water brush.  I think I probably worked on this for about an hour.  The nice thing about painting outside was that the paint dried quickly, so I was able to complete the painting in one sitting. The painting measures 8 1/4" by 5 1/4". I used 140lb watercolor paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More artist tiles

This was suppose to be a dog, but looks more like a bear, but I'll go with a dog in my backyard.  I started with a white gel ink pen, but wanted to add some color to the dog, so I pulled out my Schminke gouache.  Once the dog was painted, I felt the painting need something more, so I added a flower pot and brick on the background.

Doodles with gel ink pens

My new past time is doing doodles on black artist tiles with gel ink pens.  I just start on one corner and make my way around the tile.  On this particular tile I also used some Schminke gouache.

A planter box of Sunflowers

When the weather is great, and not windy, I like sitting outside in my garden and paint.   What caught my attention was the planter box of lovely sunflowers.  Sunflowers always make me smile.

Giraffe with color

I love contour drawing.  It's so simplistic and easy.  Not to long ago I discovered Dylusions Ink Spray by Ranger.

After doing my contour drawing of the giraffe I wanted to add color and didn't want to spend the time adding watercolor.  I was in Joann's and happen to see a display of the Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray, so I bought a couple of packages.  I picked out 3 colors, pure sunshine,post box red, and fresh lime.  I just sprayed away and instantly had color on my giraffe.  As you can see, I probably should of mopped up some of the color, but for a first time using the ink spray, I was happy with the results.  Here's a link for Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray.

http://rangerink.com/?product=dylusions-ink-sprays

Happy Mother's Day

My little angel woke me up this morning with a cute mother's day card that she posed for.

 

 

 

Tulips from the garden

Just in time for Spring. 

 

 

Tulips for Spring

I was hoping to go to Amsterdam this Spring to see all the tulips in bloom, but it doesn't look like I'll be able to get there until October--so maybe next year.  In the meantime I'll just paint the tulips I bring home from the florist.

 

 

 

 

Venice canal

It's been years since I've been to Venice, Italy--and I have many photos of that week I spent there.  So trying to capture a moment from that time.