Do try this at home!

At least that is what I've found... Working in my own studio, I feel comfortable and can explore on things that might seem too ambitious for a 3-5 hour class where I have to tote all the gear in, subject myself to Hazel's criticism, and work with limitations of size and scope.

So over this weekend, I tackled this lovely piece - it's a 16 x 20 acrylic based on a photograph I saw recently and just loved because of the colors. I love the simplicity of it too. What do you think?

I am giving it to my older son, Kris, who has a small but bare apartment in Brooklyn Heights, NY. He needs color and I need space! I hope he loves it!

My first creature attempt

I decided I had gotten into this class to be able to illustrate a children's story book based on my dog and my son Pete's dog so, this being the last class of the session, I better darn well take a stab at canines. Here's Smokey. I realize her eyes look evil and scary and hollow and I'll have to do something about that, but I am sort of pleased with the overall shape and stance and all that. What do you think?

And on the other picture -- remember, I work in pairs at least, since it takes them time to dry -- I still had another seascape in me, as illustrated here. It is from a scene on one of the travel brochures from the Panhandle region of Florida. I murked up the water something bad, but did an OK job on the seashells, sandollars and bird prints, I think.

Today's lesson: patterns, shadows and highlights

It was a hectic week getting back into the swing of life, what with work, unpacking, stocking up the fridge and all, but I managed to get to painting class all the same.

Driving in I noticed the fall leaves are still so gorgeous and I think lend themselves to watercolor painting, but unfortunately, I'd brought images of Florida to paint instead. I am tempted to bring my acrylic supplies but just didn't have my act together enough, so...


The top painting is based on a photo I took while visiting a medieval village in Austria. Hazel tried to help me get the angles and perspective right and showed me how the pattern of the sky against the rooftops was what would draw peoples interest.

I'm afraid I really botched it up when I went home and used a heavier than appropriate black marker to outline things on it. Darn! Mediocre at best.

The image below that also deals with sky and just when it looked like it was a complete failure, Hazel came by, took my paintbrush, and put some great highlight color onto the brick in the foreground to really make it jump out. And used blue to shade in the white beams. The whole painting is, again, mediocre, since I think the colors - excuse me, the VALUES - are way too dark in most of it, but it was a great lesson in applying little changes to bring things to life. And if I did anything good, it was the original brickwork. For the mortar, I basically scrubbed the paint out with a fine brush and water.

Acrylics, LOVE THEM!!!

OK, the vacation is almost over and I hate like heck to leave and return home.

That said, I've discovered a newfound love: ACRYLICS!

OMG, why doesn't anyone ever tell new painters that they are so much easier to work with than watercolors? That the final product is vibrant, fun, exciting ... brilliant! That they are forgiving and give the works more oomph?

I used to love the look of watercolor paintings and will admit they are beautiful. But now, honey, there's a new kid in town!

I tried painting in acrylics both ways - watering them down and using like watercolors, as in the first painting, above. It was done on canvas, though, and the flaws of the cheap canvas showed through. Clever me, though I incorporated the flaws into the mast of the sunken wreck and the moon.

The other is a goldfish. I've been dabbling with her all week and think if I don't stop now, she'll be a mess! From my friends at painting classes, I learned that using craft-style "bubble paints" is OK as long as it is for really out there endeavors. I figured this goldfish and my gold glitter bubble paint were made for each other!

My first plein air efforts!

Well, to be able to paint "en plein air" is something probably most artists hope to achieve at some point in their lives. Some are more fortunate and get to do this on a daily basis. Today was my first effort in this and it was lovely in what I was able to experience, but the set up and all that proved ... cumbersome to say the least. And trying to paint in sand? Not so much! Even though I had a great blanket spread out and the painting box with easel. The problem arose because we'd brought Smokey and, well, let's just say dogs, sand, and watercolor painting do not mix...

When I got back to our rental home and looked at them after they dried, I am afraid I ruined them with the dark markers I used to liven up the color of the grasses. Too heavy handed, me thinks.

Having a lovely time, wish we could stay here!!!

OMG, I love it down here! We're staying in Gulf County, Florida, on the Panhandle below Panama City in the area of Port St. Joe. We've rented a place 1-1/2 blocks from the beach which is deserted except for us, the dog, and occasional flies, gulls, and dolphins that dance in the water. Every night, the sunset is better than the night before!

There's not a McDonalds or Walmart within 30 miles, I think, probably one of the reasons it's so lovely and we love it! (No offense, you two global giants of commerce, but the less people, the better...)

The mornings are filled with walks on the beaches with the dog. And I mean LONG walks (at least by Smokey and I... David tends to lag behind and relax in his own way). We explore. She sniffs and meanders and I tredge purposefully along the surfline in one direction and up by the dunes and grasses on the return trip.

Today, we actually snuck out leaving "daddy" behind to sleep and drove to one of the beaches at Mexico Beach. As we walked, the dolphins escorted us along the coastline. I got loads of great shells, and of course, Smokey had a grand ole time! I shot pictures of the sun as it rose and plan to paint some of these gorgeous scenes at some point.

We arrived back home to a nice breakfast and are planning the day as I write. I haven't yet tackled the plein air painting of my ambitions yet but think today is the day. We have a cart to wheel all the gear down to the beach with and I'll spread out a blanket and have a chair as well. Can't wait!