Thursday, March 31, 2016

Sullivan's Island - watercolor

watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      I took a lot of reference photos during our September 2015 trip to Charleston, SC. When I took this one I knew it was kind of cliche. A photo of any kind of sailboat on the beach is on every real estate and tourism brochure for every coastal community in the world. But this one works, I think, since I framed the lighthouse in the rigging and I'm very happy with the looseness.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Thursday, March 24, 2016

50 Futuramic - watercolor+ink

mixed, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      It's been a while since my last ink+wash car. This time I thought I'd show the ink-only version (below). This one worked out very nicely. I played just a little loose with both the ink and the watercolor. Prints and gifts of the ink version also are available here.


Thursday, March 17, 2016

Red Boat, Manteo - watercolor

watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      I took the reference photo for this when my wife and I went to the Outer Banks of North Carolina last year to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Today is our 26th.

      I probably can count the number of water scenes I've painted on one hand. I never feel like I capture it just right. But, this one worked out pretty well. 

Monday, March 14, 2016

Friday, March 11, 2016

Sydney Harbor Bridge - watercolor

watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      Another one from New South Wales, Australia for Virtual Paintout. Just about hit this one out of the park; no pun intended. This is the kind of image I spend a lot of time searching for each month for Virtual Paintout. Leading lines, depth, contrast and at least a little color are all here.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Charleston Terrace - watercolor

watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      Here's another piece from my trip to Charleston SC last year. This is the back of a house visible from a grotto-like walkway that connected one street to a supposedly haunted cemetery.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Luna Park #1 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"

      Virtual Paintout is in New South Wales, Australia this month. I'm not sure I caught quite what I was after with this one. Maybe. The longer I look at it, the more I see it. I probably just need to back away and take another look at it in a day or so. I was hoping to see the bright, sunny fun of the Ferris wheel contrasted with the dark, loneliness of the figure in the shadow. I rarely try to express any kind of deep meaning in my art. So, I hope I'm neither too literal and heavy-handed or so subtle that no one gets it. There's a fine balance that takes practice to get just right.
      Besides all that, I'm not happy with either figure. They look too blobby and amateurish. Something else on which to continue working.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Thursday, March 3, 2016