Window - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 11"x15"

      Just another "portal" painting. Portals -- in the form of doors and windows -- have been popular in art for centuries. I like the inherent mystery of wondering what's on the other side.

55 Series 62 - watercolor + ink

 

mixed, 2018

available, 11"x15"

 prints and gifts also available

      Back when American cars were big, heavy and beautiful. A look at this one before the watercolor was applied is below. 

prints and gifts available only

Dots and Dashes - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      A quick, wet and loose wash of various blues gave me a tinted ground for this still life. Once that dried, all I had to do was paint in the shadows with a darker mix of blue. Having the image drawn out before the initial wash allowed me to leave a few spots lighter than the rest of the wash to allow for the brighter highlights. Those were accentuated a bit -- and the polka dots added -- with a little titanium white watercolor. Forget the "rule" about not using white in watercolor. The final image is the only rule that matters.

51 Kaiser Henry J - gouache

gouache, 2017

available, 8"x10"

prints and gifts also available

      I've had the reference for this one for years. I was never quite sure about the odd angle and foreshortening. I finally decided that gouache would be better than watercolor for the almost cartoony look of the image. It turned out this was one of those paintings that painted itself in just a few hours. It was possibly the fastest I've ever painted anything with this level of realism.

58 Ranger - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 8"x10"

prints also available

      An old '58 Edsel Ranger left in a field.

Edgefield Winter Morning - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 8"x10"

prints and gifts also available

      I'd been sitting on this reference photo for a couple years because I wasn't sure if I could get it believable. I'm glad I finally dove in. It turned out to be one of my favorite landscapes. And, it's quite appropriate for the winter storm my area is dealing with now.

Portland Bill - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      Just a quick landscape of the Portland Bill Lighthouse and a couple resting boats. I tried phthalo blue for the sky. In mass tone I hate the phthalo colors. But, when applied fairly thin, phthalo blue makes a nice sky. I'm also happy with how the ocean and surf worked -- and how easy it was. I usually struggle with believable surf.

Natalie - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 9"x12"

      Just a quick, loose portrait of a model from some glamour site. There's very little about this one I don't like -- except maybe the scan. Scanning always adds contrast and washes out some of the lighter spots, hiding much of the subtlety inherent in the real painting. I recently went through some originals and was struck at how much better many of them were than I remember them because I'm used to seeing the scanned file. I'm still trying to figure out an easy method of shooting originals with my camera. Theoretically, I should get a much better, truer-to-life image that way.
       I used a pretty limited palette on this one, yellow ochre, a warm red and ultramarine blue for the skin tones - with just a touch of permanent rose to bring the nose forward. The hair and lips needed a couple more colors and I think the background blue is a loose mix of ultramarine and cobalt. The fewer colors you use, the less chance of mud, everyone always says.

Carricknahowley - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 9"x12"

prints also available

      I'm very happy with this one. It's just loose enough; it's Ireland; the sky isn't completely terrible. I actually found the location through a YouTube clip from a BBC show called Awash With Colour wherein Dermot Cavanagh teaches a celebrity to paint a particular scene in Ireland. In one episode Cavanagh and the celebrity of the week (I don't remember who it was now.) painted this location from a different perspective. I found the location and several photos of it through Google Maps.

Mallorca Villa - watercolor+ink

mixed, 2016

available, 8"x10"

      This is another reference from Mallorca for Virtual Paintout. I'd seen another artist use a blue watercolor wash with an ink sketch and liked the effect. So, here you go, some thin Prussian Blue over an ink sketch.

Blowing Rock Church - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      This is from a reference photo I shot back in the summer of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock, NC. There is a particular lighting issue that bugs me. But, it's probably only noticeable to me. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with a couple new techniques I tried out on this one.

      Also, happy new year!

Ford Afield - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts available

        Merry Christmas all! I know this isn't very festive, but I've never had much success with holiday-themed pieces. Maybe that's something I should think about for the new year.

Farm Hauler - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 15"x22"

prints and gifts also available

      Another loose, impressionistic rusty truck. Pretty happy with this one. I'm finding that when I'm not happy with something it isn't always because there's something wrong with that spot; it's often because I haven't gotten my head completely wrapped around impressionism and suggesting rather than showing every little thing. Progress, maybe?

#387 - gouache

gouache, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts available

      I'm pretty happy with how this figure/portrait worked out. I actually had intended to go a little looser. But, it just wanted to be more realistic. I squeezed in some looser spots here and there, though.

Caitlin's Cottage - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

9"x12"

      This is a quick, loose sketch of the cottage my daughter is living in this summer while doing an internship in Michigan. We hate her being gone all summer -- especially so far away that it's prohibitive for us to visit her. But this is a great learning experience for her. So, more power to the Puddinator!

Bicycle #3 - gouache

gouache, 2015

NFS, 11"x15"

prints and gifts available

      I love where this one went. I knew gouache could be used to duplicate the look of oils without the fumes, danger and technical mumbo-jumbo. And, that's sort of where I've been heading. But, this one blows me away. It just fell into place.

57 Chevy #5 - pastels

pastels, 2009

original available, 12"x16" $200

prints also available

      I still occasionally dabble in pastels, though I haven't in a long while.

The City of High Point - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

11"x15" $125

prints also available

      I was getting some shots of the train depot in Salisbury NC a few years ago when I got lucky and a train actually pulled in. Well, imagine my surprise when the train in question was named "The City of High Point," my hometown. This is one of those pieces that seems to be growing on me. I was "happy" with it when I finished it, meaning it had some good point and some bad points. But the more I look at it, the more I like, the more I think it shows me heading in the right impressionistic direction.

T-Bird #2 - gouache

gouache, 2015

original available, 11"x15" $125

prints also available

      I'm REALLY happy with this one! It's exactly the direction I want to go with gouache AND it's automotive, so win-win!

Wine & Heels - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 9"x12" $150

prints and gifts also available