watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
This easily could be in Tuscany instead of Napa Valley, California. The Castello di Amorosa is a castle and winery presumably authentic in (most) details near Calistoga CA. Virtual Paintout is in Napa Valley this month. I'm opting for this beautiful location because, try as I might, I just can't paint grape vines to my liking. I'm not even happy with these trees. That's part of the reason I've been on such a landscape bender the last year or so. I'm trying to get better at something I used to avoid.
Porta Del Castello
available, 9"x12"
This one is closer to my comfort zone. No trees, grass or sky to screw up. It's a bit smaller, done in a 9x12 sketch book. I've lately been using a watercolor Visual Journal from Strathmore. I like the cold-pressed texture and the general construction. It has very thick, stiff pressboard covers and is wire-bound to allow flat opening or flipping the forward pages completely under the page you're working on (like wire-bound composition books in school). This is Strathmore paper, though. And a SKETCH book. This paper can't handle too many layers or corrections. You need to get it right in two or three layers or just understand that sketches aren't meant to be finished masterpieces (though many can be). Beyond that, I like this paper for my uses better than some other brands.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
This is from a stock photo I've been sitting on for years. The rough paper texture really made this one pop.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
I played with the texture on this one a bit after I deemed in "finished" because I wasn't happy. So, clean water drops led to lifting out to create some light spots; white gouache added some white highlights; and some white china marker brought up some other areas I thought were too dark.
watercolor, 2016
nfs, 11"x15"
Painted from a shot of my wife with the paper spread out on the bed. Actually, she's much neater than this. I added 90% of the newspaper for the composition's sake. This one hits all the notes: loose, impressionistic, not too photographic, but recognizable, and most importantly, she likes it!
watercolor, 2015
available, 11"x15"
This is the third attempt at this image and I'm still not sure about it.
watercolor, 2016
available, 7"x11"
Just a quick, loose painting of something I saw every day growing up and still see once or twice a week. This fence post denotes the edge of my parents' back yard. The field beyond used to pasture a beautiful white horse when I was very young. Once the horse was gone, the fencing fell into disrepair and has looked like this for at least 40 years.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
St. Anne's is a picturesque, old church in the eastern part of North Carolina. I wasn't too sure about this one until after I scanned it. I like it more now than I did before. But I still might try it again to add some more air around it. I think it's a little too crowded.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
A street scene in Rockport, ME, another I found for Virtual Paintout this month. I'm very happy with this one. I hit just about all the notes for which I was aiming. This is very much the loose impressionism I've been struggling to develop. I'm not even going to mention the minor problems that usually fill these posts.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
Just loose enough, I think. I liked the deep shadows across this yard in Rockport, ME.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
When pedal cars were cool -- and metal -- and actually had pedals instead of electric motors.
watercolor, 2016
available, 8"x10"
Virtual Paintout is in Rockport ME this month. Lots to paint here. Started with this quick, loose doorway. I might do another view of this same house.
watercolor, 2016
available, 11"x15"
This one went a lot darker than it should have. But, it turned into a study in pulling out all the stops and using all the tricks to save a failed painting. And, I'm still not crazy about it.
