Just Bee

My final WC for 2013; a project assignment from an earlier month, I wanted to be sure to do this one.

In Three-Quarter Time

For the December 2013 paint along project on Yahoo's Watercolor Workshop. This photo was taken by Sue Drennen and she assigned the December project for us. Thanks Sue!
Watercolor on Arches 140#CP. 

Rabbit Trail ...."Eyes of Love"

Actually it's a cat trail if you will pardon me while I slip in an oil painting here that I named
"Eyes of Love" a cat reference that I found on Paint my Photo by:  Jen Melnick.

This oil painting was wrapped canvas following the exact technique like in my link for "Promise"

            

Best Friends

Photo Ref from Paint My Photo

taken by Freda A. Nichols

All That Glitters

November 2013 project for Watercolor Workshop

Free Fall

For October 2013 Project to Watercolor Workshop; I enjoyed painting this and was quite happy with the outcome.

 

The following link will take you to photos of a card I made with prints of this painting.

 https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36662206#editor/target=page;pageID=7939544960345382421

Afternoon Delight and Harmony

"Harmony"

August 2012

 

"Afternoon Delight"

Watercolor on Arches 140 # CP. Painted from my own set up plein aire and photo. A nice way to spend a summer afternoon, and a fresh cold slice from the fridge was an afternoon delight.

Quaint

This was painted from a photo taken by John Warren on Paint my Photo; he said it was a house in Alacati. I am calling my painting Quaint.

Winter Tree

 

Winter Tree

Project for Yahoo WC Workshop

March 2013

Homepage spot

I was thrilled this morning to see my painting of the Mountain Lion (Numbers24Nine) on the homepage of Yahoo's Watercolor Workshop. Thank you again Mark Nesseth for letting me use your photo as a reference!

Berries & Bowl

Berries & Bowl

 

One of the things I want to be working on this year is crystal, so I was excited to get started doing it. The beautiful crystal bowl, a gift to me from Denny! I worked from my own photo. When I took a photo of it today it was so cold outside that the painting buckled up immediately because it was still damp. 

Retake of photo March 20, 2026 to be donated to silent auction at Solid Rock end of March!

Numbers24Nine

As the lion or lioness - who dares arouse him?

size 11 X 14 

My Nephew, Mark Nesseth let me use his photo for a reference in painting this Mountain Lion; thank you Mark!

Times and Seasons

This is the finished painting, a project on Watercolor Workshop last July 2012, but I didn't do it then and it fits the project requirements for March 2013.

Photo by Brian E

 Times and Seasons

This is my first WC in which I adhered the paper (Aches 140 lb CP) to a piece of hardboard, in this case a gessoed art panel that I've had for awhile.

I loved taking this out of my Clearbag and it was ready to go. No messing with taping, stretching, mounting, stapling etc. As I wet the paper with my brush, it did not lift or buckle, never through the whole thing. I'm going back in now for a 2nd sitting to tweak this painting and will continue to report to you how it went. I can see this mounting technique would work for me even if I didn't intend to varnish it. I am smiling!

Follow this link for how I prepared the board for this painting

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36662206#editor/target=page;pageID=3032892072931196785

Two days later: I have now given this one and the wrapped portrait 3 coats of varnish. I used Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS (Satin), put some in a glass jar and added approximately 1/4 of volume of water. I used a new brush for the first coat but found it to wash out easily enough and was able to dry it for the next coat; this product isn't nearly as sticky and brush destroying as the Golden Soft Gel that I used to glue the paper to the hardboard in the first step. My plan is to switch to using a sponge applicator for that glueing process in the first step.

My observations so far: (1) I like the soft sheen which as far as I'm concerned, did not change the color at all. (2) I think diluting it down is definitely necessary; small bubbles were present but disappleared as it dried. (3) The first coat made the paper buckle slightly, not on this painting but on the portrait. It flattened back out when dry, then buckled less on each subsequent coat. (4) I plan to give them both the fourth and final coat tonight before bed. Drying overnight or all day is long enough in our Minnesota dry climate; consequently I will do the varnishing in two days as opposed to four.

Stop and Smell the Roses

This is WC paper soaked, wrapped and stapled to a stretcher frame like you would stretch canvas onto. I have yet to decide if I'm finished painting it so I haven't put on the varnish yet. I have never tried this technique, but so far I enjoyed the clean professional feel to the paper. It is no more work than stretching paper or taping it down like I've been doing for years, and in the end, the painting can be hung without glass, and even without a frame. It was so different going around the wrapped edges like a gallery wrap, but how fun.
My thanks to my friend Brenda for allowing me to use her beautiful photo; very enjoyable to paint.http://emotiveexpressions.blogspot.com/search/label/gallery%20wrapped%20watercolour

Here is a link which explains this technique, which I can't take credit for:
http://emotiveexpressions.blogspot.com/search/label/gallery%20wrapped%20watercolour

Jeremiah One Eleven

"Jeremiah One Eleven & Twelve"

SOLD!  For prints visit Fine Art America

I enjoyed doing this painting and can't wait to frame it. I haven't felt that way about my art for a long time. These are almond blossoms, painted from a photo taken by Roger Brown. Thank you Roger.

Jeremiah 1:11-12 "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I will hasten my word to perform it."

Paddling Upstream

 

January 2013 Project on Watercolor Workshop; the challenge was to do a painting using our non-dominant hand. It was like paddling upstream for me, thus the title.

Double Blessing

SOLD - prints available on Fine Art America

Young Megan

Tranquil

GlassProjectMay2012

Bob and Friend

Bob & Friend

Spring Romance

Prints are available at Fine Art America. Let me know if you are interested in the original.

The Pearfect Ballet

Garden Shoes

Heartstrings

Painted for a "shoe project" December, 2011.

Bittersweet

Thank you Rodney Campbell at "paint my photo" for sharing the reference photo that spoke to me as my re-entry after losing my Mom in August.

Acappella 2nd sitting

Gerbera

"Leap for Joy"

This painting was complete quite some time ago and I have just now decided to include it here in my blog; it was more of a study, and not quite typical of my style really; nonetheless I feel joy just seeing it like I felt while painting this from a photo by Lori Andrews on "paint my photo".

Jana's Iris

My first ever Iris and I will be painting more. This one from my own photo taken at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - when I see the beauty in a place like that it makes me wonder "how much more beautiful could heaven possibly be?"

Addie Bleu

She's a sweet, shy, little doll, soft as silk - my feline "Blue Burmese"

Addie Bleu

Addie Bleu is a sweet, shy, little doll - extremely soft, my feline "Blue Burmese"

Inner Glow

Watercolor on 140# Aches, 8" x 12"

Peekiing Through the Grapevines

Photo ref for this is from friend Kounelli "Manny" on flickr; I asked him for permission last year sometime and just painted it; thanks Manny

Tetrad Color Wheel

Some things I've learned about tetrads color groups:

- A tetrad consists of 4 colors positioned on the color wheel in either a square or a rectangle as in this diagram.
- You determine the color choice by deciding what you would like your dominant color to be and the rest will be built off this dominant color choice.
- Choose a "sister" color by moving either 2 or 3 colors to the left or right of the one you chose.
- Number 3 and 4 are decided for you by following a straight line across the square or rectangle, finding the complements apparent if you had drawn an "X" inside the box.
- See my chart below for 9 possible color groups resulting from the diagram above.

Some things I've learned about painting with a "tetrad" color group:
* Choose from the color wheel what your dominant color will be
* Next, choose a "sister" color either 2 to the left or right of the dominant color, or 3 to the left or right of the dominant color.
* Now, the remaining 2 colors are chosen for you by making a straight line across the inside of the color wheel as in this diagram.
* The tetrad consists of 4 colors, not just any random colors; they are in harmony.
* Instead of a square or rectangle you could think of it in terms of an "X" - across from each of your chosen colors, is it's complement. Striking grays can be created by mixing complements, or used in it's pure color make the painting sing.

Tetrad Painting

This study was for two purposes (1) to stay within the 4 colors chosen from my tetrad study below, in this case - the first one on the 3 row. (2) to practice painting in the round

Tetrad painting

This study helped me practice 2 things: (1) staying within the 4 colors chosen for the study, in this case - number 1 on the bottom row of my tetrad study below (2) I've been wanting to practice a round format in WC

Tetrad Color Groups - 9 possible choices

I've been studying tetrads and have created a diagram to better help me group the colors:

Crystal Bowl

Thanks to Vicki Greene for use of her photo and Susan Roper for coaching through the use of her demo, this was a project for the Watercolor Workshop online.

Valentine Roses

Dennis gave me pink roses between our anniversary and valentines day; they inspired me to paint roses and after seeing a photo by Michiel Thomas, he graciously allowed me to use it as a painting reference.

Solitude

From Brent Nesseth's photo comes this watercolor on Arches 140 lb 11 x 14

Blind Pears

Credit on this one goes to Dorena Kerry for use of her photo.

Blind Pears

Painted from a photo by Dorena Kerry - thanks Dorena

Pear of Pears

For a September "Pear Project" on WcW

The Fountain

From my photo taken at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen

Juicy June

I don't do bugs, well okay I've made an exception. This is an unusually juicy style for me; yikes I had to give up control.

Golden Tree Nymph WC

My thanks to June Damanti for allowing me to use her gorgeous photo as a reference for this painting. Please take a look at June's website for a mini vacation: http://www.bydamanti.com/

When I saw her photo I was so impressed with the macro perspective and gorgeous color I yearned to get out the watercolors.

"Favour" makes the Homepage of WcW

I am proud to announce that this painting is being featured on Yahoo's Watercolor Workshop - Homepage - for the month of June. That is such an honor and of course a boost to my ego as well. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WatercolorWorkshop/