Midnight Poppies

This 8 by 10 inch mixed media piece was fun and even though there isn't any such thing as a "Midnight Poppies" I thought it would be a great visual feast!
75.00

Jewels

This piece was a commissioned piece and I only have a few more finishing touches and it will be ready to send off to its happy owners.

Magic Falls

Thres Koi

This painting is a watercolor on gessoed WC paper.

6 by 9" 50.00

I was pretty busy this weekend and didn't have too much time for myself but I was able to paint this painting. If course its 11:00 pm but I did get it finished.

h2o a tribute to this beautiful earth

8 by 10 watercolor and Gesso on masonite. $ 75.00
I haven't been to the beach in several years and if given the opportunity I would go to the mountains before I would go to the beach, yet when I do travel to the coast, I'm always in awe of the mighty ocean.
Its been a long day and I think I'll hit the hay. This morning when I woke up there was a stuffed rabbit laying on the pillow next to my head. I know my dog, Glock left this present for me because he loves stuffed animals and makes sure I have at least one to sleep with.

Koi Solo, Tribute to the Earth

7.5 by 8 inches 72.50

Watercolor on gessoed masonite, this painting can be turned in several directions, and it still looks good. Thats the beauty of water…

Koi like to be with other koi, they tend to all hang out together and when one strikes off to swim over to the other side of the pond the rest just automatically go with the Koi who has decided to move. Often the largest fish will swim will lead the other fish or so it seems, the smaller fish follow the larger fish hoping to be under the large fish’s protection.

Usually there will be one or two Koi who are loners, these fish seem shy and like to hide under Lillie pads or behind plants. They swim out in the open but usually all alone. It makes me think of how there are always people who would rather be alone rather than swim along with the crowd.

Waterr Saving Tip: Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Stopper tub before turning water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.

This is the 768 Post for this blog… Its two years old and still going strong.

Tulip Time again

The one on the top is a watercolor on paper 4 by 12 inches $25.00
Before I started this month’s theme I was working on a series of red tulips, you may look back and see four I painted…. I don’t really have them out of my system so here are a couple of more tulips I painted this week the other one, is 7 by 7.5" watercolor on paper for only$45.00

Also …a painting tip… the dark background in Tall Tulip.. is pathalo blue and indigo painted with a 1 inch flat brush in a random cross hatching manner and sprayed with water before it had time to dry. Also,I don't usually mix my colors on the palette, I mix them on the paper.

Beautiful Earth 06

4 inches by 4 inches, watercolor on ampersand ( aquaboard) $45.00
This painting is similar to my tribute to Monet series I did last month and I’m sure I haven’t finished this series as it’s one of my favorite to paint. Also: it fits the theme for the month of August… Water.
It difficult to emphasize the importance of water and more specifically clean water. If we could all do our part by being more aware of how many things we deal with on a regular basis that can seriously damage the fragile Eco systems in and around our water ways. Most of the time it all comes down to the correct disposal of all types of household cleaners and often used chemicals. Fluids like motor oil, anti freeze or household paint really should not go down the gutter or drain, yet I see folks do this everyday. Paint thinners, varnishes, and fuels are often thrown onto the ground rather than sent to special recycle centers . People over spray insecticides in and around their home not thinking about how these chemicals hurt lizards, frogs or small mammals. I watch folks spraying insecticides all around bird feeders and bird baths not thinking they are actually hurting the birds they are attracting and these insecticides eventually end up into the ground water. Take an extra moment next time you have to use any of these items to please be aware of how they are used and where they may end up. Of course last but not least… make sure to dispose of them properly.

Sleepy Koi

Watercolor on gessoed paper $45.00

This little guy looks tired to me so I decided he can be called “sleepy”. If you have fish you know some of them are always swimming fast and darting around then there are those that kinda hide under stuff and only come out when your not around.  This fish is just a little tired and  he is hanging out near the bottom of the pond.  

Hesitant Swimmers ll

3.5 by 7 watercolor on masonite

A few days ago I painted this painting and had two people that wanted to purchase it.  So I painted another one. they are similar but not the same.  

I guess you can say I have a new project, " ladies" is what I'll call it so be looking for my gal pals at the beach and other fun places.  

Koi, or Follow the leader

I painted this little guy and some folks might wonder why his head is off the picture plane. Well... so many people wrote me to say I often paint the heads and not the tail which is to them the most beautiful part of a Koi. So here is one beautiful tail.

Calico Cat Standing by a Wisteria Vine

This video is almost ten minutes long. It isn’t sped up and is painted in “real time” It shows the wet into wet techinique needed for fur. This is where you wet the paper first then apply the color leting it float onto the paper, guiding it to create form.

You don’t have to use a chinese paint brush you can use a number 6 up to a # 9 round and get the same effects. Rice paper is used here but regular watercolor paper also works great, use a bit more water with watercolor paper. Isn’t it great… how the artist gives the cat an asian look with the eyes. The slant is exxagerated, you can do this or put them in straight across rather than angleing them up at the edges. If you want a more “fat” western like cat you just think about the body like a bowling pin and that is the shape you need.

RED on RED

40.00 6.96 by 6.96

Little Pink

Here is a big pink waterlily… you know the flower doesn’t actually grow on top of the leaf and when you see them like this they are just coming up separately thru the split in the leaf. Often they will be floating near the actual lily pad or standing up on their tall stems above the water.

They do come in millions of colors. blue, lavender, white, pink, & even green just to name a few. I bought a book about these flowers and even bought one small hardy plant. I take this research thing a bit far at times. I’m going to make a small water feature on my back deck and see if I can get it to grow. Two tiny round leaves have already sprouted.



This plant is also the symbol for perseverance very much like the koi or the Phoenix something that comes from the muddy depths and seeks the beauty of the light. Always emerging and surviving. Not only beautiful but strong what a combination.

Golden Koi

Watercolor on gessoed wood. 6 by 6 Golden Koi is just one painting that I liked because it is realistic but also has a good abstract feel. The shapes, overlap and the color combinations.

POPPY ACEO

SOLD

This is and ACEO or Artist trading Card…. which is 2.5 by 3.5, A watercolor on paper $16.00 plus 1.5 s & h (the same size as a baseball card).this flower was painted with yellow, quin gold, orange red, and green.
Each of the petals was painted with the lightest paint first then the darks were laid over the lights while wet. Last was the leaves and stem, they were painted with the light yellow green first then the darker green. I use a flat brush which makes it easys to do the leaves and petals.

Fire Flower, ACEO

These small cards are a lot of fun to paint and are good for anyone having problems with composition. The small size means you can't fill them up with things that aren't important. It forces you to think in terms of shape and size instead of items.

I love these colors Quin gold, & Quin coral for the petals and skips green for the leaves and stem with a bit of sepia for contrast.

Lilly 3

This is the third lilly I have painted this week and thus the name. I used colored india ink for this and since they dry back a bit opaque, I just glazed over with watercolor in several places to bring out the beauty of the colors.

8 by 10 on gessoed masonite. ink and watercolor go to the DP site if interested in buying any of my paintings. www.dailypainters.com

Red Water Koi

8 by 10 watercolor on gessoed masonite

Sometimes I'm just in a red mood. SOLD

ACEO Ancient Ritual Series

2.5 by 3.5 $15.00 This is part of my ancient ritual series