A Showdown... Saachi Gallery

Starting May 28th I'm in the showdown so if you like this painting, please go to their site and vote for it! Thanks! P.S. you may have to cut and paste the link if it doesn't work...

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=24648

Gentle Koi

This watercolor piece is 5 inches by 7 inches its is on clyboard ( Ampersand) and has been sprayed with fixative.

You can choose to frame it like an oil painting or in the traditional manner of watercolor.

My Blue palette

This is my blue Palette, I wanted to show you some of the paints I use.

I have all of these paints on my blue palette all the time and will use the empty place in the middle for a color which I may only use for a particular painting. I like to have all of my blues, reds, and yellows, separated on different pallets. It seems to make sense to me when mixing and when working with the various colors. I sometimes change a color here and there depending upon what I'm painting, but I find these are the colors I feel I need to paint the variety of subjects which I paint. Many of my paintings only have three or four paints used but I like to have them all out and ready to go, I don't like to spend time squeezing color out of the tube. Especially for these daily paintings, its nice to step up to the painting table and be ready to go in only a minute or two.

The paints are from left to right Paynes Grey - Mimariblue brand(MB), Cyan-MB, Antwerp-Windsor Newton (WN), Ultramarine WN, Cobalt- Cheap Joes (CJ) Permenent Violet bluish- MB, Andrew Turquoise -CJ, Cerulean- Daniel Smith (DS), Sap green DS, Hooker's green DS or WN Windsor green (blue shade)WN
With these blues I can come up with pretty much anything I need. There are reflective colors such as Cobalt and opaques like Andrews Turquoise and of course transparents like Cyan. I can achieve dark darks or the lightest lights, All of these mix well and make wonderful combinations. If you have a question regarding any of these paints I would be glad to help you, as I know them prety well.

Doves Corner

This is a small painting of an area frequented by doves and many other birds but we started calling it Dove's corner just because a pair of doves are always in the area.


The weeds are painted using a pallet knife, & the snow is just the white of the paper. I like painting snow and I think students love to paint it too. Maybe its because its easy to get the contrasts needed for a good depth in the values.

ACEO -"SPRING SURPRISE" a painting a day

This is an ACEO which measures 2.5 by 3.5 it's for sale for $10.00 + 1.50 SH.
email me if your intersted.

I didn't draw this, I basically painted it negatively then filled in the centers then put in the shadow marks. I love the loose sketch feel of the flowers.

Beach fisherman- A painting a day

SOLD

This small 6 by 9 inch painting is painted on a page from a arches watercolor travel book.

Its for taking with you for plien aire, to capture watercolor sketches. I wanted to try it before I take it tomorrow to paint. Its our second meeting with a new art group. In fact, I am helping to start it up. Its called " The Tega Cay fine arts association" We 're putting together a group of fine artists that would like to paint together once a week in the Lake Wylie area. There are only three of us founding members so far as we are getting the By-laws and such written up. Then we'll send out press releases and invitations to other local artist. Its kinda exciting. We already got a local coffee shop to put up our paintings and reserve a wall for our group.

If your interested in this painting just email me, its $25.00. Shantmarie@aol.com

Gems of the Orient- koi -A painting a day

I worked on this painting today and found I struggled a bit. More with the composition then the application. This is a normal situation most painters find themselves in. After you’ve been painting a while you don’t worry so much about how to do something as what to do. I hope that makes sense. When you have mastered all the techniques, then you have to decide when, where and how to utilize them. The problem with really great art and creating it is the fine line each artists walks with trying to express something and not allowing it to be over done. Something a little too bright will appear schmaltzy, a little to dark it may appear flat and lifeless, too light and it will seem to lack depth, the balance one seeks is difficult to achieve but when its right, anyone can see that it is so.I am hoping you enjoy my Koi as I think I may be getting close to working thru my Koi series. This piece is for sale for $100.00 USD …size is 15 by 11(inches) on 300 lb paper. This will fit into a standard size frame of 16 by 20.It would look smashing in your home. Who knows…I may even keep it if it doesn’t sell right away.

I have so many artists that visit my blog, I decided to give out a little information about each painting.
My colors for the water are: cyan, sepia, ultramarine blue and phathalo green. most of the time mixed in various combinations.The pigments of the Koi are: orange lake, Quin gold, primary red, cad yellow, Burnt Sienna and the black is made from three colors mentioned above, the red, green and blue.

Winter's path - A painting a day

I love contrast and that's why I always like painting snow. The bright white against the dark rocks. Also the shadows with their many colors reflecting from off of the snow. This isn't a small painting but a 11 by 15 (inches) and is for sale for $100.00 USD, no mat or frame but it will fit into a 16 by 20 standard size frame you can pick up anywhere.

I think these colors fit into modern as well as traditional decor. Write me today if you are interested. I have a feeling this one will go fast. Shantmarie@aol.com

Chickadee- a painting a day

SOLD

This little painting is 5 by 6 inches,it is painted on 140 lb paper. Black capped chickadees come to my house most days.