early autumn

 

$40 - 5x7 print with 8x10"mat

I'm having a blast with this new water-soluble pen that I've been using for Inktober (#inktober2018) It's called the Elegant Writer Pen and it releases green and a bit of pink ink when wet. You can see two videos of me painting it on Instagram. 

The ink will fade with time, so I have made prints of it on artist quality paper.

Inktober continues...

Rhino's Day Out

You can see a video of this guy being painted, which turned out a little better than the last one of my lion, over at Instagram and Facebook. 

Unfortunately, Blogger won't unload the video here.

Last but not least my hungry friend bear... 

Friendly, but Hungry

Art Show This Weekend!

I'll be there! Me and my paintings. Hope to see you there too! 

heavy soul

6x8" pen and watercolour

$40 - print

You can see a short video of me painting this big cat over on my Instagram account - Click here 
or on my Facebook account - Here.

morning bears and smokey eyes

Inktober Day 4 and 5... the fun continues! I spilled a spot of tea on my husky drawing, right on his little snout. Fortunately, the wash of watercolour hides it. 

; )

Prints available

Antelope and Donkey

A couple of cutie patooties for Inktober Day 2 and 3!

5x7" prints available

Billy Goat

I drew this with the awesome Elegant Writer Pen for Inktober Day One! With a touch of a wet brush, the pinks and greens in the black ink emerge and flow, with a mind of their own. I added a dash of pink to his nose. ; )

I'm making professional prints of this little guy. Message or email me if you want a print!  They are 5x7" at $40US each.

subtlety

6x12" original watercolour painting

Here's another piece from my last portrait painting session, where we artists take turns sitting for each other. (It's surprisingly difficult to sit still for 25 minutes! If you try it, you'll have a whole new respect for life models.) 

I wanted to tie in the red shirt with the red glasses. I'm really happy with her expression but I'm feeling that the 6x12" size might just cut off people's shoulders, giving them a big looking head!

our fearless leader!

6x12" original watercolour

At our portrait session last weekend, I decided to create 6x12" paintings. Mostly because I had paper that size and I wanted to use it up. ; ) I drew a loose energetic line with charcoal pencil then added lots of fresh watercolour paint.

On most social media, like Facebook and Instagram, you can only post pics as a square. So, here's the complete painting.

cattails

$40 - 8x10"original watercolour painting.

I painted this sketch of cattails at the wonderful, very green, Corktown. Fellow pleinair painters and I set up our easels at this lovely lily pond, however it was the cattails that caught my eye. (Although fellow artists called them bulrushes). They actually remind my of my childhood since there were plenty of them in my neighbourhood and we always thought they were so cool!

Save the Date!

If you're in Toronto, this is the first of a few group art shows I'll be in before the holidays. Over 20 of artists in this one! Hope to see you there!!

free rein

$80 - 8x10" original watercolour painting.

This fella' speaks for himself.

catching up on some thinking

 

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

It's always nice to sit with a cup of tea and catch up on some thinking. Or in my case, some drawing... ; )

a couple of portraits

Two 11x14" watercolour pieces (with a couple of details) from my last life painting session. : )

today at life painting

 1 minute gesture painting

 2 minute gesture painting

5 minute painting

First day back at life painting! Here are a few paintings from today, of my favourite model. I used charcoal pencil to draw, added green and warm/cool reds, then a splash of turquoise. I tried to stay loose and as gestural as possible. Soooo fun. If you haven't tried drawing from life, I highly recommend it. You never know what might happen when you're under the time pressure.

a good read

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

It was so nice to see someone reading a book at a local cafe this morning. Instead of having their nose in their phone. When I first started drawing I captured people reading all the time. Now, it's a rare treat.

climb

SOLD

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

Not sure how this pic ended up so angled... but here's my drawing in my paintbox which sits on my lap. : )

Good 'ole Winsor Newton travel palette with my choice of tube paints squeezed out. I change and/or add colours as my style changes over the years. Although the warm cool staples remain the same. 

The path didn't go in that direction, but I added it since there was just so much greenery around the base of the little building. I know everyone says green is a difficult colour. Not sure that's true, it's just that there's always so much of it! I decided to call this one 'climb' for two reasons, the little ladder and because the flowers are climbing towards the sun. : )

charcoal and watercolour

Charcoal Drawing

Adding a second (and final) layer of watercolour

Some charcoal added to the shadow side

Last Tuesday's portrait night at Don Valley Art Club ended off our summer sessions just right. : )

I drew the model in charcoal, painted it with watercolour then brought it together with a layer of charcoal. The final charcoal, on the shadow side, didn't blend like I anticipated it would, I think because it was sitting on top of the watercolour. I like it, but I think it looks a bit 'rough' and I may save this technique for a male model next time. I'm happy that I played around and tried something different, which I guess is what it's all about...

breather

$90 - original 5x10" OIL (!) painting on canvas.

This little flower decided to step aside for a little breather. ; )

So, I decided to return to oil painting! I painted in oil for a few years before making the decision to stick with watercolour. A decade later... I've decided to play with oil again. Just for a change. Nothing definite. ; )

I thought I'd start with this bright little set up of fresh flowers, working in my studio with natural backlighting. A bit rusty, but I'm happy with the backlit glow. : )

wildcat - step by step

First I drew the lion, from a photo reference on pixabay (free image site), with a 6B pencil, trying to be as loosey-goosey as possible. I do try to keep the structure of the subject while making big confident lines. 

Next, I start with the eyes. I like to paint them together, not one at a time because eyes work as a pair. It's easy to get off balance if you focus on only one eye, then the other. Work the eyes together. I don't finish the eyes though... just get some darks and lights in them. 

Working down the page, darks and lights, transparent and opaques. I never liked painting washes in watercolour. I can never get the washes dark enough and contrasty enough. I end up having to do many washes... I prefer this more direct approach.

The whiskers wrap around the muzzle, helping bring the mouth forward. Saving the highlights in the eyes as I finish them up. Then, a few calligraphy marks and... my friend is finished!

heading home with Saturday's shopping

$60 - original 5x7" watercolour painting with 8x10"mat for easy framing.

I'm really enjoying painting this 'Toronto People' series. Everyone is so interesting! ; )

bunny sip

$60 - original 8x10"watercolour painting 

Little stuffed bunny wants a sip too. ; )