stroll

$60 - 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.

I tried some new paper for this one. Cold-Pressed! Very rare for me, since I love hot-pressed watercolour paper. I also bought a few new brushes so playing around with them too. I had a great time painting these two friends. : )

p.s. - just a reminder, all paintings will be shipped when I return, on Aug. 8th. See you in August!

family trip

I woke up bright and early this morning and painted these little guys in the morning sun. I tried to keep it simple. Meanwhile, still practising painting mountains in preparation for my trip. One more week!
$60 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.
close ups-

Lake Agnes

This is my first mountain painting! I'm practising my lake and mountain paintings, from my photos, before my trip to Banff this summer, so I'm not completely lost when I get there.

Lake Agnes has a beautiful hike around it which ends at a Tea House, can't wait. 

I used the wonderful Holbein watercolour paint called Horizon Blue for the water.  It's an opaque colour, in fact they add white to it, and I absolutely love it!

exploring

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I thought I'd challenge myself with a completely new subject matter this week. So the title, exploring, has two meanings. ; )

funny story

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$60 - 5x7"painting with acid-free mat, ready to pop into an 8x10" frame!

These women are sharing a good joke!

tell me a story

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5x7"painting with 8x10"mat, ready to frame!

I loved painting this one. The woman on the left was really enjoying sharing her story with her friend, who sat perfectly still, riveted to every word her friend said. 

The people out the window are pencil marks left unpainted, a new approach that I think I'll keep experimenting with.

WorldWatercolorMonth

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

It's #WorldWatercolorMonth!! 

And it's Canada Day, so this piece is titled "construction dudes" drinking from Canadian flag cups!

close ups -

Happy Canada Day

Here are a few paintings I did for Canadian Independence Day!

Canada gained it's independence July 1, 1867. 

Happy Canada Day! : )

Happy Canada Day

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Here are a few paintings I did for Canadian Independence Day!

Canada gained it's independence July 1, 1867. 

Happy Canada Day! : )

capri pants

 I drew this cafe scene, on location, as an 11x14" painting designed for a 16x20" frame. I like all the open space. However, I'm considering framing it as an 8x10" painting, which would make it look like this:

or even like this...

Hmm. Any preferences?

homework

I've been dedicated to attending weekly figure drawing sessions all year, no matter how busy my life gets. Yet, with the arrival of summer, we take a break and return in September. So, with the excess time, I'll have no excuse not to get outside and paint from real life! 
Here are just a few from the last class. These pieces are about 15 minute poses drawn with 6Bpencil and painted with watercolour. A few mistakes along the way, but I always learn tons!

anticipation

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This is my second painting done today with the Toronto Urban Sketchers, at the Leslieville Farmer's Market. I promised myself I'd do a painting capturing the people there. Then, once I arrived and set up, I lost focus with all the activity, people, food, kids, etc. and I tried to do a painting with everything in it! I mean everything! Needless to say, it didn't work. I think keeping it simple while on location is best for me, until I really get the hang of it. So, here's the second one, which I'm very pleased with. ; )

$100 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat
Painting box and close ups - 

Doodlewash Interview!

Charlie O'Shields, who initiated #WorldWatercolorMonth as July starting this year, has interviewed me for his blog. Super thilled about it. It was very gracious of him and I'm extremely happy with the interview! 
Link HERE at Doodlewash to read it!

school's out

I was out with my trusty paint box recently. : ) Here's the result.

$60 - 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.

paint box

I've been doing a lot of urban sketching/plein-air painting with my trusty little paintbox. : ) It fits my Winsor & Newton travel watercolour palette perfectly and I can clip watercolour paper, up to 9x12", onto it. : ) It sits on my lap while I sit on a cheap aluminum camping stool. A lot more discreet and lightweight than a big easel. 

World Watercolour Month - July 2016

Charlie O'Shields, over at doodlewash.com has made July the official World Watercolour Month! So, get ready to paint and post your watercolours everyday, (or whenever you like) on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, your blog, wherever. Use hashtag WorldWatercolorMonth. #WorldWatercolourMonth #WorldWatercolorMonth

Here's a link to join the Facebook club. https://www.facebook.com/groups/worldwatercolor/

National Butterfly Awareness Day

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Today is National Butterfly Awareness Day! Butterflies are pollinators and important for our biodiversity, plus they make people smile!

5x7"painting

just enjoying the day

I do enjoy drawing at cafes! 

$80 - 8x10"painting.

hidden door

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

Here's another one from Riverdale Farm. I saw this little hidden door and I thought it would be an interesting subject. I like paintings of door and/or windows. Below is a pic of my painting kit.

wee wee wee

$50 - 5x7"painting 

I went out plein-air painting with some friends to the Riverdale Farm which has the cutest little pigs. Super adorable! They were total sleepy heads... which made them a bit easier to capture with paper and paint.

Still working on how to paint bigger when out in the field. 

travelling along

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

I spent the day plein-air painting with the Don Valley Art Club at the Toronto Botanical Gardens, also known as Edwards Gardens. Here is my step by step process...

I painted this waterfall, which I've painted before, but from the other side of the bridge. I worked from my trusty little paintbox. Here's the drawing in 6B pencil.

Half way there... I like to add darks early, so I can determine the values right from the beginning. Artists often do watercolour from light to dark however, when I do that it never seems to take forever to get dark enough...

All done. You can see the pink bulldog clip on the right of the box holding a rag in place. There's also a few paper towels, a compact mirror (to look at the piece in reverse while painting) and an 8x10"mat (under the box) to make sure it'll fit nicely into a frame when finished. Quite a challenge!

raspberry iced tea

$60 - 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat.

Today is a holiday Monday, Victoria Day, so I did one of my fave things to do... spent time observing and drawing people at a cafe. Now I'm heading out to dinner for this summer's first outdoor patio meal!

distant call

$40 - 5x7"painting on 90lb paper with 8x10"mat.

I was out urban sketching today when I stumbled across a photo of this lovely red fox. So, I enjoyed the outdoor weather while painting this one. Just kinda happened that way...