lion's share

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I just got home from a wonderful trip with my sister to London and Paris! It was just fantabulous. I was especially inspired by the fantastic lush overgrown Highgate Cemetery in London. This sleeping lion is on the grave of the first Zookeeper George Wombwell, then called a menagerist.

expand your horizons

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Wow, that was a real 50/50 split on the suggestions of how to crop this painting. I decided that a few extra people were cuter than a 'not so beautifully painted' sky. Thanks everyone for participating!

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

Which?

Portrait

or Landscape?

I didn't mean for this painting to work both vertically and horizontally and now I can't decide between a nice big sky or a few extra cute pedestrians. Preferences?

Charles Sovek

Charles Sovek's self portrait

Oil by Charles Sovek

Watercolour by Charles Sovek

Charles Sovek (1937-2007) is my favourite artist! His work always looks fresh and spontaneous, never heavy handed. I love the way he captures reflected light. Here's a link to Charles Sovek's Awesome Website, which is chalk full of fantastic paintings. It took me days to absorb all of his wonderful work, his 'Lessons from the Easel' and his 'Speaking of Art' notes. Enjoy, and I hope he inspires you as he does me!

flower shoppe

I'm very happy with this painting. It's funny which ones end up meaning more to me than others...

reflect

This painting just kind of happened...

$50 - 6x8" watercolour painting with 8x10" matt.

the yellow house

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I love this corner house. Every time I walk past it I am inspired by it. I painted this on Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper, just to mix things up a bit. (Also it was on sale!) I like the way the pencil slides easily across the smooth texture, as opposed to the slight grain in my usual Cold Pressed Paper. I'll do a few more and see how it goes...

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

light as a feather

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I enjoyed painting this little analogous backlit bunch. 

$70 - 8"x10" watercolour painting

cheap ship trip

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cheap ship trip... say that three times fast!!

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

with flying colours

This adorable small house caught my eye, and there was a place to sit across the way... Perfect! I'm enjoying working with the Micron 03 and Micron 1 artist pens lately.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

when your ship comes in

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I've been wanting to explore painting boats for a long time now. They have great shape and wonderful colours. If you look close, you'll see some cars parked behind the wall back there...

$70 - 8"x10" watercolour painting.

guide the way

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A lovely strong-minded beautiful German Shepherd.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour with 8"x10" matt.

obstacle free zone

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This peaceful scene just caught my eye.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt

July morning shadow

Well, I took a watercolour workshop at the Toronto Watercolour Society with the awesome Janet Rogers, and today I decided to retry her lesson... no pencil drawing first! Just start with your brush. I like the challenge and it certainly encourages a looseness however, given my love of line, think I'll stick with my drawing style. 

Other news, turn your old eye makeup kit into a watercolour palette. Now that's portable!

chat

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Another cafe sketch. I enjoy trying to capture the moment by designing the page with simplicity. I liked his light green shirt next to her red top. Also, I pretended that big post wasn't behind them, and it was just the windows.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour with 8"x10" matt.

nice to be around

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I love painting grapes. They are wonderfully translucent. 

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

mittens

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Who's hungry?

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt

See my 'How to paint a Yorkshire Terrier' YouTube Video

girl talk

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I drew this at a cafe and painted it at home.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

sashay

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It's a party!

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

Watercolour Flower Paintings - Slideshow

I made a 1 Minute Slideshow of my flower paintings! There are 3 more videos on my YouTube channel which show my painting process, one with voice over, (Dog-Yorkshire Terrier).

Have a wonderful weekend!

miss you

The last sunflower. May buy more...

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

twist of fate

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I bought sunflowers to paint this week and it turns out that the Daily Paintworks Challenge is sunflowers. 

$50  5"x7" watercolour with 8"x10" matt.

Biscuit... with Voice Over!!

Yep, I've got another video over at YouTube! This time with my painting process explained.  There's a 1 Minute Slideshow of Flower Paintings too.
You can watch Biscuit painted here or got to my YouTube channel to see all 4 videos.

biscuit

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I was attracted to the long shadow this little Yorkshire Terrier cast... and his adorable back leg is up, leaving a space before his shadow starts.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

Meanwhile... over on YouTube... Cookies!

Here's video Number Two! 

This one is about 5 minutes, includes the drawing, the painting, and more harp music!! I'm very happy with the style of both videos however, next time I might add voice over and mix things up a bit. Meanwhile... Enjoy!

round two

$50 - 5x7" watercolour painting with 8x10" mat.
CHECK OUT THE YOUTUBE VIDEO OF ME PAINTING THIS HERE!

I really had to stop myself from eating these cookies before I painted them. Needless to say, I gulped them down once the painting was done. Yum.

My first YouTube Video!!

Here is a video of me drawing and painting yesterday's post. In real time, with a few cuts. So... sit back for the next 9 minutes and enjoy!

p.s.

That's my wonderful talented sister Christine MacPhail on the harp! Song list in YouTube description.

that makes two of us

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More fun with flowers!

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

you gotta shake it

ZOOM IN

It's my 2 Year Blogging Anniversary!!  

I decided to paint very differently to celebrate. Here's an 18"x24" portrait, a size that I consider to be HUGE! What a blast.

Thank you all in the art blogging world for your inspiration and comments. They are much appreciated.

Happy Painting Everyone!

second time lucky

This week the DPW Challenge is to choose any 'Google Street View' and paint it. I typed in Paris, France and Google Maps put me at 4 Place de l'Hotel-de-Ville... so here it is.

portraits in charcoal

Two very different women, from very different times. I'm toning my sketchbook paper with willow charcoal then drawing with it and an eraser.

raspberry cream

I wish he followed me home.

8x10" original watercolour

nuts

I recently told a fellow artist that I hate the colour yellow. He said, "Are you crazy? As an artist, you should never decide that you hate a colour... never."  This morning I looked at these bananas and thought, perhaps it's time to embrace yellow.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt

joy

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This teapot has been patiently waiting in my cupboard all winter. It's now very happy to have summer flowers in it.

$80 - 8x10" watercolour painting

meditative

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Today's painting. A simple still life for a relaxing Sunday.

$50 - 5x7" watercolour painting with 8x10" mat.

rejuvenated

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I really enjoyed aiming for lots of colour in the black fur of this border collie.

$30 - 5"x7" watercolour painting.

spontaneous

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My goal today was to paint without any preconceived ideas of how it would turn out.  

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

Charcoal study from my sketchbook.

spring into action

Spring flowers for the long weekend.

look on the bright side

I did this charcoal portrait in my sketchbook. I toned the paper with willow charcoal then drew with it, and an eraser. Trying to remind myself about shapes and light since my watercolour work concentrates on line and colour.

purple pals

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Often I paint warm subjects on cool backgrounds however, for this weeks Daily Paintworks Challenge, I thought I'd paint cool flowers on a warm background.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting including 8"x10" matt.

walking home

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I drew this without thinking about it, in that Zen state you get into. As a result, I think there is something peaceful about it. 

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

strut your stuff

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The plan was to paint a row of houses... but somewhere along the way this happened, happily.

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

let the gardens begin

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One of my favourite flowers, the graceful elegant crocus.

$50 - original 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.

on our lunch hour

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I drew this from the second floor window during lunch. I enjoy watching all of the activity that comes and goes from Petran's hot dog stand!

$50 - 5"x7" watercolour painting with 8"x10" matt.