My selection today is all watercolor, of varying qualities.
Day 18: Amanda’s Shawl
This week I slipped in a photograph taken by me. Last August I had started painting a close-up version in watercolor. The painting has been in time-out for several months. This week I finished it.
The theme is texture, and I’m fairly happy with most of what I did. I’d like to try again using a larger piece of paper and the full view.
Day 19:
Again, I was drawn to the texture, and the points of the barbed wire which look almost white to me.
I didn’t achieve a good range of value. I plan to try again, maybe in a monotone, so I can focus the value contrasts.
Day 20: Sharp-shinned hawk.
Yesterday was First Wednesday Open Studio at the arts center. Cheryl Bryan’s lesson focused on lost and found edges. I chose this photograph because the hawk’s coloration allows it to blend in with its environment. And there are cool shadows.
The lesson started with creating a three-color background in a random fashion. After it dried, we determined the subject’s position in the background and penciled it in lightly. In addition to making a lost and found edge at the bird’s wing and tail, I also practiced negative painting around the right edge and the talons. I enjoyed it and the work went quickly.
Day 21: Sonoma view
Bill took this photo from the upper deck of his brother’s house in Petaluma, CA. It could almost be a view of Oklahoma last week, when, pushed by high winds, fire raged barely five miles from our home.
I brightened up the foreground to see what exactly made up all those plants. Using three different mixes of green and some yellow ochre, I just played around with shapes until it looked done.
The first painting is 8 by 8. The other three are postcard sized. All were painted on Arches cold press paper.
Daily Fiber 
Sounds like you weren’t that happy with the barbed wire painting, but it’s actually my favorite.
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That’s interesting. It’s my husband’s favorite also. Artwork is so subjective. Can you tell me what you like about it?
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I like the colors and the Impressionist feel to the background, combined with the strong lines and contrast of the fence and wire. I have a thing for strong geometric patterns.
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thanks for feedback.
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Beautiful interpretations of the photos! I love that the shawl painting is ultimately based on a shawl that you knitted 🙂
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Exactly. I took a liberty in my description, however. This shawl was gifted to my mother, not Amanda. She chose a different shawl from my collection.
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I think all of these are nice and interesting to see your view point. Like others, I think the barbed wire one is most successful. The dry brush of the fence gives lovely texture, but you caught that pointed quality of the wire especially well.
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Thank you.
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I admire your spirit of jumping in and trying different things. The Sharp-shinned is my favorite for the “lost and fund edge” – it’s very effective. I like the barbed wire, too.
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Thank you. I’m keen to grow my skills and that doesn’t happen without trying things.
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