Watercolor Workshop with Anne Abgott - First Project

Today was our first day.  In the morning, we learned the basic technique she uses to "mingle" colors on the page.  We all got the same black and white photo and transferred a line drawing (contour) of the shadow shapes only - onto our 300 lb Arches watercolor paper.  Then we used about 3 or 4 of prescribed colors to mingle.  Basically, you place them on the paper in the shadow area and allow the pure colors to touch and let them bleed into themselves.  Here is my picture. 

I'll have to post the afternoon project tomorrow since I was running late and did not photograph it!

Guest Artists at Reno's Artists Co-Op Gallery

It rained the day of our October Show Reception - but that was a good thing.  We had a very good turn-out.  I was thrilled to be invited to be a guest artist.  And here is my wall.  I have a variety of work here (that is what they requested) ... watercolor, mixed media and pastel.  We had wine and snacks of course, and some of my friends and family came.  It was fun.  The show will be up for a month.  I am going to go back during the week when it is not so busy.  There is jewelry, pottery, painted gourds and other gift ideas I may want to shop for family for Christmas.

A Little Study of Snow

Looking back at my photographic references of snow scenes, I am reminded how the camera doesn't pick up the variations in color in the light and shadow.  My photographs look all monochromatic!  The photos were also way too complicated.  So I took a small section of a photo and simplified it.  At this time it is not a good composition, but a good practice piece.

First I did a watercolor underpainting using Paynes Grey and throwing in some greens, blues and purples.  I did light washes of the snow area with these colors as well.

Then I did a layer of yellow on the sunlit snow in pastel and rubbed it in with my finger.  Then I did a layer of light peach on the yellowed snow, and also in the snow that will be shadow, and rubbed that in.  Then I did different shades of blue on the snow in shadow.  Next I used a white colored Nupastel over the sunlit snow - really thickly, but the warm colors still show through.

The dark background and tree stumps were just loosely scumbled with dark pastels.  My main purpose was to work on the snow.  I think I can now proceed to a larger painting, now that I have practised.

Earlier this day I was a participant at our local Celtic Faire.  I joined my spinners and weavers group and we demonstrated.  We were right next to the area where the bagpipe competitions were going on.  It was a fun day.

Now, a Larger Version of the Scene "Below the Snowline v-2"

OK!  This is the third time I've painted this scene!  This one is 9 x 12.  Here is the finished painting.

And, here is the watercolor underpainting.

Yes, this painting looks very much like the last one.  But with a larger surface, I could play a little bit with highlighting certain snow capped peaks, and do a little detail work in the fore and middle ground.

Richard McKinley gave us a project to do on our own.  It is to do the same painting about 9 times in different ways that he specified in the handout.  One of these days I will do it.  It sounds like a good exercise.  As much as I liked doing this little exercise of my own above, I think I'd like to move on to another subject!

Painting a Series of the Same Scene

As much as I desire to paint outside right now - en plein air - of the flowering rabbit bush and the trees turning yellow - I need to paint some winter snow scenes for the co-op's holiday show.  To get back in the swing of things, I took a small plein air pastel I did a couple of years ago, and I am painting it again now with the watercolor underpainting - in a small size. 

Here is the watercolor underpainting.

And here is the little plein air from 2 years ago - you can see I was literal then, and now I am going for more of an impressionistic look.

Art Books I Ordered

When I take a workshop from an artist, I always want to order their books that they published.  I just ordered these two today from NorthLightShop.com :  Richard McKinley's Pastel Pointers and Anne Abgott's Daring Color.  If you have been following my blog lately, you know I took a fantastic plein air pastel workshop from Richard McKinley (mckinleystudio.com).

In a couple of weeks I will be taking a workshop from watercolorist Anne Abgott (anneabgott.com).  We will learn techniques of letting colors mix on the watercolor paper, rather than mixing them on the palette first.  This should be fun!

Practising on an old watercolor painting

In looking for watercolor paintings to frame for the co-op, I came across this one that was never successful in my opinion.  After studying it, I realized that it was all-over in focus, and that no particular area was the center of interest.  So, I thought I'd add a few pastel marks and see what I could do - and make it a Mixed Media painting.  First I cropped smaller so that it would fit in a pre-cut matt.

I practised "bridging" - the term Richard McKinley used - to glaze some pastel over the hard edges of the watercolor.  I also practised blending one edge with a piece of foam - to help the eye move from pastel into the watercolor.  I also made one area darker to make more contrast to build up a center of interest. 

I'm not sure I was very successful with my efforts.  But, practise makes perfect...