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Monday, January 26, 2009

Watercolor Painting - Hotel d'Europe--Avignon

Hotel d'Europe--Avignon (a la Charles Reid)

Watercolor on Strathmore 400 Series CP paper, 9" x 12" (23 x 30 cm).

I copied this painting from Charles Reid's "Watercolor Secrets" book, because I really liked how, in this painting, he preserved the white paper in various areas, including the people's clothing and the background; something I've had a hard time doing for a long time and am finally realizing how to make it work by studying Reid's techniques.

There's more stuff on my Flickr photostream.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Watercolor Sketch - Landscape Gestures

Watercolor Sketches - Landscape Gestures
Watercolor, pencil, and ink on Strathmore Gemini 140-lb CP paper in handmade sketchbook. 7.5" x 11" (19 x 28 cm).

Had to travel over the weekend, so I sat in the passenger seat and sketched some landscapes. I did these sketches quickly by getting an overall sense of a scene then quickly sketching it in pencil; I then completed the panels with watercolor and added ink details after the paint dried. While sketching, I made color notes so I could record the approximate hues I sensed. As you can see, I was only able to complete three of four panels.

I've seen this technique done by others and I've always wanted to try this. Besides being fun, it allowed me to get in some sketching and painting during a trip where I didn't think I'd be able to paint. Even though I painted this while riding in a car, I count this as plein air work since I had to work quickly under rapidly changing late-evening lighting conditions.

Each panel is about the size of an index card, approximately 2.75" x 4.75" (7 x 12 cm). Painted using my homemade sketch box and a small Niji Waterbrush.

There's more stuff on Flickr

Monday, January 12, 2009

Pencil Sketch - Facial Proportions 2

Pencil Sketch - Facial Proportions 2Graphite pencil on paper, 8.5" x 11" (22 x 28 cm). Drawn using a Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencil with "B" lead.

More practice work on facial proportions. Even though the hair would normally cover it, I didn't completely erase her right ear, as I wanted to still be able to see the symmetry of the face and the underlying ear and jaw structure.

More on Flickr.

Pencil Sketch - Facial Proportions

Pencil Sketch - Facial ProportionsPencil sketch in 3" x 5" (8 x 13 cm) Moleskine sketchbook.

I am working on getting proportions in the face correct. Until now, I've been putting too much chin and lower-jaw into the face; in other words, too much room between the bottom of the nose and the bottom of the chin. However, I think I got it right on this one, at least in the sense that it looks more porportional and natural to me.

There's other stuff on Flickr.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Watercolor Portrait - "Judith"

Watercolor Portrait - "Judith"Watercolor on Strathmore Gemini 140-lb CP paper in handmade sketchbook. 7.5" x 11" (19 x 28 cm). Done in a Charles Reid style.

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Watercolor Painting - Portrait in the Charles Reid Style

Watercolor Painting - Portrait in the Charles Reid Style

Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140-lb cold-press paper, 9"; x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm).

I don't really do much portrait work at all, as I really favor doing landscapes, but I've been doing some of the exercises in the Charles Reid "Watercolor Solutions" book. This was a pencil-sketching exercise/demo, but I added paint in a loose "Charles Reid" style, complete with spatters of paint.

This is actually the first portrait painting I've ever tried--I'm pleased with how it turned out.

More at Flickr