Calendar Picture

I had this picture from a calendar of places in Chile.  I loved all of the blues, so thought I would try it since I had done one seascape already. Too bad it failed miserably.

However, what I did learn was about granulation of watercolor paints and how the concept of transparency works.  So it might have failed as a painting but it was a tremendous learning experience.  I can not say I have it all worked out yet - but I am not making these kinds of mistakes anymore!

So, I built a data base of all paints current on the market and their attributes.  New doubt what any IT tech will do when frustrated ...

:)

Sponging A Tree

Since the round brush did not do anything for me in making a tree look like a tree, I went to the sponge to see how that would work.

 Well, sort of an interesting effect but not really what I was looking for ...

Doing better with washes though.

Attempt At A Tree

I think the last two posts demonstrated that I really needed to learn how to do a tree!  So, I began playing around with different ways I could make a tree shaped object.

These were done using a round brush. Not very believable ...

But, then again, better than what I had done before!

Learning About A Wash

The next class with my great new instructor was about doing a wash for a sky, a first attempt at doing a resist for the sun and then she wanted trees added in the foreground.

Of course, my wash failed utterly and I had no clue how to do a tree - so I defaulted to burned twigs against an orange sky, thinking of the big Yellowstone fire I saw many decades ago.

North Beaver Creek Falls

I was so excited by what I learned that first night with my new instructor - I went home and painted this view of North Beaver Creek Falls sort of near Creede, Colorado.

Still an awful lot to learn but it was such a blast finally doing something that looked like something!

You have no idea how excited I was!

A New Instructor

I have found a new art instructor through a craft shop and this is the result of our first class together.

For once I am learning about composition, proportion and how watercolor paint actually behaves! I am thrilled!

The project was to do some sky, the water and sand dunes. But, I was so excited I added some vegetation and land on the horizon as well.

Crude and basic but I liked being able to finally learn something!

Something I Finally Liked

Well, for 12 weeks I have labored under the watchful eye of the psycho art instructor and for our final week he allowed us to paint anything we were interested in.

I love history and I love Scotland, so painting a Coragle (an ancient form of boat) seemed to be the perfect subject.

Yes it is crude, badly proportioned and composed - but it is the first thing I have done, I have liked!

Someday, I hope to gain the skill to redo this one and make it much better ...

I sent out copies of this to my family and close friends in a letter and I started getting back all of these responses at how I must be incredibly depressed to paint something like this!  Well, I am not depressed, except with how little my family and friends seem to know me ...