Color Series Continued

Here are two more paintings in my color series. The first is Green on Wine. I feel it really fits the visual complement color wheel.



And next is Blue Iris on Brown. This piece is an expression of value and temperature. A look at interior decorating trends finds that any pastel on brown is appealing. I think it works best if one is cool and the other warm. Here I placed a warm blue on a cool brown.


Both paintings are 11" x 14" and are available in my Etsy Shop. Have a great weekend!

Color - The Visual Complements

Several years ago I took a workshop with Hilary Page. She is a fine watercolorist who has made an intense study of the pigments from every watercolor manufacturer. She shared her discoveries with us but also explained a new look at color complements - visual complements as opposed to mixing complements. (See her website for an in-depth explanation.)

We are familiar with the traditional 12 section color wheel based on the 3 primaries, red, yellow, blue. The Munsell theory of color, which Hillary subscribes to, squishes the wheel a bit and leaves 5 major colors, 10 total. The 5 are red, yellow, green, blue and purple.

All artisans working with color whether 2d, 3d, fiber, metal, glass, come to realize that some colors just look good together. The traditional complement of red is green. But red, especially an orange red, looks best with blue-green. Well, except at Christmas!

In the days after the workshop I did 4 little paintings of imaginary still lifes to cement my understanding of visual complements. Working clockwise through the 4 paintings you will see that yellow moves to red-orange to blue-red to purple. Blue moves to blue-green, to true green and to yellow-green.
You are probably already making these color decisions subconsciously in your work. But if not, give it some thought. And if you are contemplating buying a piece of art you may better understand why it "works".


Now you see why the painting below works so well. Be back soon with a few more color studies.

No talking, please.

I'm painting today, so I am not talking to you. Actually, I am, because I am waiting for my background to dry.

Here is a painting I did yesterday and just listed in my Etsy Shop. We are all fascinated by watching koi; their colors, their constant movement. I tried to capture those aspects.

Koi Pond, 15" x 22", original watercolor painting

My Palette - Exposed

When we have demonstration painters at our Saint Louis Watercolor Society meetings, you will always hear, "What paints are you using?" We all seem to have a fascination with the palette of other artists. And what about the workshop supply list. "He uses Naples yellow. I better get some."

Having been to about 20 week-long workshops, I have a bag full of barely squeezed tubes. While I am still open to new ones, and a sucker for the workshop bait, I seem to have settled on this mix.Here is my palette as of last evening. I will name the paints starting in the top left corner. The number of stars indicates frequency of use, 3 being most often, and none, meaning it's gotta go.

WN Cobalt Blue **

WN French Ultramarine ***

WN Antwerp ***

WN Winsor Blue/Red

WN Winsor Green/Yellow *

Daniel Smith Under Sea Green ***

American Journey Skip's Green ***

WN Cadmium Yellow Med *

WN Lemon Yellow

WN Raw Sienna **

WN New Gamboge ***

WN Winsor Yellow **

WN Orange *

WN Burnt Sienna ***

WN Scarlet Lake **

WN Perm. Alizarin *

WN Perm Rose *

Daniel Smith Quinacridone Magenta **

Maimeri Theoindigo Violet **

WN Violet ***

WN Opera *

WN Cobalt Violet *

Holbein Manganese **

Maimeri Bleu Verde ***

Dabs in the middle: Sepia**, Maimeri Avignon Orange **, AJ Andrew's Turquoise **, S Quiller Rose Madder **

And my favorite white is "Aqua Cover" made to match brand name papers. Very nice for emergency recovery of whites.

It Matches The Bedspread

There are artists who have a statement to make or cause to promote. And there are artists who don't. That would be me. Well, not really. My artist's statement is I paint because I love the process. I paint to please my eye. I have fun painting.

There are art collectors who collect a style, or the work of an artist, or for investment potential. There are collectors who buy to make their room look better. All are very fine reasons to buy art, I'm sure.

This painting is not about anything. But it is very nice to look at and it would look great with certain bedspreads or sofas. Don't you think so? Do you collect art or buy art? What is the last thing you bought and what are you looking for next?

Here is Poppies, 11" x 15", available in my Etsy Shop and at auction on eBay through Sunday.

It's a Challenge

I belong to two Etsy teams so far, Watercolor Works and Visual Arts Street Team - VAST. As is the case with most Etsy teams, the monthly challenge is a fixture to help promote the team. I'm all for promotion and I like themed exhibits, too. My local society, the Saint Louis Watercolor Society follows the theme genre at an on-going venue, CJ Muggs restaurant. Themes are generally inspriational and certainly motivational.

For the WWETeam challenge, our team leader posted three photos to be interpreted as we see it. Here is the photo and my interpretation for that challenge. It is titled Harvest Time, 11" x 14" original watercolor, available in my Etsy Shop.

The VAST September challenge is "fall colors", that I intend to work on soon. You'll have to come back to see that one!

Painting portraits this week!

Order your custom boat portrait now: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14628184

Big Splash is Coming

I'm busy getting ready for Big Splash, the annual member awards exhibit for the Saint Louis Watercolor Society. I will be entering 3 paintings which have all been posted here recently so I won't post them again. As a board member and treasurer, I will have quite a few tasks to accomplish Wednesday and Tursday. We expect about 135 paintings from about 75 of our 250 members. I will help with hanging and then hurry home to type the database that will create the title cards and program. It's a good kind of busy.

My first award at an exhibit was at Big Splash '99. I received an honorable mention for this painting. The original is not for sale, but prints are listed in my Etsy Shop.

Moorings At Spa Creek, 14" x 21"

Driven to Abstraction

Whew it's hot at Lake of the Ozarks today! I'm driven to abstraction with projects and trying to keep cool!

Recently took a workshop with John Salminen concentrating on design and shapes. He FORCED us to spend 3 days constructing a full-sheet abstract. It was perhaps the most in-depth instruction I have had in 16 watercolor workshops and I highly recommend him.

Our focus was on shape first, then warm/cool, path to the focal point and finally focal emphasis. I have sold 2 pieces in this style and am really enjoying the process. It is first a complex contour drawing followed by glazes, a bit of collage and finally some acrylic usually black.

How do you approach an abstract as a painter? Methodically or whatever happens? As a collector, do you look for emotion or color or size or something else?

Here is Abstraction, 21" x 29".

There Was No Fire

Well, it's the middle of the week. How exciting! Beautiful day in the neighborhood but last night was quite interesting! I live on a street with 12 houses. Last night 6 firetrucks and 5 assorted vehicles showed up at 10:00. Turns out a neighbor reported a gas leak in their basement. Everyone stood around while the firemen went in the house and fixed whatever it was. An hour later they all backed up the hill and away they went. End of story.

This painting kinda reminds me of fire and water. It is 14" x 20" and titled Directions.

Here We Go

This new work is titled Pedestal. I really hit my stride painting it, completeing it in about 15-30 minutes. That would be the only way to accomplish the fresh, once-over, just-right blend and flow that happened here.

It's going to the Saint Louis watercolor Society's 11th annual members awards exhibit, Big Splash '08 in August. After that, for sale. Prints are available now in my Etsy shop.