WORKING ON THE SECOND OCTOPUS

Testing some colors for the 2nd octopus painting - want to get that dark wine-purple color in places…

 

NOT A TURKEY IN SIGHT BUT HAPPY TURKEY DAY FOR U.S. FRIENDS

 Sweetie went to the Newport Aquarium this month with a young photographer who wanted to learn some good rules for photographing the exhibits.  Sweetie got some great photos of the Giant Pacific Octopus (which is rarely out and so beautifully displayed).  So I had to try to paint her!!

The second version (started yesterday), I wanted to try to get closer to that dark wine and purple color, but more to do to finish that one.  These are both on 9 x 12 inch watercolor paper - the first on Arches rough 140# and the second on Fabriano cold press 140#.

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND THAT

The mixed media (Canson XL) sketchbook is not good for pure watercolor (top painting).  I think the paper is too thin and it doesn’t accept the water.

Seond little sketchbook works well, has quite a bit of texture.

Third painting is on mineral paper and hard to get darks because it’s almost (but not quite) like Yupo paper.  

Just playing around and testing what I have and what works with each one.  I have so many sketchbooks.  I used to buy Arches and Fabriano in full sheets but have changed to sketchbooks more often since I don’t paint large anymore.  

Still having issues with Blogger asking me to sign in over and over and not downloading my photos until the 3rd or 4th try and sometimes I give up.  And sometimes cannot post to friends’ blogs, either!!  I still haven’t gone to Instagram and learned anything there to post something - just look at artwork there for pleasure.

INSPIRATION

 Going through a beautiful little book about various art styles and saw a painting by a botanical artist, Marie Burke (marieburke-art.com) which inspired me to try it.  

(You can see her gorgeous painting in the left/bottom side of the book cover.)

I have never had the patience to be a botanical painter - so precise and small increments of change don’t make me happy - but I am not unhappy about the finished painting (quarter sheet watercolor).

I can see now that I look at it here that I did not get the flowing look of the one in the book, nor did I get the rounded shape in the top edges.  

HALLOWEEN 2025

 

Having issues with Blogger - I go through all the steps to load a photo and it tells me it cannot do it and then I try again and get an Oops message and then I try one more time and it lets me do it - this has been happening for about a month now so if I disappear for a while it’s because Blogger is giving me fits at times.  Anyone else having problems or am I just the lucky one?