Ballerinas

The techniques used for today's pictures, painted in class, were very new to us as they were so 'loose'.
 It was one of the best painting sessions we've had as Steve demonstrated one but we did the second independently. Two paintings completed in one lesson!!!!  Incredible but great!

Here are the masterpieces, two ballerinas.  Such fun to paint!

My latest paintings

It is such a long time since I put anything new on my blog I've almost forgotten what I have to do.


Today finished a picture that I painted originally beside a river at 'The Moulin' whilst on holiday almost 6 years ago.  My painting skills have developed somewhat since then and I decided to paint the scene again.
This was my first attempt and I was very pleased with it at the time.

.....and here is the version I finished


I'm particularly pleased with hte improvement to the water also the depth of colour and the contrast in the light.

A Rather splendid Duck

At long last I have time to get back to my painting and blogging!  A recent day out with the local 'Women's Group' found us visiting Debden and Finchingfield,  returning with photo's to use as subjects in my watercolour pictures.

One of the ladies admired this picture in the local art gallery and I offered to take a picture of it for her.

The photo turned out really successfully so, as well as having a photo of the duck I also painted this watercolour for her.  She hasn't seen it yet, although it is already framed and ready and I hope she likes it as much as I do!!.

A derelict barn.

A tricky but fascinating picture to paint and the recent  lessons, practising a variety of techniques, have really paid dividends.

Two more paintings

 Two monochrome pictures.

 I chose to work this picture in Sepia.

The same picture, worked in greys, as demonstrated by Steve.

Class paintings continued.

I'm a bit disappointed in this painting and wuld have preferred more subtle colours in the sky.

More watercolour pictures.

We started the term painting simple watercolour pictures, to practise colour mixing and getting the correct density of colour.  I will be posting these over the next few days, but will normally only be posting my own paintings thereafter.  I've said this so many times but always slip back into taking the easy way by using my tutors lessons! Not this time!! (Hopefully)

Cezanne

A recent purchase of mine was a 'Ready to Paint' book of Cezanne's pictures by Michael Sanders.  I was particularly drawn to the Vase of Tulips, so took advantage of the provided tracing but used the exercise as a way to practise my colour mixing, working from the large picture but without referring to the detailed instructions that were included. Also I was using watercolour paints not acrylics.
It was great fun to paint and I'm particularly pleased with how accurate the finished colours are.

Another Sunset

I seem to be focusing on sunsets at present, this is one painted whilst at my latest class.

The finished pumpkin.

               It's been a real learning curve completing this picture but I have enjoyed doing it!

The longest task was loading the pictures onto the blog!

Developing the Pumpkin

I am unsure what to call this vegetable, at present I'm calling it a pumpkin but it could be called a Gourd!  Whatever you will see I decided on the pale background shade for the foreground, then used a darker shade for the shadow.
The second image has had richer shades of the orange and green applied.  Tomorrow I'll display the complete picture.

Pumpkin Stage Two

With the first part of the background painted in I am now undecided on colours to use for the foreground, also should they be darker than the background.  I'm considering using one of the blues, together with a dark green for the shadow area.  What do you think?

Autumn Show Unusual Pumpkin

First stage, which has turned out well but I'm wishing I'd put in the background colour first.

Rainham Horticultural Society Chrysanthemum Show 2011

An unusual vegetable

 I couldn't resist taking pictures of these unusual vegetables

and plan to use them as subjects for my next watercolours.

Ark Royal again

'Emerging from the mist'.

            I have taken my friend Pat's advice and taken the picture of my 'Ark Royal' painting again. 

                           Thanks to Pat I have managed to keep much more of the colour now.

Ark Royal

Final three stages.

This picture has lost much of its colour in the photograph.

Ark Royal

Recently, the Daily Mail published a photo of the aircraft carrier 'Ark Royal' emerging from the mist, as she arrived back in port from her final voyage. These are the first stages of my painting from that photograph.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage3