ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Nightlights

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

WHAT'D YA GET?

Did you get any art supplies or art related stuff (books, DVDs, etc.) for Christmas?  Here's some artsy things I got - Santa was good to me :)

The Sumi-E set and instruction book are from Sweetie...as are the DVDs (both of which are going to be challenging and fun to study and try out).

And this gorgeous book (full of drawings and sketches) is from my step-daughter, Jenny (she was my Secret Santa this year).




This is the one Myrna Wacknov is in.  Each version of Strokes of Genius (1 - 3) contains at least one artist I know, either locally and in person, or through their blog.

THIS BEAUTY FROM A FRIEND...

This little beauty from a friend arrived Friday in the mail. 

Teresa Palomar Lois is an amazing artist who doesn't have time to do art full time (life and a job keep her away from her art supplies), but when she does sit down and create something it's always original and slightly dream-like or fantasy based.  This beauty is no exception.  A lovely little girl (perhaps an angel girl although you can't see her wings), holding and offering a captured star.  How wonderful!  And her writing to me says,
"One star, One wish, Mine is for all of yours to come true." 
Now, could you have a better friend than that?

And I will send that wish out to all of you, passing it on, because what could be a better wish than wishing for all of your wishes to come true for 2012!

Muchas gracias, Teresa!! 

See you all in the New Year!

FIRST POSTCARDS FROM SWAP GROUP

We are now calling our swap group, who are sending postcards out to each other, The Naked Postcard Swap :)  Why?  Because we don't want the postcards put in envelopes and we want to see the postmarks on the card when it arrives.

Well, my first postcard arrived from Terry W. in the west midlands of England this week, and it's appropriate for the season - some quite jolly holly :)

(If she mailed it on December 1st, that means it's taking almost 3 weeks to get mail from out of the country and my other 2 are coming from the Philippines so I may have a wait for those.)


Thanks, Terry, for sending this lovely little gem of a postcard - the first one in my photo album of cards!

And my second postcard surprised me yesterday in the mail - coming from Ontario, Canada and Jan S., it's a painting of New Year revelry right down to the noisemakers and confetti!

Thanks, Jan, for this bright postcard of New Year's fun!



So to all of you, from me and Sweetie and Smudge (the cat),

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
And a Bright New Year!

CHERRIES WET-IN-WET A LA EWA KARPINSKA

The book by Ewa Karpinska that I have called Wet-on-Wet Watercolour, has 20 step-by-step paintings you can try, to hone your wet-in-wet technique along the way.  Her work is just gorgeous - so flowing and rich and wild, as if it were done effortlessly (which is how wet-in-wet should look if you don't overwork it).

<--- Here (from the book) is a step-bystep she shares of a painting of cherries on a table, the table just hinted at and the cloth flowing and very artistic. 


I have begun this one.  The first one I did of the apples on the table I could NEVER get right when it came to the apples.  I think the problem was I was drawing the apples too small.  You really need to have some room when doing wet-in-wet and letting the pigment and water flow so small things are best done in a more controlled way - just my opinion and from my experience.

As you can see with this start, I got impatient and began on the tablecloth before the cherries were dry enough (impatience is the thing that holds me back from painting this way and I KNOW how to do it, I just don't wait...bad Rhonda!!!).


Anyway, I don't mind that that red bleeding at the edge - it can be cleaned up (or I hope it can, anyway).  Not too much more to do on this - the leaves, more shaping of the table and then letting it be :)  The eloquence of wet-in-wet is that just a bit of work creates something truly beautiful - if you know when to put that brush down and let it be :)

I know many bloggers are taking time off now for the holidays and I wish you all a wonderful Christmas.  Here's to Christmas pudding, cakes and cookies, eggnog and spumoni ice cream, and many small overindulgences on these few days, especially when it comes to laughter, smiles, hugs, and happiness!

STRIP TEASE, SECOND STAGE

Now, I imagine I'll get a lot of viewers who pop over due to the title of this post :)  But it's just a painting, folks, sorry to disappoint! ha ha

Worked more on this one and I see it's almost done but that plate isn't right.  I'll have to look closely and carefully and slowly and get that ellipse closer to true.  Right now it's just not there.  The shadow shape needs a bit more work, too. 

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Candlelight

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

NEW CALENDAR FOR 2012

Our postal workers and UPS and FedEx folks have been busy on our street, and this morning early, when Sweetie looked outside, there was a package already on the front stoop (too small to call it a porch by any means).  The package, from Lulu.com, is Pam Johnson Brickell's new 2012 calendar I bought!  It is sooo cool and sooo pretty and I already have put up lots of things for the new year on the coming months and it's hanging on the wall in the computer room so I can look at it any time I'm on the desktop.



Thanks, Pam, for sharing your creativity with us and letting us have a little piece of your artwork every month for 2012. 

If you haven't received that perfect artsy calendar yet, you might pop over to Pam's blog and find info on ordering this one.

<<<--- This is the front cover.







<<<--- And here is January - isn't it lovely?  Lots of information about Pam's painting and where, when, etc. as well as what she saw on her walk that day.  Full moon listings are printed for each month, as well as special astronomical events like the Lyrids Meteor Shower.





Sorry I've been absent for a few days.  I'm not painting right now and life has gotten a bit busy - you know how it is this time of year with shopping, wrapping, sending cards, making plans, attending holiday gatherings.  I hope to have something new soon as I continue studying the wet-in-wet technique.

MORE WET-IN-WET STUDIES

Yesterday, I drove over to Deb Ward's to paint with her and Sharon - we talked, we painted, Sharon even did a screen print and showed us how she created the stencil and the final print (pretty cool).  Of course, we had lunch together and a few sweets and then did some drawing and more painting and critiqueing of our work.  A good day!  I have a tendency to just hunker down at home and not go out but once a week or so and getting out just for fun and to be creative with friends is a good thing for me.

I did this study from the book by Ewa Karpinska (again, I highly recommend this book called Wet-on-Wet Techniques in Watercolor).    This is a copy of a lesson of rose leaves.  It doesn't look like her painting in the book, but I'm happy with it.


I did another one of the same thing while at Deb's - but I overworked it because I was talking too much and not paying attention to my actions (a fatal thing when working wet-in-wet). 


But I did start another - from my own photo of a pear I half peeled and laid on a blue glass plate with the knife.  I'm calling it Strip Tease :)  I did the background wet-in-wet and grayed colors of Prussian Blue and Quinacridone Burnt Orange + a bit of Orange (not sure what color, it was just a splotch on the palette without a name).  Then started the green peeling of the pear on dry paper and left it as is.  I'll go back and finish and do that cobalt blue plate wet-in-wet last.

BLOGGER AWARD + MORE WET-IN-WET

Jane Minter, of Jane Minter's Sketchbook blog, has awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award. 

She got her award from Irina of Irina's Paintings and Stuff blog - and Irina awarded me at the same time.  Jane is just catching up. 

So I'll just say thanks so much for thinking of me and my art when this came to you, Jane.  But I won't go into the things about me and the others I need to send to (already having done that the first time).

Tomorrow, I may go over to paint with Deb and Sharon. 

I'm also going to do a little more practice with wet-in-wet before starting on the Caw Girl redo, like the little leaves continuing below...

The next step in the book (the book is called Wet-on-Wet Watercolour Painting by Ewa Karpinska and I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more wet-in-wet techniques):  Actual paintings using the wet-in-wet techniques Ms. Karpinska demonstrates. 

The first painting is apples on a counter with a window in back.  I have the first bits of this done and next step is working on the apples. 

I'm using Saunders Waterford coldpress 140# paper for this and it holds the moisture well.  It has a warmer tint to the paper than Arches or Fabriano.  (I kind of like the abstract look of this at this stage :)

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Leuconistic

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

CAW GIRL 2 + WET-IN-WET LEAVES

I didn't feel like starting over on cold press paper so I fiddled with the hot press mess, trying to do the wet-in-wet technique.  Even though the paper was very wet, it still left hard edges on this hot press paper - I think it's okay for more dry techniques but I'm going to the Saunders Waterford paper for the wet-in-wet. 

I did a little practice on the leaves from the Ewa Karpinski book.  She has you lay down the shape with clean water, then begin putting in the colors at different stages.  She talks about the mirror stage, the cool matt stage and the dry mat stage.  It's a matter of timing with wet-in-wet, apparently, and I need more practice.  Rather than start on something big, I'm going to do a few more of these to get the feel of it before tackling the revised Caw Girl 2 on better paper.

When working on these little leaves, you have to stay and wait and watch the water on the paper and go in at the right time to get the look you want.  I was getting tired by the 4th one and took a break - for too long - so when I returned, the 4th and 5th leaves were dry.  I will rewet them and go back in and do more...

I definitely have a huge respect for watercolorists who work wet-in-wet and get beautiful results!  I'll get there someday - just not today.

My back is flaring up - the upper back now which never hurt before.  I guess this is just going to be a constant thing with me now :(

WET-IN-WET TECHNIQUES BOOK + BEGINNING CAW GIRL 2

This is a lovely book, full of good information and gorgeous paintings.  I've had it for some time now, but am just now getting around to sitting with it, reading it, and looking at the examples.  I'm going to try to create a few lessons for myself using her techniques and see if I can get that watercolor look.

I really want to become more proficient in wet-in-wet style painting in order to get ready for my Carol Carter workshop in February 2012.  Plus, I just really love this style of watercolor more than any other - but it takes more learning and practice on my part, plus an ability to let the pigment and water do their thing without too much fiddling!

I began a drawing on tracing paper, of the next Caw Girl painting.  I didn't realize or see until I'd begun the painting (on hotpress paper - what a mess!) that the crow is WAY TOO BIG!!  So...since this will be a do-over on 140# coldpress, I'm going to take some of the Ewa Karpinska wet-in-wet techniques and play with this and see what happens.  She doesn't work on hotpress so it may be a struggle but it's just paper, right?



That's masking fluid (Pebeo Drawing Gum) all around that I'll lift out before doing more playing.

Now, is that one HUGE crow or is that one TINY woman? ha ha

CATCHING UP

After spending the week going back and forth to the hospital to watch over my mother and help her (she was admitted Tuesday morning to emergency with a BP of 280/190 and labored breathing), I am glad I had a few things preset to post.  Sorry I couldn't comment on many things but I will try to catch up now (Mom was released yesterday afternoon and I got her home and got all her meds).

Hope you all are having a good weekend.  The sun in shining after days of rain and cold.  It's cold every morning with frost on the birdbath, but, heck, it IS winter!

After catching up on my work at home, I hope to be able to take some time to paint a bit so check back later...

DECEMBER 8 - ROHATSU

What Is Rohatsu?



In Zen Buddhism, December 8 marks the morning Buddha achieved realization. 

We are told that, if a man called Siddhartha Gautama could attain enlightenment, so can we.  Siddhartha struggled and worked for many years and tried many types of meditation and ascetic practice before attaining enlightenment.  However, he didn't have computers, Yahoo, Twitter, texting, emails, IPads, apps, television, Black Friday sales or baking cookies to take him away from his goal of attaining enlightenment.  But he did give up princely weath and comfort to go into the world and learn. 

I think it's harder these days to even gain a modicum of stability in one's life - but it's worth trying to achieve, for what does it all mean if one cannot be content in life and understand that there is more to life than just things and more things and newer things. 

To find a solid center. 
That is the goal. 

If you're interested in learning more, go to this short article on BeliefNet...

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Buddhism/Galleries/Rohatsu.aspx?p=2

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Grounded

Photo by Rhonda H. Carpenter

JUST A FEW POSTCARDS

Here are a few of the postcards I've been doing to send around the world to a Yahoo group who are sharing postcards.  It's easy, it's fun; the hardest part is trying to paint loosely in this small a format - and I haven't been able to do that yet, so some of the landscapes are painted larger and will be cut back to the required 4" x 6" size.

My first two were mailed out December 1st (we are supposed to mail out 2 each month).  One went across country and one went far far away - wonder which one will arrive first?

CAW GIRL - AFTER A BATH

Well, I didn't toss or pour a bucket of water on her (as Nick Simmons suggested), but I did take a very powerful spray bottle full of water and washed off the bottom of the dress as much as possible.  This was a technique from Nick's workshop.  Hit it really hard with a hard stream of water and it takes off any watercolor that isn't staining.  Unfortunately, the red (I believe it's Pyrrol Red from Daniel Smith) was a staining color.  So had to really darken that dress to make it work.

She's done - in more ways than one!




The dress is not that heavy looking IRL, but isn't showing up in the photo so I cropped in to focus on the dress and got a better version.  It's a mix of Ultramarine Turquoise and the Pyrrol Red to get a good dark velvety look.









I lifted some areas in her face too where hard lines were, but I still like the cronish look of her so leaving it as is.


Thanks for all the comments on this one.  Nothing more to do in watercolor with it - there are areas, already, that are overworked and show the roughness of the paper (especially on the dress area).

Seeing the cropped version, I'm thinking cropping it down this far might be a good idea - more impact.


I was going to post this early this AM but got a migraine instead.  Had to take a pill and go back to bed with the blankets over my head and sleep for 2 1/2 hours!  Feeling much better now (first migraine since October so not too bad for me).

WHAT IS YOUR TRUTH?

"The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new."
                                                                Pema Chodron


In our artwork, we cling to certain things we believe are true.  We believe we know where we stand in terms of our own knowledge, ability and creativity. 

When we create, even if we tell ourselves differently, we commit to that creation.  Each brushstroke is ours and that painting becomes more ours as we continue to work on it.  It becomes too precious; especially if we had a really good idea in the first place.

So what do you do when a good idea doesn't show on the paper or canvas?  Are we too invested in something we've done to be able to change it to try to make it better?

What truths do we cling to in our art?  What "truths" do we need to throw out to make room for other "truths" in the future?

Are you good at composition?  Value?  Color choices?  If not, is it because you are stuck where you are because you have too many beliefs clogging up the works?  Can you take an objective look at your own work and see the good and the bad?  Can we hear and/or learn something new?  And, can we hold on to the beliefs which are true without letting someone else have an opinion that makes us challenge everything?

Is it easy creating art?  No, it's not.

Is it worth every agonizing moment you spend being unsure or confused?  You bet your bright pink macarons, it is!

Now - go create something!

RETURN OF THE CAW GIRL

I finally felt like going back to this one - it was a shift in thinking and working to go from small 4" x 6" postcards to this full sheet (22" x 30") so I had to be in the right mood.

The background is untouched so I cropped it down a bit, making this almost a square (so it's not really 22 x 30, closer to 22 x 25).


Although she's not finished, there are just some tweaks to make it dso (softening here and there, adding a darker value  here and there, etc.).

Honest opinions, please!

Caw Girl #2 is started and is in the drawing stages so I'll be working on that this weekend.  I intend to do at least 3 of these, maybe more.  Maybe at the end of the year I'll have a big crow show on the blog :)

MY ACEO FROM CAROL ARRIVED!

Carol Blackburn has been doing giveaways of her ACEO paintings - including the little easel they sit on so they can be displayed.  I recently won her painting of feathers and will display it on my bookcase - it looks really good there!

Thanks so much, Carol, for being so generous with your work!

EVERYONE NEEDS A CHRISTMAS CROW

This is a small painting I fiddled with and, finally, added the ornaments using a product called Puffy 3D Paint by Tulip (it's a craft paint you get at Michael's or Hobby Lobby).  I bought a bunch a long time ago at a yard sale on my street and have used it in the past on Christmas cards.  It was just the thing this boring tree needed (yes, it needs more depth, too, but that's not gonna happen now).


So...
doesn't everyone need a Christmas Crow?


Other than the few postcards, I've been in a painting rut and I think I feel a New Year's Resolution coming on that's keeping me from anything right now other than small stuff.  I won't say what it is yet - afterall, we have another month before we have to start thinking about that stuff!


I hope December is a good month for everyone.  Snow, if you love it; warmth and sunshine, if you don't love snow; a warm place to stay, a friend to talk to, loved ones near you.  All the basics - plus some good painting supplies to keep you going through the end of 2011.  

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Jump!

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

I WON CAROL'S GIVEAWAY

Carol Blackburn, of Limited Space Art Studio, has been doing giveaways (this is number 4) of some of her ACEO paintings, including a perfect little easel for them - and guess who won the ACEO of feathers?

Me!!

Of course, the crows were on my side for this one :)

Thanks, Carol.  Looking forward to seeing it arrive, like an early Christmas present, in the mail. 

Family and friends have taken me away from painting anything but the small postcards (and can't show those yet), so no artwork to share today...I'm starting to go into withdrawal, not being able to paint something bigger.

SUNDAY SHARING

The new followers who disappeared have now returned (some kind of Blogger glitch, I guess).  Here are 3 new ones you'll want to visit:

1.  Norena Fox has a blog called My Art and Life Blog and it is what is says - all about her creative artwork and her regular life :)  I think you'll enjoy seeing what she's been doing!

2.  Del Ponte Artist is the blog of a Floridian artist, Richard Del Ponte.  His colors will take you to the heat and sunshine of Florida in no time so if you need to warm up, go visit his blog.

3.  Trematel is just one of the three blogs of Brazilian artist, Juan Carlos Sastre Carvajal.  The title of this blog, Trematel, he describes this way:
"At trematel: Make something carelessly, haphazardly."  His views of his homeland are not made carelessly at all - but perhaps they just look that way?  After a short trip to southern Florida, travel even farther to Brazil!

These three bloggers will give you plenty of visual enjoyment today.  Have a wonderful Sunday!

HAVE YOU TRIED POSTCARDS?

I closed the SWAP group earlier this year; just too many years of wrangling a list of 40 members.  After a little chatting about future swaps and who would be willing to run them, one of our regular members, Cathy Geha, has agreed to moderate the group in a new venture = a postcard swap.  It should be fun and less work for any one person (everyone agrees to mail out 1-2 postcards each month beginning in December until they send a postcard to everyone on the list; and they keep track of their sending and such).  All each person has to do it mail their postcards and share a photo or scan of the postcards they get with the group. 

I'm going to be just a regular member this time.  We are going to run it for a year so everyone has a chance to send and receive a postcard from everyone in the group - a membership of about 24 is our limit.

So...I just had to buy a couple of books of the Arches postcards.


Why am I telling you this when the group is, basically, closed to new members this first year?

Because I am wondering if you've ever tried the postcards?  They seemed SO SMALL when I opened the package from Cheap Joe's - only 4" x 6" - but that's our size requirement (it is, afterall, a postcard swap, not a painting swap). 

I'm thinking I'll draw on each blank side lightly in pencil, then maybe add some waterproof ink and then watercolor for a dash of color.  Then I'll spray seal it with acrylic spray so it doesn't bleed or smear in the mail.  (Members can paint in any watermedia but they should make sure their painting doesn't disappear with mail handling so spray sealing is a good thing. 

I'm looking forward to the postmarks and stamps from foreign countries!




The back is already marked for a short comment, and the address and stamp.


I'm already thinking about what to paint - perhaps info about what I'm reading and an illustration of it, or the birds I see around the feeder this time of year, etc. 




What would you send on your postcard?  Here are some fabulous postcards being created and shared by the Sketchercize group on their blog called A Postcard From My Walk.

A GOOD BOOK

If you like Vincent Van Gogh and his life story (or what we know of it), then you'll enjoy curling up with this good book:

Carol Wallace has given us an interesting and lively fictionalized account of Vincent, as told by his psychiatrist, Dr. Gachet.  I think we learn more about Dr. Gachet than we do about Vincent, but all the main players are here and Ms. Wallace has given us an interesting twist to the ending (which we all know will happen even as we begin reading the first pages).







There is a new book out about Vincent and the authors' theories of how he really died and I may get that one to read this winter. 
http://www.amazon.com/Van-Gogh-Life-Steven-Naifeh/dp/0375507485/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322150124&sr=1-1


If you want to skip the stories and just browse through some of his many paintings, then check out this site, sit back and enjoy.  Can you imagine the person who painted these works was tormented and slightly deranged?  So much life and light and beauty.  And a life cut short (he was only 37 when he...died...committed suicide...was murdered).
http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=98&lang=en


And Happy Thanksgiving to all those Americans out there, whether you are home in the U.S. or living abroad.  I remember having a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends (all ex-pats) when living in Wales many many years ago.  We had turkey and the whole shebang - even pumpkin pie (which my Welsh friends thought was a disgusting concoction to even think about).

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Pretty

Photo by Rhonda H. Carpenter

WATCH THIS PROGRAM!

You won't regret watching this 1 hour Nature program.  Check your local PBS stations to see if you get it in your area.  Sweetie and I have watched it twice and enjoyed it both time.  The photography is fabulous and the story is so unusual and beautiful.  I think I may even buy the book to find out more about Joe Hutto's experiences as he raises 16 turkeys from eggs to adulthood, experiencing their lives on the daily basis.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/my-life-as-a-turkey/introduction/7268/

And, no, it is not anti-Thanksgiving turkey in any way.  Hutto makes it very plain that the wild turkey is as different from our domesticated turkey as a wolf is from a dog.


And if you don't get the Robert Genn Weekly emails, you should check out this one - the current clickback at the top is something all of us should watch.  So get a cup of something, sit back and really watch and listen to this video created by Louis Schwartzberg of movingart.  It will change your day.
http://clicks.robertgenn.com/critique-self.php

CAW GIRL

My friend, Sharon, came up with the title.  She was thinking about shadows and crows, but instead I came up with this. 

She looks a bit rough,
a bit overly made up,
the type of a girl who'd hang out with crows?


Caw Girl I
Full sheet (22 x 30) Fabriano Artistico
140lb cold press.



Not finished yet but I don't want to do too much more.  (And I think I'll do a few of these caw girls; I have some ideas for the the next one.)

DISAPPEARING FOLLOWERS

I checked my Followers on the sidebar and found 4 new followers and was preparing to do a Sunday Sharing feature of their blogs (the ones who have blogs).  Then they all disappeared.  Perhaps it's a Blogger glitch and they will return...when they do, I'll be glad to feature them on my blog.  Strange.

Today is the final day for the Viewpoint show (1 - 4 pm) and my sister and BIL are going to see the show this afternoon.  Then all artists who have not sold a painting pick up their painting from 4 - 6 pm.  I was actually in 5 shows this year, 2 of them juried.  Not bad for me.  2012 may be a year for me to expand a bit and try for the Ohio Watercolor show or the Kentucky Watercolor Show or even the Indiana Watercolor Show; but haven't decided that yet. 

Hope you all are having a good day.  I was awakened by the neighbor's Dachshunds this morning before 7 am.  They bark at everything and everyone; they even run up into your yard and bark at you as you get into your car = annoying.  But when they stopped barking (gues they'd gone back inside), I heard an owl softly hooting.  So I thought I'd share this photo with you, taken by Sweetie, at his Raptor Rehab volunteer job.

This is Kentucky,
a great horned owl. 


Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

REWORKING SOMETHING OLD

This was done year's ago when I was still doing work on YUPO in Sandy Maudlin's class.   

YUPO is a very white plastic so the paint just sits on the top until it dries, creating some wonderful runs and merges of colors. 

At the time I did this, I had a horrible looking bunch of greenery and a pinkish red blossom in the metal jug.  It was horrid.  I used alcohol to remove it and then a Mr. Clean eraser to get the last bits and worked on it without the flowers.  The other glass jars weren't touched.  (I had to use alcohol and the eraser because it was spray sealed - something you want to do if you work on YUPO because it can always get moisture in or on it and ruin your finished work.)

It was even framed (at the time I didn't know it was so awful).  A few years of sitting in a frame in the garage and the white YUPO is very definitely yellowed where the mat did not cover.  Interesting that it changed.  Which means the YUPO under the painting is yellowed, too.  Not exactly what you want if you intend to keep a piece for a long time?

I won't do anything more with this - it'll just be a piece from the past...I usually tear up and throw away old paintings that I review (once a year) that don't live up to my current standards or that I think can be fixed.  I never paint on the back of paintings - for some reason I think, what if I painted something really great and wanted to put it in a show and that bad painting would be on the back giving it a bad vibe?  That's just me - I could just play and test things on the back of old paintings, I guess.  I just remove the work on YUPO as much as I can and then play with it sometimes when I'm in a rut.  I don't use YUPO seriously anymore after hearing about it getting moisture in it (even under glass) and being warped when hung in the sun, etc.  Now I know it also yellows after a few years (even when not hung in the sun).  I guess I'll stick with quality watercolor paper.

PRIMARILY CROWS - STEP 2

I finished the shadows and put in the crows.  Now to refine their bills and eyes and call them done.  Not sure why the Step 1 painting is more warm - this is the actual look of the piece to my eyes.

It looks like the crows are on a wet pavement or something wet so maybe I should break up the shadow shapes a bit.

Anyway, it's a full sheet (22 x 30) and was fun to do after the idea bounced around in my head for a while.

SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T

What worked:



Shadow Selves in Florida


I worked on the background waves and beach, then darkened the shadows.













What didn't work:

Nautilus Blue


I admit, I didn't like that untouched white background on the blue nautilus painting in the original even though it was a sketch and playing with color.  I wanted to do something, but didn't have a plan.  So added a pale yellow wash all around the background.  Didn't like it.  So I thought about it, then splattered miskit all around; then painted Lamp Black and Indanthrone Blue in over the yellow.  I removed the miskit.  It now looks like it's floating in a faraway galaxy. 

It didn't quite work and the nautilus, which was so fresh and beautiful before, now looks overworked. 

Some you win, some you lose - but you have to keep playing!

ONE WORD WEDNESDAY

Solitude

Photo by Jerry H. Carpenter

WHILE WAITING FOR A PAINTING TO DRY

At Deb's last week, my crow painting was really saturated so I had to wait to let it dry.  I didn't want to use a hairdryer on it because I had miskited off some areas of the crows so...it went on the floor for a while until Deb moved it to the piano bench for fear of Stray (their big old goofy lovable dog) bounding in and stepping on it. 

So...what to do while waiting?

This:

It's on a half sheet (15" x 20") Saunders Waterford 140# cold press (same thing the crow painting is on).  When I got home, I put masking fluid (Pebeo Drawing Gum) over the figures that are going to be shadows on the beach and worked more on the sky, water, beach area.  It's coming along.

Painted from a photo taken by Sweetie last time we were in the St. Augustine area - a picture of our shadows on the white sand outside our rental on Matanzas Inlet.

SAD DAYS FOR SANDHILL CRANES IN KENTUCKY

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Hunters interested in participating in Kentucky's first sandhill crane season can begin applying for permits.


The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said it will take applications for permits from Nov. 15 through Nov. 30 and hold a drawing Dec. 5 to select up to 400 hunters.


Hunters are allowed to take up to two sandhill cranes and must register them with the department. The hunt will begin Dec. 17 and continue through Jan. 15, 2012, or until hunters take 400 birds.


It will be the first hunting season for sandhill cranes in a state east of the Mississippi in a century. The birds were nearly extinct in the early 1900s because of overhunting, but officials say the populations have rebounded enough to allow a limited hunting season.


For a look at what the cranes are like, please go to Vickie Henderson's blog and see her information and photos. 
 http://vickiehenderson.blogspot.com/2011/07/intimate-visits-with-sandhill-crane.html
Vickie kept the petitions going through her blog and all those who read it, back in the summer.  Sadly, we didn't get enough signatures or letter or phone calls to make a difference.

I have uncles in my family who hunt, but aren't deer and turkey enough? 
Can you even eat a sandhill crane?  Is this just for sport?
Because the population, which had gone nearly extinct, is rebounding? 

There are very few areas in the U.S.  (but I admit, there are some in Kentucky) where you have to hunt to eat, to feed your family, to survive. 
What harm are the cranes doing that legislation in Kentucky thinks we need
to "cull" them;
to "take" them;
which means to KILL THEM?

PAINTING AT DEB'S

I had the beginnings of an idea for this full sized sheet (22" x 30") painting of crows when I went to Deb's last Thursday.  After some discussion about what I was thinking, this is what I started with.  I want the shadows of the crows to be primary colors (or very close to just pure primaries without being pure color) = one crow shadow will be the blue + red leaning to blue; one crow shadow will be the red + yellow leaning to yellow; and one crow shadow will be the red + blue leaning to red.  Just 3 primary colors of red, blue and yellow for this painting.

Primarily Crows
On Saunders Waterford full sheet (22" x 30") 140# cold press paper.



It may work.  It may not.  I'll keep going and we'll see what happens.  The crows will be "black" mixed with the 3 primary colors and nothing else.  I'm putting the shadows in first.

WINNER OF THE 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIVE-AWAY

There were a lucky 13 entries and Sweetie picked the name again.  The winner of the crow painting or print is:

Irina!!! 

Irina, please send your full mailing address (and last name) to me at my gmail address and let me know which piece you'd like, the Rain Crow painting or the Curious Crow print.  It will be mailed this week to you!

Hope you enjoy whichever piece you choose and that it wings its way to your home carrying much happiness.

Wish you all could have been winners.

FIVE YEARS OF BLOGGING??

I began my blog on November 12, 2006.  That means I've been doing this for 5 years.  Wow, that is a long time and many who have been blogging that long are thinking about quitting or backing off or just tired of the whole experience.  I think I'll continue until I get burned out :)

Here is my first blog (saves you the trouble of searching back to that date):
http://rhcarpenter.blogspot.com/2006/11/sunday-november-12-2006.html

To celebrate 5 years of blogging, I'm having another give-away of a crow painting.  The only thing you have to do to enter the drawing is:

Send a comment to this posting saying, Count me me! or Add my name! or Me Me Me!! :) and I'll put your name in the hat for the drawing on Sunday.  Whoever wins will have to send me their mailing info via my gmail address - that's all you have to do.

And what is the painting?  Well.....I'm going to let the winner choose between these two:

Rain Crow
Watercolor on a fourth sheet (11" x 15")
of 140# cold press paper.

Curious Crow
A watercolor monotype print on printing paper  (it's a softer paper than cold press or hot press). 

The print is on a fourth sheet (11" x 15")
but should be cropped down to about 9" x 12" to show the print info, title and signature. 


The winner in the drawing gets to choose which one floats their boat!

Good luck!

THANK YOU, VETERANS

I want to thank all the veterans all over the world who have fought, all those who returned leaving parts of themselves on a battle field,
all those who never returned to their families,
and all those who fought and returned, forever changed by the experience. 

Thank you for your service.

WHAT ABOUT THESE CROWS?

Well, after the watercolor society meeting yesterday, looks like we have new people to fill the open spots beginning March 2012.  Deb Ward will be President - why not, she's been Program Chair, Membership Chair, and coordinated 3 of our art shows!  I will be Program Chair - I've already been Recording Secretary and coordinated 1 of our art shows, so I guess next term I'll be President! ha ha Too bad Deb and I can't clone ourselves and then we could do it all!  Thank goodness there were two other members who are willing to be the new Recording Secretary and Treasurer next year.

I'm going out to Deb's today to paint with her and Sharon and come up with something, I hope.  Lately, I've been sketching and moving things around on paper, trying to come up with something.  Nothing seems to be gelling yet, but I've got a few things started that I could work on.  Or maybe I'll start something new there from inspiration during the day.

I'd like to do something with interesting shadow shapes as much a part of the painting as the crows but I'm not quite there yet as these two look more like mockingbirds than crows - have to make them bigger and more massive beaks to be crows.