Post covid paintings

Well maybe not quite post covid for covid is still around but here are some examples of things I've painted this past year.

Where did the last year go??

Although I haven't been blogging, I have been busy this past year. With Covid still floating around I decided to take my watercolor classes online. Each month was had a theme and this past fall, winter and spring the theme was portraits. We'd spend a whole month working on learning how to paint the features, another month on painting adults, another on chidren, and another on different approaches to painting the hair. Students would have access to the pre-recorded lessons and then we would meet via zoom to discuss, critique and have further mini-lessons. Although I love meeting in person I have to say the onine was a good experience.

Painting as Fast as I Can

Painting faster = painting looser

I am pushing myself to do at least one small (9x12) painting a day. By painting faster, I find I am able to be a little looser which is my goal. Looser, in my opinion, gives a more fresh appearance. If the man looks familiar, it is because I've painted him before. He's still not as loose as I'd like to be but I'm working on it.

Flinging and Flicking Watercolor Paint

I had so much fun painting the last dog that I thought I'd so another. Flinging and flicking paint, I have to admit, is out of my comfort zone but I want to loosen up and use more color so what the heck. Just go for it. I wasn't prepared to apply masking fluid and searched around our summer apartment to find an applicator that might work and didn't find anything suitable so I inserted the end of one of my paint brushes into the pencil sharpener and applied the fluid with that. I don't think that part was as successful as I could have wanted a thinner line but I had fun and that is what really matters.

High Key Watercolor

A high key painting is one where the values (light or dark) fall into the lighter range. Low key paintings are mainly painted with darker tones. I've wanted to paint a white dog against a white background yet still have it be colorful. This is what I've come up with.

Coffee and a sweet pup

Bob and I stopped at a nearby coffee shop this morning and were sipping our coffee when we noticed the dog at the next table. He reminded us of our dog who passed many years ago. His human was training him with hand signals much as we did with our dog. I couldn't resist the chance to paint him so I mustered up the courage to ask if that was possible. I was thrilled when I got the ok.