Ritzy Rose WIP

Thought I'd show you what I'm working on now...you know how it has to be something with red or I'm not interested. This one has turned out to be rather challenging as the red on the cracker box and the red on the teapot need to be definitely different hues, and I'm not sure what I want to do with the reds on the teapot. We'll see. This will go on the back burner for a week as our workshop with Joyce Faulknor and Guy Magallanes starts Monday.

My painting buddy, Rose, brought this darling little teapot to our art retreat the other day...hence my title. I think my old standby stripped napkin really works in this setup.

Sunflower

Here is probably the loosest thing I've ever painted...and it was such fun. While at our art retreat, Pat Coburn showed us the neatest technique for this loose style using just a hit of basic color and then lots and lots of clean water mopping. The painting basically paints itself when you just drop in water and let it do it's thing. Such fun, and so spontaneous...sure does make for clean, fresh color with no mud...and that's saying a lot for watercolor.

This is small...9x11...and paints were AJ cobalt, sap green, perm red, quin burnt orange, gamboge, and lots of good clean water. I drew the center for a starting place and then just brushed the petals in loosey-goosey...such fun painting that loose as I am a tight painter. I'll definitely use this technique for certain subjects...don't think it will work on glass or crystal, but it's lovely for florals. If I painted portraits, I think this would be fabulous for softness...but...I don't paint portraits just yet.

Susan's Teapot

Thought I'd post the edited (and now finished) painting of Susan's Teapot. The red check cloth and darkening of the leaves make a huge difference in the composition feel. This is one of those paintings where something bothered me and I had to live with it a little longer before calling in finished. I do like the red checked cloth...me and my love for reds!

Susan's Teapot

Here is the latest painting I've finished while painting with my artist friends at the ArtRetreat. Susan Chesley came with some 8x10 colored photos of this darling little teapot (the silly girls actually sang the little song today!) and apples that she'd started. Of course, then several of us wanted to paint it also. This is quarter sheet, mostly AJ paints, no masking on the teapot and several darker leaves in the right corner that I've added after making this photo. It's funny how I can always see something else that's needed after I think it's finished. This was a joy to paint as I love, love, love teapots.