Fat Fruit On Lace (7" x 5 1/2")

Just a simple painting of simple subjects... fat fruit. A plump plum and two very plump pears. Tomorrow I eat them...

Session 1: After I got the fruit arranged into a pleasing triangle composition I sketched them directly onto my watercolor paper. Since the light was stable I didn't take reference photos - something new for me.

I began on the pears by loosely painting yellows in and around them. Then I dropped in scarlet lake, cobalt blue and bits of violet. I also lifted out the highlights before it dried. On the plum I began with diox violet washed in loosely around the highlights and I immediately dropped in some cobalt blue and some burnt sienna to dull it just a bit. I softened the edges of the highlights and around the stem dent. Then I watched to make sure the soft edges stayed soft as it dried.

Session 2: I darkened and moulded the pears by glazing more warm yellow and dropping in the reds, blues, and burnt sienna... keeping the edges of my whites soft and lifting out some new highlights. The plum... I did the same colors as in session 1 but this time I kept inside the lines. Also, I extended the size of the plum on the bottom and inside.

I decided I wanted to add the lace detailing and it was as simple as negatively painting the holes in the lace and the shadows cast. I think the lace added something to this one

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Sunshine Climb (~10x14)

This painting features Mount Brett on the left and behind her Mount Bourgeau. I just can't say enough about my day in the mountains. Here's the story...

Today I painted with 38 others at the 4th Annual Plein Air Paint Out at Sunshine Meadows. The day began at 7 am when Sheila picked me up for the drive up. We parked at the Sunshine lifts at 8:30 and stretched and visited a bit before our bus left for the top at 9am. The first thing I figured out when we arrived at Sunshine Village was that my camera card was back in my computer at the house. I was so disappointed and I'd stowed my camera for the day in Sheila's trunk when Rita Rankin offered my her spare SD card. I'm so thankful for her generosity - some of you know how snap happy I am and I really took some gems today!

It was so much fun to meet and visit with the other artists throughout the day. At the top, Sheila helped me repack my gear [we left half with the cook] and we were off to hike up to the meadows. Neither of us realized that the hike up would be required. It took about 20 minutes of stop and go walking/hiking to get to the spot we decided to paint from (not the meadows - too far). Duane Hendricks was scoping the place out when we stopped and we decided to stop and paint with him there. We could have painted from that one spot for weeks there was so much beauty to look at.

The weather was not so beautiful - it blew, rained, snowed, and sleeted between very brief sunny periods. I wanted to quit watercolor on the spot. My hands were so stiff and chapped after two hours of holding wet stuff it was hard to keep painting. But, we kept at it and the time really flew with all the weather changes and chatting with hikers that walked by. By about 1 we packed our stuff up and decided that we'd just walk up a little further and see what we were missing. Good grief! I bet we walked another 20 minutes up the path - we just couldn't stop looking and taking pictures. Wow! We just kept going "around the next bend and over the next hill". When we'd stop so I could get my breath back (thank you Mr Pneumonia!) we'd talk it over and decide we wanted to see more... Anyhow, soon we saw beautiful Rock Isle Lake and it made the walk worthwhile. I could be feeling pretty sore tomorrow but it was worth it.

The walk down was much easier. We ate our lunch while we waited for the bus. Then we heard that there was a waterfall immediately behind the building so we stayed another hour to scope that out. It was a long but very satisfying day... I hope you had a good one too!

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I have a plan...

No painting done today... although I prepared one for later this week. Watercolor painting is 80% planning and 20% execution (varies depending on your style). These are the steps I take to get started:

1. get inspired... I keep a e-folder and several folders for "Paint Soon" material. I find that there must be a connection for me to place anything into these categories.


2. decide on orientation (landscape/portrait), size and format (square, etc). To do this I usually make a black and white photocopy of the subject.


3. The black and white copy helps me see interesting patterns of lights and darks or boring patterns that need to be changed. I mark the photocopy up with changes, edits, etc. Often I have to include a sky from one photo with a landscape from another photo. I've been doing this on Corel (easier than photoshop) and it works out well. These first three steps are almost "pre-planning" and happen organically as life goes on. Ideas flow freely to the open mind.
4. At this point the altered reference material is ready to be drawn up and transferred to the watercolor paper. This can take an hour if there are lots of alterations to the references.


5. With the drawing complete I now turn to planning the painting steps. I'll consider different techniques (wet on dry, wet on wet, direct, negative/positive, glazing, masking,etc) that I'll use, the color scheme, etc. often I make notes on the white tape around the painting as to what my "next steps" should be. [That's the stage that the painting in this photo is at... waiting to do the painting].
6. Executing the painting takes FAR less time than the rest of these activities if you are working in watercolor. I call it "the show" because it happens quite quickly and there are always surprises. There are folks that MUST be in control of their painting process and if it doesn't happen, they become frustrated and give up. A better approach is to withhold judgement on the "surprises" and come back to them in the next painting session. Often a solution to a problem or a way to incorporate the "surprise" that improves the painting yet pops into mind. I love that part... It reminds me of how God works in our lives. We have a plan, we begin executing it. Surprises happen, we freak out, God steps in to the plan and takes the "surprise" and makes it a wonderful part of our life - His painting.


7. Flexibility, cooperation (me with the water), enjoyment of process, these are the things that make watercolor a great creative medium.

I'm off to Sunshine Meadows to paint and putter tomorrow. A friend is driving and I'll be able to relax and enjoy the trip. We'll be home by around 3pm. It should be lovely! Have a great day!

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Marla's Praying Angel

Message from my daughter Kimberley McRae: "On September 4th I am repelling 30 stories down the Sunlife building in Calgary to raise money for Easter Seals! I'm scared to death but really it's nothing compared to the challenges the kids with disabilities go through everyday. Camp Horizon is an amazing experience for them they deserve it!I will let you know what time my drop is and you are welcome to come and watch. apparently we are to dress up like superheros so that will be amusing!" Click on Easter Seals for more info...

I had a lovely time today at my friend Marla's luncheon/ garden party. A few mutual friends were there - and we had a nice time catching up. And I gained two new friends by the time I left. It was a great day to be out in the back yard - no bugs, sunny but not too hot. We lounged, discussed books, did nails... and the food was perfect. Marla had little surprise "blessings" for us throughout the afternoon and then gifts for each of us at the end of the afternoon - what a great idea! It was so refreshing and lifted my spirits greatly - thanks Marla! You were an instrument of peace today.

Marla collects yard angels and I just had to sketch this one today. I don't know what this angel is called but he's kneeling in prayer with his head bowed on his arms. I was concentrating on visiting as I sketched and I've made the angel MUCH bigger than he really is. Considering the day, the company, and the conversation it was probably meant to be. I know some of the angels in my life have a much larger role than I've given them credit for - angel friends and guardian angels. I have no doubt that both types have impacted my life for the better today. Enjoy! Retweet this

Tango Anyone? (~8" x 10")

Note: This isn't a great photo and I'll update with a better one as soon as I can get a photo in daylight [cease thundershowers... before my dogs have a nervous breakdown].

Our lovely tango dancer is a huge fuchsia bloom and by the looks of things there will be many more dancers to keep her company. Hummingbirds love the combination of bright red/pink and purple and they hang around regularly in McLellan's yard where I took reference material for this painting. In fact, I had to "freeze" while painting the tiger lily sketch so I didn't scare away the hummer - it was about 5 feet from my head just hanging by the feeder. I read that hummingbirds, well all birds actually, scope out potential feeding sites from as far above as they can get. Safer there I suppose. I'm sure they were attracted by these huge fuchsia blooms.

The delphiniums in the background are a bit of my artistic license at work. Honestly, I wish I'd moved the left one over about half an inch but... too late now. I like how the delphs look kind of misty and hazy. Although I started off by painting them positive/negative alternating, I felt they were too far forward and competing with the fuchsia so I glazed them over with cobalt blue and it pushed them back nicely.

A bit of flower trivia for you - the symbolism for these two flowers is interesting. The fuchsia symbolises confiding love while the delphinium represents heaven (one source) and dolphins - root word is the Greek "delphis", or dolphin.

This Wednesday I am planning to attend a paint out at Sunshine Meadows. I'm going to carpool with a friend. I've got this paint out thing a bit more organized now - in this case I'll add a blanket so I can have short rests up there. What a place for a nap! It'll be a great day!

Enjoy your day tomorrow! I'm excited as I'm meeting several friends for a garden party - we'll see what that means... I'm taking my painting gear and I may have a chance to use it, time will tell. I hope you enjoy your Monday. Retweet this

Little Bighorn

I've just finished touching up "Little Bighorn" today. I've added another green shrub in the right above the sheep. I've used some darker colors in the grasses behind the sheep as well. I think it's a bit more balanced now and I hope you like it.

Now that I know where this herd lives I'll be sure to visit and paint there whenever I'm in Fairmont. These bighorn sheep are really quite fascinating to see up close and I'd love to be there when they come down for drink again. I've done a bit more reading on these sheep - apparently this little fellow must have been born this year. If he was older than that he (or she) would have little horns.

Here's a close up of the little guy...

Have a great evening and a lovely, restful Sunday!

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Garden Sketches

I just had time for a couple of ink and watercolor sketches of my clematis and my flower baskets today. There was a breeze and I found the watercolor drying much faster than usual. The flowers really are amazing this year! I hope you're enjoying yours as much as I'm enjoying mine. Blessings to you!

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