Virtual Paintout-Florence, Italy
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This painting was coming along quite well until I added the shadow! The shadow is from buildings that are across the street from this one. Just goes to show that I really MUST evaluate a photo reference more thoroughly before painting!! The photo I printed from the google map is shown on the far right. Virtual Paintout Blog sets up monthly challenges where a city is listed, along with the google map (street view), and participants can choose any scene from that city. You can print the scene right there on google maps. The address for this one is 4 via dei Banchi in Firenze, Tuscany, Italy. Check out the blog here
The Virtual Paintout

Brick Cottage

Brick Cottage
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

I'm still toying with the brick house with ivy. This is done on Lama Li using WN paints. I used a gray crayon again for the random brick mortar and the leaded window. I REALLY like the effect it gives. As I was working on this it occurred to me that I'm working faster, but not really any looser. I need to re-read the lessonsand then re-do some of the exercises in the current course I'm taking, Watercolor-Fast and Loose!

090523EDiM

090523EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Lesson 3 from Watercolor Fast and Loose. I honestly didn't realize that the ref photo from the last 2 door paintings was SO similar to this lesson. I had glanced briefly through the lesson and set it aside, the image must have been in my subconscious! I have to say that I am most definitely getting faster from taking this course. Sometimes I do feel like I'm getting looser, other times I seem to want to nit and tweak here and there. This is done in my 6 x 9 Lama Li pad and I used WN paints. The techniques for this lesson were wax resist, digging in, scraping, spatter and rigger. None were new to me, but I sure don't use several on a regular basis so it was fun to apply them here.

090520EDiM

090520EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Ever since the end of March I've been tuning in throughout the day to see the live eagle cam in Norfolk, WV -- this has just been such an awesome live video cast!! This morning, the biologists removed the female from the nest to fit her with a satellite transmitter. The public will be able to track where she goes once she leaves the nest, in about 2 weeks. It was fascinating to see how they got her out of the nest and back into it--and such CARE was taken during the whole procedure. She was so cooperative, she even fell asleep during the ordeal and they had to wake her to get her picture taken by the media. The other two eaglets were calm throughout and the mom and dad eagles circled high in the air, but didn't appear to be alarmed. The live eagle cam is here
www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html
and the wildlife tracking site for her is here
www.wildlifetracking.org/index.shtml?tag_id=83736
Her name is Azalea and I look forward to seeing where she goes! I did this sketch QUICKLY while viewing the video and colored it in with Derwent Watersoluble Tinted Charcoal. It is in my Raffine Art Sketchbook.

090516EDiM

090516EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Lesson 2 in Watercolor Fast and Loose -- a study of Edward Seago's work. I like this "minimalist" lesson and hope to do a few more. I used WN paints in Raffine Art Sketch book. This reminded me a bit of John Pike's work -- probably because of the palette used. Just three colors here, FrUM, Burnt Sienna, and Burnt Umber.

090510EDiM

090510EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Well, it IS harder to do the technique from class on a composition all my own! I really like this photo of Burano, Italy, that I got from www.googlemaps.com "street view." I would like to try this one again. . . I need more blocked out white areas and I need to plan for my colors better so I can drop them in for interesting blending. This was supposed to be "Watercolor, Fast and Loose" -- is was defniitely NOT fast (I really overworked in some areas) and it's that same ol' loose that looks kindergarten! My next lesson comes tomorrow -- I hope I can get at least one more of these done today! It is in Lama Li 6 x 9 book and I used DS paints.

090509EDiM

090509EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

My first lesson in the course, "Watercolor, Fast and Loose," is also doubling as the Every Day in May entry for Saturday. Done on 6 x 9 Lama Li with Van Gogh travel palette. Ooops, I forgot to erase my gridlines. Not a complicated drawing, but I needed the grid lines. This was pretty simple because I was following along step-by-step. I need to try my own reference to see if I can REALLY do this technique!
Over the weekend I fell behind in the EDiM challenges. I think this is going to be a continuing problem for me. I guess Mondays and Tuesdays are going to be my "catch up" days.