Peggy's Pt in Nova Scotia--Oils on Canvas

Peggy's Pt in Nova Scotia--Oils on Canvas
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This is for the Virtual Paintout challenge for the month of November. To see how this challenge works, and to view other entries, go to:
http://www.virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/
This is painted with Van Gogh H2oils on a 9 x 12 sheet of Canva-Paper. It's my first try at an ocean (haven't done oceans in watercolor yet either!).

Rabbitbrush on Yupo - Again

Rabbitbrush on Yupo - Again
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Here's my second attempt at my idea for a collage style painting on Yupo. Wow - this one was a challenge! I decided to use Daniel Smith paints and found out real fast that when I put the masking tape on after letting the background dry (to get my square), it pulled quite a lot of the paint off. I tried scotch tape and it pulled off even more paint. I tried applying the masking tape and only pressing down a very slim edge of the paint, and it STILL pulled off the paint! So after washing this sheet of Yupo in the sink with soapy water THREE times, I free-handed with a brush each of the squares. This method did not give me a crisp line. Lesson learned: do not use DS paints for this technique!!
When Kevin Davidson critiqued my last painting, he pointed out two critical points. One is that I needed three squares, not two. I KNEW this, using odd numbers rather than even, just didn't think of it at the time. The second point was to completely (with Qtips) clean the background off in the areas where I was going to paint the subject so I would get the transparency that IS watercolor. Yupo is bright white, so that was a critical point, especially with the yellows. I'm not giving up on this technique, I just am not using DS paints for it again!!

Rubber Rabbitbrush on Yupo

Rubber Rabbitbrush on Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

I had an idea to do watercolor on Yupo in a collage style. After talking about this with Kevin Davidson, he suggested using masking tape. It was a terrific technique and one I'll do again. I'm not REAL happy with this because it's not like I had envisioned. But I WILL try again!!
I painted the bg green/yellow and let it dry completely, I masked off the the first square, wiped it clean with a sponge and then painted the bushes and sand. After that was dry, I masked and cleaned off the square for the close-up of the blossom. One major thing I should've done is to paint each of the two squares bg colors on BEFORE I removed the tape (it was a bit hard to keep the lines straight). I didn't want to leave the tape on too long because I was concerned it would remove some paint that I didn't want removed. I think a few more minutes would've been fine.
I'm very allergic to these bushes and they bloom in Sept - Oct where I live! They make the desert colorful, but NAIL my sinuses and my voice! They sometimes give me laryngitis!

Desert Sunset

Desert Sunset
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This was done in a workshop taught by Claudette Garcia at the Pasadena Art Expo. This is the landscape as it was done in the workshop and I still need to add a bit of orange to the white light coming through the tree trunks and also add some very small bare branchlets to the tree. A terrific workshop!! This is 16 x 20 stretched canvas using Holbein Duos (Watersoluble Oils).

Fall Creek - WMO on Yupo

Fall Creek - WMO on Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Another Fall painting using the water miscible oils on Yupo. I tried doing the "water" on this with the George James' Yupo watercolor technique of smoothing with a sponge roller. It took several tries and I'm still not 100% happy with it. Watering down the oils works very similar to watercolor, so I'm eager to try some other watercolor techniques with it, I just don't want to get too overboard or I might as well work with watercolors on the Yupo! A fun painting and probably the last I'll have time to work on for a couple of weeks.

Yea, it's FALL! - WMO on Yupo

Yea, it's FALL! - WMO on Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Every Spring I think it's my favorite time of year, and then every Fall I think the same thing. I guess I like "seasons" and am so thankful I live where we have them. How boring it must be to live where there is no temperature or scenery changes. This is water miscible oils (I'm still using the Van Gogh H2Oils and LOVE them!) and it is painted on 9 x 12 sheet of Yupo. The reference photo is from WetCanvas - they have over 800 Fall Landscape photos in their library!
I fell off on my goal to art journalize every other day in September, but I'm not going to beat myself up for failing. I've decided I'm just not the type to consistently do art in a journal. Although, having said that, I'll be one of the first to sign up when Cathy (Kate) Johnson offers her online class on art journaling!! I've been working on this Fall scene for several days as some steps required the previous layers had dried.

Butterfly in my journal

Butterfly in my journal
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This is not really post-worthy, but I'm trying to get back on track of journaling every odd day in September. One of the ideas I had for journaling this month was to experiment with techniques and medias. This butterfly is done in my 7 x 9 Raffine ArtSketch book. I painted the entire sheet with a gradated wash of a cool green. Then I started with the background and did some negative painting -- a technique I'd really like to get better at. It's really hard for me to wrap my brain around the concept!! Then I combined watercolor and watercolor pencils on the butterfly. I used Faber-Castell's Albrecht Durer pencils. The white on the butterfly is white acrylic.

Desert Sunset 1

Desert Sunset 1
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

One of my "Aussie" friends, Wendy Shortland, and I have challenged each other to work in journals this month. We are planning on doing a journal page on every odd numbered day in Sept. This is my 9-1-09 work. I've decided to use a Lama Li book that is 7 x 9. For quick watercolors, I LOVE Lama Li paper -- pure 100% cotton rag, handmade, terrific rough texture and no sizing. It doesn't handle masking or very much scrubbing, so you get it down and leave it! I used American Journey paints on this one. It took about 10 min to get this one done. I was going for QUICK - LOL!!

Desert Sunset

Desert Sunset
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

WM Oils on Yupo. Inspiration photo from my friend, Dani John.

Beach Bike - WM Oils on Yupo

Beach Bike - WM Oils on Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Water miscible oils on Yupo. One of the hardest steps for me in using oils is that I lose my sketch lines and have a hard time finding them and redrawing with paint! I'm SO used to drawing and the graphite staying on the paper while I watercolor. Drawing this bike was most DIFFICULT for me and I didn't get it right, but figured I'd post it anyway. I DO like the way my pot and plant came out :)

AV Annie Oakleys

AV Annie Oakleys
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This is a commission piece done for a local women's shooting group. Done in watercolor on Acquarello Artistico paper with WN paints. This painting depicts subjects common to the Antelope Valley (AV) which are it's beautiful sunsets, a large desert valley surrounded by mountains, joshua trees, poppies and the California quail. The group will be formatting this for a logo -- possible shape suggestion is a hexagon.

Landscape 2 - Yupo

Landscape 2 - Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Watersoluble oils on Yupo. (The light line through this is not on the painting, it is reflected light from the photo I took.) This ref photo is probably too complex for someone who has not painted in oils (that would be ME) -- but I did enjoy the challenge. I'm still finding that I really like watersoluble oils on Yupo!!

Landscape 2 - Canvas

Landscape 2 - Canvas
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

My second landscape for the oil class. Reference photo is from WetCanvas and is one of their August Challenges in their new forum, Water Solube Oils.

Landscape-Yupo

Landscape-Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Yupo version of lesson 4 from Nel's Oil Painting Class. It was difficult to get the sky in and to soften the cloud edges on Yupo. I have some ideas to try to improve this on Yupo the next time around. Ain't it fun experimenting and learning?! Roadway is too purple and since I was painting this side-by-side with the canvas version, that's the biggest boo boo on both of these landscapes.

Landscape-Canvas

Landscape-Canvas
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Nel's Oil Painting Class assignment for lesson 4. It's quite obvious that I got the road too purple : )
Otherwise. . . this was a fun assignment.

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.

090508EDiM

090508EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

For the Every Day in May challenge I've been trying to do art that had something to do with my day. Absolutely nothing was coming to me until the evening. My grandson noticed the moths on the patio and he was afraid of them. My son caught one and let it sit on his hand to show his son that they were nothing to be afraid of. This was a quick sketch that I redid in my Raffine with water soluble graphite pencils. I used the Nero extra soft and the 4B. Watercolor can be added to works done with these pencils, but is best done after the graphite has been wetted and dried thoroughly.

090506EDiM

090506EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

I was going to sketch and paint the loaf of Artisan Bread I baked today, but when I saw my Christmas cactus with a BLOOM, I knew it would be my EDiM post. This poor plant is so neglected, and yet it just thrives. Sometimes I don't water it until it's bone dry and the leaves are wilted. It is in the formal living area of my house and I don't go in there often, so "out of sight, out of mind." The only houseplants that do well for me are the ones that seem to like to be left alone. This past Christmas it displayed the most profuse bloom ever. Of course, it's almost time to repot it and that's why it bloomed so well!
It's in my Raffine ArtSketch book and I used the Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Crayons. I'm kind of liking the watersoluble crayons in this sketchbook, don't like them AT ALL in the Moley Sketchbook!

090505EDiM

090505EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Today I ran multiple errands, did some laundry and wrapped, boxed and shipped my mom's Mother's Day gift. I LOVE my handbag hanger, it's SO nice to hang my handbag on a pretty hanger instead of sitting it on the floor in a restaurant! Whoever invented these was a genius. A couple of weeks ago when I was in LV visiting my daughter and her family, I found a very nice selection of these hangers at a very reasonable price. . . so I bought a whole bunch of them to have on hand for gifts. I've gotten my mom and both sisters onto the Bath and Body Works Lavender Chamomile nighttime products, in particular the hand lotion and pillow spray -- sent Mom some of those, too! This is done in my Raffine ArtSketch book, drawn with micron pen and colored with Caran d-Ache Neocolor II watersoluble crayons.

090504EDiM

090504EDiM
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

For the Every Day in May challenge I'm sketching/painting something each day that pertains to something I've done that day. Monday is usually my "rest" day, but I decided to do a little travel instead! So . . .
I went to Paris, France . . . via www.googlemaps.com "street view" -- how FUN! I printed out the street with this little restaurant on it. You can see it too, just go to the map site and type in the address. I found out about this fairly new feature on google maps from virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/
Painted with WN travel palette and Niji waterbrush in Raffine ArtSketch book.

090501EDim

090501EDim
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

I've been away from art much too long! I decided to do the Every Day in May challenge. What better way to get back into art than journal work! This is the first sketch/wash I've ever done of a young child. I'm not even good at drawing adults, and children are even more of a challenge. My goal for this month-long challenge to to improve my drawing skills and to loosen up my watercolor washes. This was drawn with a ball point ink pen and the wash is WN travel palette and Niji waterbrush.
I'm really hoping I can keep up with this challenge all month! I had decided that I need to get back to basics with my art and then the Every Day in May challenge came up. What a terrific incentive.

Tulips

Tulips
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

On WetCanvas there was a class showing how to paint tulips with just one stroke. I did the painting for the class but wasn't happy with my color choices. I wanted to try the "one stroke" technique again. This was interesting because the flower on the left didn't turn out very well and I went back over it with a couple of layers of glaze. . . I can really see the difference between it and the other two! I used DS paints, Quin Red and Quin Coral for the petals -- love these colors together.

SF PAINTED LADY - INK AND WATERCOLOR POUR

The photo ref for this is from Different Strokes from Different Folks This is the very first watercolor pour I've ever done and there's PLENTY I'll do differently the next time around! I don't usually do architectural drawings or paintings and so the drawing was a stretch for me. After drawing with pencil I then went over my lines with a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and then did the pours. After the pours were dry, I touched up places here and there. I would like to try to do this again. Since the drawing was much more detailed than I'm used to, I copied it so I can transfer onto another sheet of watercolor paper.

NEGATIVE PAINTING ON YUPO

This is the second negative painting I did for a WetCanvas class. I just HAD to give it a try on Yupo :) This is a very fun project. . . you just drip some big drops of color onto the paper and then do a yellow wash around the drips, let dry and then put a couple of more layers on using a green mix. You are supposed to do some negative painting of leaves on the last layer but I couldn't get it to work with the Yupo. So I decided to let Yupo DO what Yupo DOES best. . . I spritzed some water onto the dry painting and just let those "Yupo runs" do what they wanted. I have a pad of Translucent Yupo that I don't care for and used a sheet of it for this experiment. Glad I did, because it worked out pretty well and now I have a fun technique to use that pad up!

KATHLEEN'S POND

Kathleen York took a marvelous photo that I really wanted to paint. Thanks, Kathleen!! You can see the photo here www.flickr.com/photos/kayork/3227076837/This was done on Lama Li paper using AJ paints. A limited palette was used. . . yellow ochre, indigo, burnt umber and a teeny smidgeon of poppy (which is a dark cad red)

Teri's Rose

Teri's Rose
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Reference photo is from www.flickr.com/photos/teridc/3195909898/ Painted on Lama Li paper using DS paints. I used a white Crayola crayon for the resist. This was really a fun project.

January Virtual Sketch Date
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

Done on Lama Li with American Journey watercolor paints and a little bit of white acrylic paint. The reference photo along with the "rules" for the challenge can be seen here
Virtual Sketch Date.
This was much more challenging than it looked! It was difficult to get the white pith covering the clementine and also on the inside of the peel.

Pt Lobos on Yupo

Pt Lobos on Yupo
Originally uploaded by BYarborough

This has been a weeklong project. . . a little bit here, a little bit there, remove a little here, remove a little there ha ha. I'm not satisfied with it, but ready to move on to something else, so here it is. Still struggling with what I want to be "my" style with Yupo. This is 9 x 12 and I used AJ paints. I just rec'd an order of 7 more tubes of AJ, so I should be pretty set with my AJ palette . . . for now. LOL!