Home

I am forging ahead with this direct watercolor challenge of 30 paintings in 30 days.  A painting a day is a breeze, but it is considerably harder when I also have gallery work to finish and commissions in process!  I am trying a architecture today, and thought I'd really miss my pen. I marked a few lines with my brush and it made all the difference.  All this month I have started by laying in the masses in watercolor - and it has been a struggle!  Perhaps this is the way I can actually start enjoying direct watercolor!  Day 9 of 30, and painting number 2708 in 2708 days. 

Orange Sunpatiens!

I had these fabulous sunpatiens for the first time last year, and wow!   They grow more beautiful and lush right up until the fall!   Adding so much impact to the garden, they are a great choice for late season drama, when other flowers are fading.  So, when I found them at Suburban Lawn and Garden (while Mothers Day shopping), I snapped them up!  Forging ahead with this 30 day direct watercolor challenge, this is Day 8. Where I am loose and free when inking first, I am much more careful when direct painting, using more drawing skills with that brush.  I feel like I'm learning a few things, and just today I am a little optimistic about the process.  Every painting truly is a lesson!  Painting number 2707 in 2707 days.

Woodland Path

As the golden hour approaches, the landscape begins to call my name.  During this covid time, I've grown accustomed to taking Beau for a walk or run during this time, keeping one eye on the landscape.  I stop when I must, and Beau runs wide circles around me until I'm ready to hit the trail again.  We had a very large tree come down in last night's storm, and it crosses the path on the northern border, so we turned around and headed back home!  That tree was one of the oldest hackberries on the place.  I did use the direct watercolor method again, but I'm trying not to think, and just paint the scene before me. The "rules" have been interfering with my flow, so I'm trying to allow the painting to unfold organically, without my ink in tow.  We'll see what happens in the next 25 days.  Painting number 2704 in 2704 days.

Mom's Orange Lilies

A friend of mine posted this 30 day direct watercolor painting challenge a couple of days ago.  I know nothing about this technique except that there is no sketching first.  So, without my beloved ink, I begin this 30 day adventure to see what rewards I can glean from this practice.  Most days I will be painting a normal painting and a challenge one, but probably only posting one here. I am seriously thinking of embellishing this with my normal ink work.  In fact, I may be uploading a revised version real soon!  Lol!  You know I can't resist a challenge, even when I don't know what it is!  Painting number 2701 in 2701 days.