Days 15 and 16, Fire and Architecture . . .

Day 16 : Architecture

Okay, this is more house than really architecture and I even gave the old girl

a different paint job.

This was a farmhouse down the road that was torn down last summer.

I had taken a picture of it when a pair of coyote pups were playing in front.

Before you feel sad that the house went away, it was an abandoned mess.

So it's okay, y'all.

Day 15 : Fire

From a photo I took of a neighbor's controlled burning of their fields in the Spring of 2014.

There are crews that burn fields and it's really lovely to watch.

Very methodical and, well, controlled.

Today's little masterpiece before I get back to my last 15 for the 30 Day Challenge . . .

I'm finishing up a few more pieces for a little one day holiday show this weekend.

This is an expansion of a smaller ACEO piece I did earlier.

Measures 4"x4".

I know. Can I get any smaller? Yes I can.

I like the grey skies and no tracks in the snow.

I wish I could tell you that I have a formula for these little paintings

but they seem to come from my brush as I paint.

I work a composition as I go along and I think most of them work.

The muddy ones are at the bottom of the wastebasket, sure.

But almost all have survived.

Hoping they all find loving homes on Sunday.

=-D

Follow-up 'behinder' . . .

Day 11 : Detail

Here I used masking fluid over a first wash of the

dried petals of this wildflower rimmed in frost.

I use the term 'fluid' with reservations.

More like painting on elmer's glue - not as easy as I had imagined.

Once that was dry, I painted the greyed out background,

removed the mask, and touched in the details.

Sure, this technique will require more work and trial and error

but for a first attempt, okay.

Getting behinder . . .

I'm so ding-danged far behind on this 30 Day Watercolor Challenge.

Frankly, I'm behind on more than the Watercolor Challenge

but I'll save that for another day.

Yesterday I started on the frosty flower from a friend's blog when I decided

that in order to make the frosty part crisp and white, 

I needed to use my masking fluid.

Great - except I wasn't going to use my GOOD brushes to apply that gunk.

Surprise. No crappy brushes.

Today 1. Buy cheap brushes

2. Paint 'frosty'

But I did finish this one:

Day 10 : Detail

Day 9 Watercolor 30.Day Challenge . . .

Day 9 : Storm

Oops.

I do believe I overlooked Day 8 : Workspace

I'll get right on that.

Days 6 and 7 of the 30 Day Watercolor Challenge . . .

Day 6 : Shadow

 I'll be real honest here.

Not all of these are the first attempt.

The ones that don't make first cut are in the wastebasket.

Day 7 : Light

But from time to time, I get some keepers.

It would be fun to frame all of these alike for a show sometime.

Display them together in order.

We'll see how that idea turns out.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble.

Daily watercolor challenge . . .

Day 5/30 : Food
Oatmeal in my Favorite Mug

I've set out on another 30 Day Challenge, this time watercolor.

I came across a list on

Pinterest the World's Greatest Time Suck

and challenged another friend (hi, Lorrie!) to paint with me.

The list is easy and it works so we don't have to look around and decide what to paint.

Step one checked off with that list!

I also found a little meme that I think should be printed and framed

and hung in all studios, if not just mine.

"Draw something every day even if it sucks"

True. Lots of sucky material here but brain-expanding and hand-warming.

Day 4/30 : Simple lines
Sumac across the field

This gets my blood flowing over my first cup or tea

and organizes my thoughts in the morning.

Love starting the day like this.

Day 1/30 : Anything
Martin house in my yard

Day 3/30 : Zoo
There is a bar in Lincoln called
The Zoo Bar
Famous folks drop in here
just to jam and hang.
BB King - Buddy Guy

Day 2/30 : Explosion
My hand
Mmmmm . . . splotchy