Approaching storm

Approaching storm, acrylic 12" x 9"

 

A watercolor portrait

Portrait, watercolor 11" x 15"

 Back to watercolor for an attempt at a portrait from a photo. While the proportions and features are more or less correct, the expression evaded me. So, no name. But I'm not unhappy with the result.

The Lake

The Lake, acrylic 25 x 20 cm

Palette knife and three colors plus white. Used cobalt instead of ultramarine for a better water color and brighter greens.

The Sugar Maple

The Sugar Maple, acrylic 12" x 9"

I love how in the autumn some sugar maples have half of the rainbow of colors at the same time, from dark through chartreuse green, yellow, orange and bright red. Like a whole forest in just one tree.

This is another attempt with palette knife and reduced palette, though I did add cadmium red too. 

Mountain View

Mountain View, acrylic 25 x 20 cm

Initial stage

Stage 2

 An imagined view, based on a previous acrylic landscape. Done with a palette knife and three colors plus white.

A Palm

Coconut Palm, acrylic 12 x 9

 More fun with the palette knife and acrylics. Wish I were on that beach now...

Leaden sky

Leaden Sky, acrylic 12" X 9"

 

The Orange Sail

The Orange Sail, acrylic 12" x 9"

Continuing with the maritime theme and the palette knife technique...

I quite like the freedom that comes with this technique. Though, I keep remembering a question from someone I know: "When are you going to move from watercolor to a more advanced media, like acrylic or oil?" It is baffling and quite sad that instead of learning about a subject, some people would rather put it in a rigid frame of simple rules, and keep quoting with authority stale beliefs from dusty books of centuries past. 

I'll play with acrylics as it gives me pleasure and do watercolors, when I miss the challenge. Each of them teaches me something. 

Seascape studies in acrylic

Sea study 4, acrylic 6" x 4.5"

I wanted to figure out how to paint the sea with only a palette knife. So, I split a canvas into four squares and did a small study in each. I could feel my strokes getting gradually more confident and the result less muddled. I'm still very far from where I want to get, but I feel I have some control over the paint and the knife. And also having fun.

Sea study 3, acrylic 6" x 4.5"

Sea study 2, acrylic 6" x 4.5"

Sea studies

Cliffview Park

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to all!
Let there be sun and joy

Cliffview park, acrylic 12" X 9"

 Another attempt with a pallet knife, though I couldn't figure out how to do the water in that technique.

Reflections in the mountains (acrylic)

Mountain reflections, acrylic, 12" x 9"

Tried the same scene that I did in watercolor before. Ended up doing quite a lot of fiddling as there are more smaller details than in the two previous acrylics and I'm still using mostly a palette knife. Well, acrylic is much more forgiving than watercolor and the goal is to have fun.

Mountain views in acrylic

Rila mountain, acrylic 12" x 9"

Hillside shrubs, acrylic 12" x 9"
(based on Gerald Ashcroft's tutorial)

I want to thank my friend, Dina, for making me sign for a painting workshop last weekend. It was at the McMichael's gallery so we also saw the Tommy Thompson exhibition. That unlocked something in me and I couldn't stop thinking about painting. 

For courage, I went through a tutorial by an Australian artist Gerald Ashcroft, whose loose style attracted me. Following it, I did the second landscape with only four colors and a painting knife. Then I applied the same technique to the top view from the Rila mountains in Bulgaria. Each painting took me about two hours and I truly enjoyed doing them.

Reflections in the mountain

Mountain - study

 A hake brush and three colors...

River

River - studies

 

Skyline

a study of the Toronto skyline

 

Sunrise - a quick study

Sunrise at the Bay, watercolor study

 

Keeping the pace

Sunrise over the sea, watercolor study

Sunset over the sea, watercolor study

We each have a different subject that helps us get out of a lull and invite the Muse. Some paint round objects, others sketch expressive portraits. To me it is skies. Skies are a perfect opportunity for wet-on-wet watercolors - drop the need to control, go with the flow and observe...

Stormy Skies

Stormy Sky 1, watercolor study

Stormy Sky 2, watercolor study

 

Sky & Sea

Sky & Sea 1, watercolor study

Sky & Sea 2, watercolor study

Sky &Sea 3, watercolor study

 

Promise

Promise of a good day, watercolor 30 x 25 cm