This is loosely based on a friend’s photo. I loved the many dark, murky colors in the bouquet, and it was a perfect candidate for gouache on black paper.
I enjoyed making this card very much because I got to use so many of my favorite art media. Last June, I drew and painted a mourning dove from my backyard in gouache. This month, I used Procreate to modify the post for a linoleum print. After carving the linoleum, I printed it and painted the sky with gouache. Finally, I returned the image to Procreate to prepare it for display on my blog and as a card for family and friends.
In addition to wishing all of us peace in the coming year, I wish you artists an abundance of time with your favorite art forms.
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
A few days ago the San Diego Watercolor Society met in Point Loma for our annual holiday evening paintout. There is so much excitement at the skating rink, it is full of kids speeding about, families helping their little ones on the ice, and spectators enjoying the scene. Once the sun goes down the palm trees sparkle and the lights gleam. People love this event and so do I.
In 2023, I painted the whole scene from a rooftop. Then, last year, I stood by the rink fence and watched young people fly by. This year, I set up about 10 yards from the edge and focused on a little girl and her mom waving at the skaters.
Sometime in the late afternoon during a road trip, I snapped a photo that caught the action of the light and shadow with the road.
I recently drove across New Mexico and was inspired by the sky, mountains, and trees along the highway near Albuquerque.
The Thursday painters met near Lake Murray this week. One of the artists brought her gorgeous red ’50s Chevy for us to paint. I was a bit fearful of the challenge, so made the car small and let the rest of the scenery tell the story.
The Thursday painters from the San Diego Watercolor Society painted at the Sumertime Past nursery in Flinn Springs today. It was cold, but the air was clear, and the colors were beautiful, especially during those moments when the sun came out.
Deliberate Sketching 