Leave Some to the Imagination!

I watched the elephants for a long time at the St Louis zoo. This one was spraying dirt all over himself making quite a spectacular show! I had done some sketches from a photo, then a few direct paintings with no pre-drawing, and finally a painting of the elephant integrated into an exciting underpainting or color wash. In the watercolor workshop I attended recently I was intrigued with how Jean Haines would typically leave out at least half of the detail of her subject. Certainly adds to the mystery doesn't it?

 

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Hummers 1 and 2

 I started my day yesterday sitting on my back porch taking in the bit of coolness in the air and writing my usual morning pages.  I became engrossed in watching the hummingbirds zoom in and out as they sipped from the feeders my husband so diligently fills. I had thought to get back to a painting I had started a few weeks back. Instead I grabbed my sketch pad and camera and went back outside! I did quick partial sketches, trying to catch the essential forms, keeping my eyes on the birds and not even looking at my pad.  Then I went inside to my studio and painted without drawing, while looking at photos and trying to capture the movement, rather than detail. Here are my first attempts at watercolor impressions of the hummers.  It has been a delightful two days studying and painting the changing forms and colors produced by the quick movements of these little birds!

Impression of a Guara

My long time friend Janet from Seattle gave me several new plants for my garden this spring.  One was a pink guara which stands just outside my studio window.  I wanted to capture its free and graceful way of splaying out from its pot and retain its sense of delicacy.  I started with an underpainting to convey the feeling of color and movement I wanted and added just enough detail to bring an impression of the flower out to the viewer. I've been away from the easel for awhile, but I can't wait to paint again.  Hopefully I will be posting more as I get going with a more regular painting schedule.  Thanks for checking out my blog!