A Paintings Emotional Tug



Convict Lake
watercolor on paper 15"x 11"
© 2012 Barbara Parish

 I remember family fishing trips to Convict Lake, Ca.  Dad would throw out his fishing line and real in as we walked around the lake.  Big trout, good dinner!

This lake is a trickster, it shows calm in this painting, but in an instant the wind comes up and the lake turns traitorous.  White capped swells pound at the shore line, the howling wind, deafening.

This feeling of place; family memories, the thought you would like to be there, are the emotional tugs of a good painting.   The next time you are enjoying a paintings visual story, be aware of what you are feeling; joy, memories, the pull of color, etc. 

Treat yourself, hang paintings that give you the joy of an emotional tug!
Barbara

Friday Painters Demo with Watercolor




Pretty in Pink
15"x22" watercolor on paper
© 2012 Barbara Parish

 I chose a Magnolia tree limb to create an intense statement of color.  My composition is intimate, revealing soft folds of a gorgeous flower in shades of pink and magenta with green.  I love what is going on in this watercolor painting.

I started this painting as a demonstration for my Friday Painters class.  Water, Water, Water, that is one secret to painting with watercolors.

If you are in the Hemet, Ca. area stop by on Fridays to see what the Friday Painters are painting. 
Or register for a one day workshop.   Next Workshop:

June 16th, Saturday, we will paint at Boulder Bay in Big Bear Lake, Ca. 

Textured Boulders and Reflections will be the lesson.

Perspective on Los Rios Street

Put this date on your calendar, May 19th, Saturday  Yes, this weekend!

We will meet at Historical Los Rios Street, by the Depot, San Juan Capistrano, Ca.

The importance of PERSPECTIVE IN YOUR PAINTINGS is invaluable to a painter.




Values add visual dimension to a flat piece of paper

NO! This is not Los Rios Street :-)

 

Sign up and participate in this watercolor workshop, learn perspective with: 

Color ~ Line ~ Value ~ Shape ~ Placement

I will help eliminate your trial and error by teaching you to SEE perspective in Keystone (looking up), Aerial (looking down), and Distance (looking to the horizon).

Leave a comment, let me know if you are attending?

Barbara

Product Review: Watercolor Ground ~ Daniel Smith

Watercolor Ground, a product from Daniel Smith.                                                      



Ugly Duckling, Not
watercolor canvas board 8"x10"
© 2012 Barbara Parish



I am pleased with the easy application and drying time.                                                  

The watercolor brush crossed the surface with no effort and the color dried almost the same intensity.

I found layering color needs a light touch, the under color might lift or the colors blend.  

Nice! Talk about lifting, a damp brush can lift color back to white.  Be careful of blotting with a tissue or towel, the color might lift blotchy.                                                                 

I have covered three sizes of canvas board, ready to paint.  I will take them out on location to paint my next visual story.

The last step before framing, spray with matt fixative. 

To frame, no need for glass, secure the painting with brads, put dust cover on back, wire to hang, name card on dust cover, and your ready to exhibit.

Supplies:

* Watercolor Ground from Daniel Smith

* Gesso brush, can be cleaned with water

* Craft paper to protect the table

* Water to spread ground easier

* Hand made paper or canvas board 

* Fixative, matt finish 

Bougainvillea Demo at the Mission San Juan



Barbara's Demo



Mission Beauty



Bougainvillea, a magnificent blanket of flowers.  This Opera colored attention getter had the class grabbing for their watercolor brushes.

This little demonstration was the challenge from Carole.  Paint that!

I painted wet into wet by charging in a light tone of Opera, then medium tone of Opera, and just before the shape dried I added intense Opera.  So, the Opera color gave me the light, medium, and dark I needed to make form.  I did some negative painting for the few green leaves trying to show through the blanket of Opera flowers.