Saturday, October 6, 2012

October 6, 2012



All at once, it's autumn! The trees have suddenly started changing color and there's a nip in the air. No wonder we're all painting trees and colors—and colorful trees! Even those of us trying out painting techniques have fallen for the colors of the season.

Well, there's too much to see to keep talking. Scroll down to see our latest works. And then keep going to learn more about watercolor techniques—and see them in action.

But wait, there's more! We'll finish up with a link to an art contest and a plea for votes. So far, there's only one of us to vote for, but we'll be adding names and information in weeks to come (all the way through May), so keep watching the skies. Meanwhile, vote for Elaine O!











 
And now for the techniques. The sunset which follows is a great use of backruns. These occur when the artist lays water or watery paint in or near an area of not-quite-dry paint. The watery paint runs back into the thicker paint, causing a bloom. These can be accidental, but skilled artists like Sara deliberately create them—for instance, to form clouds.
 
 
Blends. The monument below is a superb sampler of blending methods. Elaine T. used a number of colors, blending as she went to make the colors visually combine to create the grey stone. Some of the paints were applied wet-into-wet, some allowed to dry (or dampen) before adding another color; some were laid down next to each other and allowed to bleed together. And in some cases, she used a brush, rag, tissue or finger to move and blend colors to achieve the look below. Sure, everyone blends, but some of us are better than others!

 
 
Spattering. This technique is fast and fun—but there's a method to the madness. Ellen took three of her older paintings and spattered paint with a toothbrush to add texture and vibrancy. It's amazing what spattering can do—fall trees gained autumnal crispness, the sun sparkles on the leafy path, and you can feel the sand on the beach scene. Quite literally. People actually tried to brush away the sand when this one made the rounds! Look carefully to see the judicious positioning and the way she used different colors for shadows, skies, foliage and flowers.
 


 
 
Sponging. Last, but not least is sponge painting. Vivian used a small sea sponge to paint foliage and sky in the painting below. It's another fast technique, but when done well (like below!), it adds texture and variety to the foliage, and softness to the clouds, contrasting effectively with the smooth metal and the grass, pathway and rough tree trunks.
 
 

Vote for me!  Daniel Smith Art Supplies (purveyors of fine paint) is holding its 11th annual customer art contest. Artists submit works into weekly contents and urge visitors to vote for them. Weekly winners are entered into a monthly voting gallery and the voting begins again. Our own Elaine O. has a painting that's moved to the monthly gallery and we'd like to urge you to vote for her painting.
 
The link and an explanation of the process appears below. If you're searching for her painting, search for "elaine" or "osborne" or "lawyer" or "bob." The painting you're looking for appears below so you'll recognize it when you click that "vote" button (Lawyer Bob vacations in the North Woods). Of course, if you see something you like better, feel free to vote for that painting—but remember, you only get one vote every 24 hours!
 
Lawyer Bob vacations in the North Woods

Follow this link and vote for Lawyer Bob: Voting Gallery Link  Share it with your friends and family. Vote early and often! And remember, we'll have other artists submitting works in the weeks to come, so watch this space for lots of "recommendations!"

 

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