Tried to take Uncle Ken’s Advice

 Got rid of shocking white, added color to clear glass leaded window, some shadows, the end. 

February 14, 2026 — Elaine O.

Finished! Had a bit of a struggle deciding on a background, but I'm satisfied. I wanted the focus to be the relationship between the baby and the book he's reading. 

14" x 10"

One more thing. I know we've been talking about the difference between what we see on screen vs. real life, but there's also a difference in devices. I took photos of this on my phone and again on a higher end digital camera. Interestingly enough, one has an orange color cast and less color saturation. There are also differences in the value and vibrancy ranges. Another reason to see art in person vs. on screens.

This Old House

 Channeling Sara with a corner of my living room. The upper right corner unfinished because the leaded glass window has me stumped. 

Strong sunlight and a rounded bay. To figure out the leaded window went to my library of watercolor books and am working on exercises but now realize the image in my reference photo too small. To be continued….

Daisy and The Horizontals.

This is a 9x12 of Daisy

These are 1 1/2 x 3 yupo strips

These are 3x12 horizontals all of which were posted here early, but Pat thought they looked so good shown all together that she asked me to post them all together and here they are,

And this is a 9x12 of some other other things I have been doing but don't have a name for yet.  9x12

 

February 7, 2026 — Elaine O.

Between the snow and the cold, I've been spending a lot of time with good books and hot beverages. I thought it might be fun to celebrate another budding reader, so here's the beginning of that portrait.

14" x 11"

Alan Winter 7 2026

 I didn’t really like the face on my full figure self portrait, and since it’s on Yupo, I was able to clean it up and add value.  9 X 12. I think it’s done  

I guess I was in the mood to do a regular portrait before I got any older. Also 9 X 12 on Yupo. 

I’m still working on my little images from the list I was given by an old teacher. 

Snow capped mailbox 

Winter path

I’ve been watching some landscape painting videos and have a hankering to do some landscapes so I’m going there while keeping up with the exercise. 

Daisy five times.

The top is 9x12 and the four are all 5x9.  On the one hand I want them to be all about the paint, on the other hand I want them to look like my cat.  The only one I really like is the portrait one.  Will be working on the others this week.
 

Maybe Ken Can Tell Me

 Where Derek Poznanski was standing when he took the reference photo for this one.  It doesn’t click for me. There were many struggles with this one and I’m ready to move away from architecture, come inside, and paint a pear. But first, maybe fix Jeanie Gang’s building so it doesn’t topple over. 

January 31, 2026—Elaine O.

Something about cold grey days draws me to cozy kitchen subjects. This is from my sketchbook. I'm still trying to up my "healthy foods" game and I find it's just as much fun to paint them as to eat them.

11" x 8"

Oh, and this one is finished, too.

12" x 9"

Alan Winter 6 - 2026

 Continuing my little exercises. 

Boots  

Frost on grasses and frozen lake

Bookshelf

Refrigerator magnet

Ajar door 

Keys

Don’t have to explain.