Elaine O. — October 24, 2020

I finished the Alley Bouquet. Who knew morning glories could be so hard? Between the color matching and the blending, I spent an entire morning trying to get them right. I think it captures my intention. I was originally attracted by the sunlight and the glowing color on the one flower; then, the more I looked, the more I noticed the overall composition and the variety of all the different weeds.

Alley Bouquet    9"x12"

I was in an interesting Zoom walkthrough of the Monet exhibit this week. It was more of a runthrough, but they do give you links to their digital library, where you can zoom in and examine as closely as you want. The Zoom video is accessible on the Art Institute's You Tube channel. It's full of fascinating videos.... and as a bonus, you'll get recommendations for other exhibition walkthroughs for days to come. That and the rainy gray weather inspired this next painting.

Michigan Avenue, Looking South       9"x12"

Chubby new fish

 Just made the tiles of the water more defined.  

Just two days into this guy.  Expanding from the eye but otherwise no hard plans.

Sara’s Feelin’ Sketchy...

Here’s my last onsite Door County sketch, 6.5 x 9

Here’s my last view from the window sketch for a while, 6x9. I’ve lost interest in the format, plus  today’s wind is getting rid of a lot of leaves.

Here are today’s figs, 3.5 x 5.5.

Here’s a Quinn sketch on tracing paper, 12x12. I’m thinking of maybe a color pencil portrait...

And here’s my pencil sketch and freehand watercolor portrait, both 9x12. I was working from a tiny wedding photo booth photo, thus the goofy hat. I find I approach the watercolor like I do the pencil sketch, getting the shape of the face and features in place and lined up, which gives it a stilted look, imo. I’m trying to see the shapes instead, but that is really hard with faces. I mean, an eye is an eye is an eye, if you know what I mean....

I’ve been lying low with a back spasm the last couple of days,  so here’s a couple of good Netflix movie suggestions: Dick Johnson Is Dead, a documentary, and Forty year old Version, an autobiopic. Both involve art and are funny and sad, just like life...

 

Elaine O. — October 17, 2020

I'm still working away on the Alley Bouquet. I wanted to focus on the details of  all the different kinds of weeds, along with the burst of color in the morning glory, but keep it all soft focus so it looks like a romantic bouquet at the same time. 

Alley Bouquet    9"x12"

I haven't done a lot in my sketchbook either, except for the finished front door (and address), seen below on a sunny afternoon...

...and this direct watercolor portrait (from a B&W magazine photo).

Four Chefs & One Dishwasher

 Today's painting is a Foursome of Women happily preparing for lunch in my friend's kitchen in Manila, one February morning after breakfast. My husband took the kitchen snapshot with a bonus of the mirror reflection of another husband quietly

washing the breakfast dishes. To immortalize early  presidential voting of pandemic 2020, I included the statement of "I voted" in 10 languages in the background as if the guy in the mirror voted already!The pencil sketch of this scenario was done on September 21,  2020. I hope this painting conveyed the warmth of women bonding at the kitchen & also a reminder to vote early!

new fish 2

 I think this fellow is almost done, maybe the water needs a bit more punch. 

A new fish

 I'm using a lot of watercolor pencil on this one to give it more texture,  

Sara’s Fall Journey

 Here’s a couple of screened-in porch studies from Door County, Wisconsin, where we are for a few days. But my colors pale next to the real deal. It is beautiful up here. 

Elaine O.—October 10, 2020

Not much to show today! I gessoed an old canvas or two. While I waited for them to dry, I sketched the morning glory weed patch from the alley and dropped a few background colors in. As you can see, not much to show.

9"x12"

Aside from that, I finally finished the address numbers on the front door, taking time to do a test run on the garage first...

...made some holiday masks....

...and a t-shirt.

And that's my week. See you soon.

Good Morning Feet in Color

 Good Morning Feet is the watercolor version of my prior pencil sketch. This is how my husband & I gr

eet the day to check for fluid retention in lower extremities! My background is a rising sun of a dark blue wavy sky with an additional foreground of a turquoise sea water, a more romantic accessory to red shorts, purple leggings & green dress. I enjoyed the emphasis on the negative shapes. By the way, this painting works on an Inverted Style! It was fun! I was done at Saturday 3 p.m. Happy Painting to all!