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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Fragmented Watercolor and Nature Pix

I am having a lot of fun with the latest watercolor that I call fragmented watercolor. I traced my last watercolor outline and then drew lines through it. While adding color, I am treating each segment as a separate piece. This is what I have so far.




I liked how it was progressing, but the lines were bothering me, so I decided to make them more a part of the picture. I outlined the parts of the picture including the lines. I think I like this better.




It still needs shadows and some background, but so far I like it quite well.


Meanwhile, I worked on the Van Gogh-ish flowers on the windowsill and came up with this as my value study. We were instructed to ignore the flowers, so I tried to do that.


 


Late yesterday afternoon, the hubster and I drove to Haehnle Sanctuary just south of here to check out the Sandhill Crane gathering. We went for a walk on the mowed path and observed the park itself while listening to the calls of the birds. The sky was flat, colorless, but there was still some color in some of the surrounding trees.




We saw a couple other living creatures on our walk.







The lake where the cranes congregated was about 1/2 mile away from the bench where we were sitting. I used my 20x zoom Canon point and shoot camera and was able to get a picture of them. The quality is not what I wish it was, but I am still impressed with the zoom on this little camera.










I could not believe the number of cranes that arrived while we were there. I wanted to come up with an alliterative phrase for them, like a cacophony of cranes, a crowd of cranes, a crateload of cranes, a cluster of cranes, a carload of cranes, a cornucopia of cranes.....


I finally looked it up and a group of cranes is called a sedge. Not exactly the lilting off the tongue I was looking for, but for what it is worth, the hubster and I witnessed a sedge of cranes last evening.



I am quite sore from yesterday's conditioning and core class and my left Achilles' tendon is still bothering me, so I am not going to yoga this morning. I am, however, going to the chiropractor.  I spray painted the post cards I'd cut to size for the swap that I am involved in and will try to work on them this afternoon. I will share them with you when they are done.


What about you? What are you doing these days? Are you out of doors enjoying this warm weather before the big chill? Are you finding time for your art? I'd love to see it....


xoxo

14 comments:

  1. This is such an interesting technique with amazing results:)
    x

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  2. I love your fragmented watercolour! I like it much more with the lines..it really brings it out.

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  3. I like your artistic decision-making with the painting. You've created a unique variation of the traditional still life. I like it! The photos are beautiful, I'm glad you had such a memorable fall day. Those are so special!

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  4. Yep, the lines definitely make a nice difference. I like it a lot! Your photos are beautiful, as always, even the slitherers. Hugs, nancy

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  5. Interesting technique... I like most without the outlines!
    Cheers!

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  6. The fragmented style looks neat!

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  7. I liked the still life better with the visible lines, too.
    The flowers on the windowsill--very nice!
    Garter snakes, it looks like. They are nice snakes.
    Now I have learned something new--a sedge of cranes.
    Have a super day, what's left of it and I hope the chiro visit was a good one. :)

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  8. the lines look great! i'm glad you kept them in!

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  9. Bringing attention to the lines looks so much better then hiding them good decision. The art linkup is posted for this week, every Wednesday. I hope you'll stop by and share again with us.

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  10. Sandhill Cranes are one of my most favorite birds. I love to see them come in to roost on the ground at sunset. They drop out of the sky, calling all the while to the ones flying in with them and to the ones already landed. The ballet dance they do when they land is lovely to watch. Their calls are so haunting. We don't get them in huge numbers on our part of the Pacific Flyway. But seeing any number of them is a great.

    I really like the drawing of the flowers. Are you going to paint this?

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  11. I don't know what happened to my post...it just disappeared! Like the drawing of the flowers. Are you painting this one soon?

    I'm getting ready for the first game of the World Series. Can't wait. I'm off to KFC for chicken and cole slaw. Or maybe a pizza and beer! I'll be popping popcorn later on.

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  12. your fragmented watercolor is great! I think the lines give the painting a more definitive look. Even if cranes are a sledge, I like a cornucopia of crane :)

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  13. Your value study is good, will you be making a painting out of it?
    Great fragmented painting, have a look at Tiffany Budd's work in coloured pencil.
    http://www.tiffanybudd.co.uk/

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