Sunday 9 May 2021

Painting a Picture

Hello Friends!

I was recently given this lovely colouring book. What makes it special, and more exciting than my other colouring books is that this one is all printed on quality watercolour stock.  This means I can use my favourite wet mediums without buckling or tearing the paper.


The illustrations are also printed in light grey scale, so unlike most dry medium colouring books, the lines disappear once painted, instead of remaining highly visible on the finished piece.


I found my set of Inktense blocks, which I feel will give me the best selection of colours to do the chosen piece of two gourds.

Of course, this wouldn't be me without a blunder.

I didn't know there was a page of instructions in the book, which had stuck together.


So, by the time I found them, I'd already started and gone about it the wrong way.  I had also picked up the wrong colour and put it down in the wrong section.  C'est la vie!


Onward and upward.

I started using the instructions, back peddling now to try and save the day, laying down the colour where it shoud have been put in the first place.  I have to say, if you didn't know, it isn't too bad.


However, this is what it should be more akin to.  Then again, it is the first layers and will be built up.



I shouldn't say it, but I am mightily chuffed with the stem.  It's turned out well.  I keep on wanting to touch it.

I must contain myself and let well alone, not fiddle with it any more, and hope that I can recover the earlier mistake on the body of the gourd to better match the stem.

It may seem like a lot of photos, but there's method in the madness.  Keeping a good photographic record of each stage helps me learn from my mistakes, a visual step by step of progress.  It becomes an invaluable tool.  I do end up with a lot of similar looking images, but each one is different to the previous set.



Later on, they can be put side by side, as each layer happens, or a colour change is made.

Digital photograpy is a superb tool in this process as it time and date stamps each photo, so if you forget to tag, the process keeps in order.

I won't bore you with all the stages, here's the end result ~ et voilĂ  



I had to make myself stop.  That's always a problem I have, knowing when it's done.

I also took an online, hour long, paint along tutorial hosted by Matthew Palmer.  I found it very difficult to keep up as I had to keep changing glasses due to near vision issues between screen and workspace.  So, it's a bit of a mess.  Also, because it was simultaneously broadcast in America, it was late in the evening here {almost bedtime} and I found working under artificial light my grey mixed up to more of a purple.  Anyway, for those who haven't seen it, this is what I ended up with.  The waterfall is abysmal indeed.


Then the next day, I did this one trying to remember what to do.  I didn't have masking tape, so used pretty, low tack Washi instead.  I didn't do another waterfall, and used the purple paint to create some misty mountains.


Removing the tape to reveal a border makes a huge difference, even when the painting is awful.


I've been working in the garden, more off than on in the cold, and taking lots of walks, as well as painting,  Gardening and walking when the weather is good, painting for when it is not good.  I'll never be any good at painting, but it makes me very happy to putter for a few hours.

Until next time
Stay Safe, Stay Well

17 comments:

  1. Hi Deb, your painting is beautiful well done. That seems to be a great book. I'm very good at not following instructions, too! The gourd looks great, and I like the water colour landscape, too. Have a great day, whatever you are up to! Hugs, Valerie

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    1. Thanks, Valerie. I'm learning to follow instructions, but more often prefer to follow my instincts. Have a good weekend, my friend.

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  2. Well done on the gourd, and I love your 2nd watercolour painting, especially the misty mountains.

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    1. Thanks, yes, I like the misty mountains too!

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  3. Love that 3D gourd stem. Well done, and what a lovely "colouring" book. Great idea. Like your paintings too - I keep threatening to learn water colour painting, but haven't started just yet - walls to be painted here first!

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    1. Thank you. Be warned, if you start watercolour painting, you will find it addictive. Stock the freezer up with food first, and delegate the dusting and dishes.

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  4. I'm going see if I can find that book here in the US. And I love watercolors. Some day when I retire, I want to try doing it again. (Last time was when I was in Junior High, back in the 70s.)

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    1. Thank you, I hope you can find it, but if not I think there are other similar ones available.

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  5. Love the results from the tutorial - you are so talented :) Also like the one from the colouring book a briliant idea to take photos of stages. Colouring book looks good in that you can use paints and the lines are faint as I get so bored with crayons. A lovely way to enjoy art and craft :)

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    1. Thank you. Yes, stage photos are a useful tool. I enjoy using all sorts of mediums, it depends on my mood and what I hope to achieve. I just bought some Jane Davenport mixed media water colour sticks to play with.

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  6. I need to look but I think I have that book -- or one very similar in style and content. And if I do, I should return to it, for it has been far too long and I could use the refresher and lessons. I love what you did with the squash-- really, the blending is excellent. And your landscapes are lovely, too -- especially the second one. Thanks for showing your step-out photos. They really help. These are simply wonderful, Deb, in every way. (Thanks too for your wonderful visits, which mean a great deal!)

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    1. Thank you, Jeanie. If you do have that book, I know you will love it. Step by step is so useful. We've all got cameras on our phones {well, most do} so it's easy peasy.

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  7. The best way to learn is by making mistakes. I’ve made lots of them and no doubt will make lots more!

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  8. I'm impressed with that lovely gourd, Deb! Well done! Seeing your progression is great and I'm sure very helpful to your future painting. What a lovely coloring book made with quality paper. Enjoy the process, my friend. xoxo

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    1. Thank you, my friend. Wait until you see the other images it has, as long as I don't bodge them up! xoxo

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  9. Deb, this is lovely! Do you ever share your watercolours on Twitter? I do once in a while, such as with my current post. It's never occurred to me to do step-by-step photos, but I might try that next time. Knowing when to stop is one of my problems as well. I have to make myself stop fiddling!

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