Category: Travel

Another wild paint

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Boats off shore in blue water. Arches 280# cold press the photo an Italian coastline town

The sketch.

Half done. Orange roofs w a touch of red. Purple buildings w a touch of Van dyke brown. The start of the docks and the tops of the umbrellas. The hill is olive green

Three hours later. Done with every color in the palette in the boats and water. The water is Thalo blue, cobalt turquoise, and cerulean. Hookers under the boat. White gouache for the boat lines and the masts and spars.

Zoe does like some of the kitties. Just not the one who likes her. .

Margaret ready for bed because you really shouldn’t paint two paintings in one day. Xoxoxo

Another foggy day

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Arches 280# cold press paper Cheap Joe’s American Journey paint colors indigo, ultramarine, burnt sienna, dioxzine, quin gold and lots of water.

A fun painting to do. I could change several things and betting I will do another one with green fir trees next time.

What would I work on?! Less striped sky. Better firs. But all in all I like it. Masking the birch trees to preserve the whites before I started painting.

I would wear rubber gloves. Eeek. Time for scrubby dubby.

Also might try using some of these paints on another one. “. L-R Daniel Smith Payne’s Grey, Cheap Joe’s Payne’s Grey and Cheap Joes Moonglow

Love the blues in the Daniel Smith and all the purples and blues in the moonglow. Last one is so yum.

Zoe posing like the pretty princess she is. She does love a scarf or two.

Margaret xoxox

Toyota time

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Now that I have had my second vaccine I decided time to brave the Toyota showroom cesspool and get my car a check up.

Was fun to have a real human to draw for once. This lady held quite still for a long time reading a real book.

Drawn with a fine Pitt pen stillman and birn alpha. Painted with this set of travel fuumuui kolinsky brushes I got from Amazon. Sizes 4,8,12. They have brass tubes for handles so they can collapse into the leather folder they come in. Nice brushes for $25. Great reviews. People love them and they hold up well.

Evidently Zoe’s kitty missed her while we were in Atlanta. This cat will not come near me. I can only pet her when she’s eating. But Zoe. Much to Zoe’s chagrin she follows her around rubbing all over her. Doesn’t she know most Jack Russells like to eat cats!? Lucky for her Zoe tolerated them.

Margaret xoxoxo

On the Adriatic

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Croatia. Paint along #three with Vlad Yesileyev. He’s taking a group there to paint this summer he hopes. Covid willing.

Done for now and maybe forever. 

The photo

The value sketch.

The sketch. 140# rough Hahnemuhle Cezanne great paper. Only thing I don’t like abt it it buckles when soppy wet but dries flat. Paint and paper from Cheap Joes. Love them.

First washes. Looks very ghost like. This photo was taken when it was wet. See the buckles?!

Adding midtones.

Adding darks and the water. Painting those darn boats. Hmm they were the easiet thing to paint. Actually this was not a hard painting. Just a lot to do.

And done. I need a nap now after the paint along. Work slap out!! 😂

Margaret whose ready to tuck up on the sofa with a blanket. Xoxoxo

That was fun

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Took an online live class with Ian Fenelly. I have long wanted to take a class with him but never been where he was teaching. I have to say with ten years of public school teaching under his belt he’s an excellent organized teacher.

There are some pluses to the pandemic. If you haven’t tried one or two you should. shopkeeparty.com offers something for everyone. The photo Winsor Castle.

Starting the sketch with light grey tomboy pens on hot press fluid paper. A half sheet size.

Since Tombows are water soluble it is a great idea to use permanent markers on it to show details. The idea is to make an exaggerated perspective using some lines that are square but most not.

Watercolor layer done. Quin gold, Thalo blue, burnt sienna and andrews turquoise.

The markers and some of the paint brushes.

Adding details with the grey tombows. It was getting a lot of fun to do at this point. The fact that it did not all have to be exactly in perspective was freeing. Who cares if a line wobbles here and there. That’s part of the fun.

I added a lot of cross hatching per Ians direction. Done for now. Now it’s time to look at it for a while.

The bit of sky was added because I had some grey mess of Tombow that I couldn’t cover up any other way.

I recommend a class on Shopkeeparty.com. Thursday Keiko Tanabe is teaching. Will be scratching her off my bucket list come Friday. And next week Liz Chaderton is doing a very fun otter class. Once a week they offer a free one hour demo paint along on Tuesdays. I meant to do the otter with Liz today but got up too late. No sleep last nite. Might try it tomorrow when it’s on YouTube.

Margaret ready to put Her feet up and stare at her painting for a while. Xoxoxox

On a roll

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Some of my favorite British birds from Paul Dinnings Videos and Sounds for Cats: Garden Birds. They really are the best bird videos I have seen on YouTube. Some people use them for a good nights sleep.

Another new Favorite is Prowalking tours. I went to Rome and Montmartre today. Think I will try Venice next. Just the beginning of it is gobsmacking.

Stillman and birn alpha pentel brush pen uniball micron Caran d’ache neocolor ii watercolor pencils and a teabag to wet the Caran d’ache.

Margaret whose going to try Wendy’s for dinner. Xoxoxox

Parges, France

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Near Paris. 12×16 arches 280cold press. Did a wild hour long paint all with Vlad Yesileyev at shopkeeparty,com. Also on shopkeeparty’s YouTube if you want to give it a try.

The photo

The sketch

First wash

About an hour of painting. Adding darks. I actually painted the people with my brush aka I didn’t draw them first. I think they are some of my better people.

Debating with my self when is it done.

I never know when to stop but time to add some calligraphy marks with the saber brush I think. Feeling totally uninspired.

And as she is now. She may get more torture tomorrow. We shall see.

Have to capture all five kittens and take them 30 miles to Edgefield to get them neutered or spayed. What happens if one runs. I guess I can always schedule another trek to Edgefield.

Margaret xoxoxo

Touch up time

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I really like it now. Marking this one DONE. I even signed it. As we say when painting in Aiken it’s done if you signed it. Actually we say it’s not done til it’s signed but this one is.Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev

Detail of the foreground water. More

Accurate color.

Yesterday. I added a lot of black in the focal point. More shadows along the bottom of the buildings. Darkened the water into an L shape. Painted the roof oranger. Added highlights to the focal point and the water with white gouache. Oh and I lightened the grey stones on left. Added more green to the water. I think that’s it.

Really not a lot but in the right place adds drama.

Margaret xoxoxo

Reflections in L’ Isle Sur La Sorges

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Aka France Evidently the town in Avignon is a lot like Venice w Canals and boats. Also near Vaucluse which I live near another Vaucluse. Guess the French Huguenots settled the one near me. A lot did settle in South Carolina.

So far but as usual a WIP a work on progress. Someone please tell me why I hate them when I am done painting three four hours and always like them better in the morning!!?

Vlad paint along Sunday. One more paintalong next Sunday before he takes a winter holiday break.

The photo

I think I need more shadows in mine and an oranger pinker roof. A few more darks in the foreground water. Try to lift some lost highlights. Mr Clean to the rescue I hope.

The drawing

300 lb fabriano rough paper half sheet 15×22. Really don’t like this paper. Maybe I will repaint it tomorrow on Kilimanjaro. The fabriano just sucks up paint making it look pale.

First wash. Always a wild ride with Vlad. Five colors. Yellow ochre alizarin cobalt cad orange. and neutral tint or as he calls it emergency mix.

The whole thing is painted with the same mix of paint and water.

Moving along second wash. Usually we paint everything from the first wash thru each layer but not this time.

Adding greens and darks. Still only a few more Colors. Indigo burnt sienna burnt umber

And here we are as of now. Spent most of the day waiting for the Carpet cleaner to come to clean the sofa the kitties pooed on. They ate now litter trained and e sofa will be covered up as soon as it dries. Aka no more kitty poo.

Margaret tired from not doing a whole lot. I did bake a quiche full of chopped veggies. Does that count?!! And moved stuff out of the way of the carpet cleaner. Xoxoxo

Drawing with Danny Gregory

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When you aren’t inspired to draw or paint guarantee Danny Gregory on his YouTube Draw with me show will get you going. Free every Thursday at Noon.

We all drew a pigeon skeleton today. Well the show was last weeks show. I was busy so did it today. That’s the great thing about YouTube. The shows wait for you and ready when u are.

He furnished the picture we drew.

I used a Micro univalve pen and a namiki fude. Oh and a lamy ef. All that cross hatching was eating up the ink. I may add watercolor to it but letting it dry overnight before I do.

Stillman and birn alpha.

Catching up on escape to the Chateau on YouTube then my binge of Killing Eve on Hulu. Love watching the British couple rehabbing a decrepit five story chateau WITH mote in Escape to the Chateau. The jobs they undertake are monumental on a show string budget. Watch it. They are intriguing. A visit there is on my bucket list.

Margaret xoxoxo