Category: Travel

Day 112 Piedmont Park Atlanta

2 Comments

A beginning but lots left to do. The gazebo on Lake Clara Meer in Piedmont Park. Did not like it at all when I went to bed last nite but today in daylight I do. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev.

The photo. It’s a popular spot where the ducks teem to get fed. The value sketch. Ready to be hung at the Louvre🤣. Wasn’t sure I wanted boats. They aren’t allowed in the lake but I went with the flow. We always do these first w a 2B pencil and cheap printer paper on a clip board.

The sketch. Rough 300# Fabriano. No more Arches for me. Sorry for the bad photo. Can not improve it. I tried. Drawn w an hb pencil.

First wash. Colors used yellow ochre cobalt blue alizarin dioxizine purple.

I was not suppose to leave all the white in the water. Trying to follow him who is painting lightening fast and cover a half sheet. Groan. I did use my big size 16 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. But still. I do better for details like leaving white columns on the gazebo and making them straight with my 14 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. In my next life I am getting a Raphael or Windsor Newton. Hmm maybe I should try my mop next time.

Moving onto darker colors. But still very sheer. I have to admit painting with Vlad is like running a road race always trying to catch up with the number one runner. Leaves me worn out but in a good way.

How it looked when I quit for the day.

Ok more colors used golden ochre cobalt turquoise. Neutral tint made from indigo burnt sienna and doxizine purple. Adding white coach’s for lost highlights. Still need to do.

Half the trick is learning to use those pesky perla escodas and that saver brush. Vlad now sells his own brand for $89 from Rosemarys brushes but I have two sets of the Perlas so will wait til I wear them out. Some kind of synthetic fibers. I don’t think u can do the dry brush with my much loved kolinsky sable and I would NOT touch my Charles Reid kolinsky da Vinci on this rough paper. I don’t want to destroy it with the texture.

And I know you can’t do those I the tiny details w a kolinsky sable. The sabers have a wobble to them that makes interesting lines. Controlling them well that’s another thing. They really shine on tree branches and railings. Light posts. Power lines. They make graceful lines.

Top two brushes are the sabers. I use the green handled one a Loosey Goosey from Cheap Joes the most. Then three Perlas. Hmm I have four. 8 10 12 14. Got them dirt cheap on amazon. And my two Cheap Joes Kolinsky sables.

The tree Branch is done with the saber brush. An odd paint brush that does hold a ton of water despite it being synthetic. Right now I am trying to decide if the tree branch needs more work. Maybe?!! It is done with the saber brush.

Margaret who needs to quit goofing off make some bread and paint paint paint. Xoxox

Day 110 Done

9 Comments

Been finishing up assorted paintings. Amazes me how the details can make them really pop. Cumberland half sheet 300 # rough Fabriano so many paint alongs with Vladislav YesileyevCottage Arles, France 10×15″ 300# rough FabrianoGrand Canal Venice 15×15″ 300# rough Fabriano Roofs of Parafuegal, France 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

Laguna Beach, California 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

I am beginning to make myself tired with all this painting. Three more to finish up still. 😫😫😫

Margaret going to bed now. Xoxox

Day 107 Thinking about it

2 Comments

Golden Hour, Arles France today. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev. Really don’t like alizarin in the foreground. Thinking I can grey it by adding green. And that’s why I wrote thinking about it.

Foreground was yellower til I tried to fix the red by adding green to it. Now why didn’t I think that alizarin red and green is a classic combo for a grey to a black depending on the water.

The Photo kinda nondescript

Also DO NOT alike how the arches paper kept drying out. Since humidity is 82% should NOT be happening. I was wrong it buckled like crazy in any wet wash. Hmmm. If I redo I will be using Fabriano definitely.

Value study. Ready to hang in the Louvre. Lol.

First wash

Lotsa yellow but darn that alizarin. Someone asked Vlad about if alizarin was light fast. He said he didn’t know. Mine is. If you buy permanent alizarin it is light fast. Sky wash next. Cerulean goes everywhere. Some darks on the trees.

Background Trees are in. Should never have sprayed them with my mister. Yuck. The other reason I may do a redo.

Overall I really like the look of it. Love the glow of the building and the guys coming in from the field. I wanted an old guy snoozing by the doorway. I read a book about a guy who lived I S France where Arles is and he snoozed near the front door.

I can always crop out most of the nasty alizarin. Too bad it’s permanent I could put it out in the sun and it would fade away in a few months. Sigh.

Excited the paint along with Vlad Yesilesev is Piedmont Park. My sons will throw down over who gets it. I may keep it. I love Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Mechanical (Botanical) Garden as Livie calls it.

Won’t be using NO nasty Arches. Why did they sell out to Canson who ruined it. 😫😫😫

If you would like to take a face to face class with Vlad he’s teaching in gorgeous Cashiers, NC next months. I signed up. Hope it makes. They still need a few more people.

Margaret ready to put her feet up. Xoxoxo

Day 106 Laguna Beach redo

3 Comments

Here it is. Better I think except that one umbrella. The blue one needs something.

Here’s the sketch. I painted on Arches rough 12×16″ 140 lb. Blaming it for my stripey sky exactly what Vlad said it would do but it was easier to draw on than my rough Fabriano.

Hmm I just realized it was flat as flitter whole time I painted on it. So not all bad.

Also like the not quite so prominent palms even though I am a big palm tree fan. So many kinds of every shape. They are fascinating.

I also added a few more darks to this. Signed ready for the framer.

Before I added some more darks. I liked it a lot when it was like this but I like it even better now.

And this one. Added more darks. Think I am putting it over my bed so I can have dreams of returning to Paris one day soon. Finishing Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev

Here it earlier. Added some more purple and browns to the buildings too.

Now I am off to Copenhagen with Phil. Great show. Such a funny man. Xoxoxo

Day 100 Livie makes cat toys

4 Comments

According to Gov Cuomo we are now on day 100. Well at least we were when I drew this yesterday.

My granddaughter Livie is crazy for making things. She was taping magnolia leaves together for a cat toy. Go figure.

She has long legs but that one may be a little too long. Blaming it on the crack in the page. Hard to draw over.

I also worked on this a bit more with my Lamy EF. Might be too dark now?! Oh well. It’s just a sketch right?

And that’s it for today. Moral of the day no sketch is ever perfect. Right?

Margaret ready to get home and paint. Xoxoxox

Day 79 – Venice

2 Comments

The Grand Canal Venice. All this travel is wearing me out. Aka and now I am Tahred.

Off to the races aka paintalong with Vlad Yesilesev today . I was rotten. I didn’t do the value sketch because I was drawing this largish painting. 15×15. Rough press Fabriano.

The photo.

First wash. Whew that was exhausting but I like it so far.

Vlad has us screen shot his value sketch so I had it anyway.

And then we were almost done. Zip zap. I lifted some of the water. It was getting to dark.

Here’s how it looks now but I still need to work on the buildings on the right. Too tired to care right now.

Worked on this a bit. Darkened the walls.

Here’s what it looked like. It still needs a couple more things but mostly done.

This is the next paint a long with Vlad Yesilesev. I wish I could make it but in Atlanta for a birthday. The big first one for my sweet grandson David. Can’t wait. And I have a very similar photo I took in Bayeux France so really wish I could make this one. Poop.

Yesterday’s baking and it was delicious.

Margaret ready for bed. Xoxox

Day 77 Joucas France

Leave a comment

Another quick jaunt. Half sheet 15X22″.

I really enjoyed painting today. I was totally relaxed instead of worrying I would make a mistake. Painting along with Vlad Yesilesev today. Another one on Tuesday. We go to Venice. Go sign up for it. It will be fun and he’s a wonderful teacher.

The photo just looks valise doesn’t it?!!

Value sketch and class notes. Today he said accuracy in fine art is NOT the main thing At all. No rulers allowed period.

First wash. Red blue and yellow ochre plus a little burnt sienna.

Almost done.

And here it is done though it’s not signed so I can change it right?!My patient painting companion. She actually took a very long nap plus two potty breaks.

Margaret Xoxoxox tired from painting like a madwoman all afternoon. Xoxoxo

Down on River Walk

3 Comments

I always like this fountain that sparkles in the sun. I put off painting it because I knew it would be a pain and it was. I quit. Should have left it in ink. Too many tiny details. Sepia Pitt pen fine stillman and birn Zeta From the safety of my car.

I did finish a pair of socks today. What else have I done this week. Three paintings. Sold two. Hurrah. Stacciatella THE best soup ever. Sooo good. And I have made lots of soup.

Thought about quilting this.

Bakes cookies snickerdoodles and easy no knead bread twice.

Goodnite. Stay safe!

Margaret staying home. Xoxoxo

Jessica’s Pink Tower

2 Comments

My friend Jessica lives on the Savannah River downtown in the Pink Tower. The views are astonishing from high up in the building.

Zoe and I went urban sketching today when I had to go downtown to pick up the Gypsy. It was a gorgeous day. But crazy people were out in Broad Street eating and parading up the street – not keeping their distance. Scary!! Stillman and birn Zeta sepia F Pitt pen. Fealing Lin palette Colors

Margaret ready to relax. So far I drew quite a bit. Ran two errands with zero human contact. Made two batches of snicker doodles. Cooked more veggies for the leftover adorned beef. Oh and made a fb group page. No wonder I am tired scrub scrub scrub. I even bleached my Bernina after I picked it up from the shop. 😳😂

Xoxoxox

Turner watercolors

3 Comments

Been reading this great book called Turners Apprentice by Tony Smibert who has studied Turner for years.

Great book with lots of tips from this master watercolor painter.

A lot on how Turner achieved his stunning watercolor effects.

A wealth of Turners to drill over.

And how to achieve some of these same effects.

The brushes NOPE Not your good sables. Said one brush is from the kitchen and it looks suspiciously like my basting brush. The round one at top right.

I do know Cheap Joes sells a similar one that is Jamie Wyeth favorite to wear out. Then Joe replaces it free under their warranty. Hmm or was that Skip Lawrence?! Joe has the returned one framed in their art gallery in the shop in Boone NC.

Combining colors. Smibert leaves no stone unturned.

The drawings and adding color to them. Those ethereal colors are to die for.

Color manipulations. I do love juicy transparent color.

A screen shot from his website. I am pretty sure I have been there. Haven’t you?!

Then I discovered his student Scott Swinson on YouTube. He shares a lot of the wet on wet techniques in his great videos. You can also follow Scott on Instagram.

Another Scott painting.

Crazy man uses 3m scotch tape to tape his paper down. Who knew. And releases it with a hair dryer when it’s trying to stick to the painting. Betting the tape is cheaper than masking tape.

Margaret whose missing her YouTube video. Xoxoxo