The painting so far. Still a lot more to do like add the darks in the sky that I lost. Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev
Cadaques finished. Almost forgot I finished this one.
More tomorrow. One should not deep clean the downstairs before a paint along. Do tomorrow I will clean some more and finish the painting. The finishing shouldn’t too take long. Just darken the sky in places and maybe the street.
Margaret too tired to move. Xoxox
#2 Derwent Sketching Pencil small Stillman and Birn Alpha.
EMPTY. A couple of times a week I drive to Costco on the hunt for that elusive tp and sundries like Chlorox wipes and alcohol.
I drew this one to show the empty parking lot. Today when I went there were five cars there before me. Loving the early hours M-F for people over 60. They actually card us. This one old guy in front of me quipped can’t they tell my white hair and wrinkles mean I am really old. They need a card. But card they do anyway.
Got to say I feel safe in there. Sanitizing stations everywhere. The carts are sanitized too. And more wipes available if u want to do your own wipe. Hand sanitizer abounds. And miles to walk in the cool air conditioning. Just leave your debit card AT HOME. Wait they only take plastic. Touchless check out. LONG Sheets of plastic between you and the clerk. Just think most of the stock is never touched by human hands. They unload the palettes and stack them high.
Anyway pay a visit to your Costco. You will be happy. They go the extra mile!!
Margaret who can clock two miles in a Costco visit. Xoxoxo
A work in progress. 
To chop it down or not to chop it down. What do you think? . 
The sketch and then I forgot to take photos. Duh. Did not turn out the way I had envisioned but it’s growing on me. Like it better without the bikes.
Just some of the watercolor paint my dad left me. I have a lot more since I don’t buy a lot of Cheap Joes. Just alizarin and Andreas turquoise. Some of this paint is more than twenty years old and still soft and useable. Aka good paint.
BUT I am going to replace the Lukas paint with Cheap Joes. Good paint as opposed to crappy paint at a reasonable price. Cheaper than any other except Lukas which is nasty and chalky.
Spent the day sorting my own paint for an upcoming class. I did find quite a few tubes on her list.
Swore I was never buying more paint then I hit amazon. More paint coming. Oops!!
I mean I didn’t have the right colors for the Kathryn Giles class, you know?! And I have been on the search for a good Transparent yellow. She says she has one. We shall see. Besides I eat Cad yellow and cad yellow light like peanuts so I can always use more..
Back to Schitts Creek. Margaret xoxoxo
Another wild paint along with Vlad. Can’t wait for the next one Sunday. Painting boats. Love boat paintings
10×15″ Kilimanjaro 300#. I decided to use Kilimanjaro to see if it scraped like the nasty arches did.
The Arches scrapes great to do leaves, branches or grass. Maybe it will scrape for boat lines. Or I can use my dads antique arches that’s probably 20 years old. I know it scrapes great.
The photo. Kind of a nothing photo don’t you think except nice sunny light, umbrellas and a beautiful old building.
The value sketch
First wash- the water stage
Colors growing. Aka more first wash. Umbrellas really orange but odd it looks so red in this photo.
The second darker washes more pigment. The tea stage.
The last layers. Lots of milk. Aka thicker paint. I think mine moving be too thick.
And the way it is now. Kinda wishing I had not added the Browns and the grey trees on the left. Sometimes I get up in the morning and like them a lot better. We shall see right?!
Had fun drawing all over it with my white gel pen zip zip and always solid unlike white gouache.
Margaret ready for bed but has to watch one more episode of Schitts creek-my current binge. Soooo funny on Netflix’s. Watch more than one before you pass judgement. Xoxoxox
While I was out running a few errands yesterday. 
Love this old red pickup. If it had power steering I would buy one I think. Big enough to carry everything you need! It sits outside a vintage store near me. I drove by it all the time and admire it.
The sketch. Lamy Ef I think.
Caran d’ache neocolor ii stillman and birn
Margaret ready for bed. Xoxoxo
The Finger Lakes Upstate NY
Fabriano 300# rough 15×22″Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev
Done. I lost a lot of whites and can be almost impossible to get back.
Had fun drawing white lines on it with my white pentel gel pen. It easily lays down a really white covering line. If it’s not getting entered in a Watercolor Show doesn’t matter if it’s gouache or gel pen does it?! 
Yesterday. I added ALOT OF DARKS today and tried to finish the water. A few more windows and darker ones bigger shadows more shadows. Greyes the power pole down. Built a fence and a dock well sort of.
Somewhere in Paris
Fabriano 300# rough 15×22″
Done
Added more darks and some whites with my white pentel gel pen. The darks really make both of the paintings pop don’t you think!??
I think when it comes down to it I just like to draw with something. A pen is good a crayons works so does a dark juicy pencil.
Fabulous clouds tonite.
Margaret xoxoxo
Nothing better than walking by the Seine in Paris passing the barges under the fabulous bridges, Pont Alexander, and by such landmarks as Les Invalides and my fav – le tour Eiffel aka the Eiffel Tower.
Vlads picture
A wild paintalong with Vlad. I bet his wife, his manager, has to wear track shoes to chase him around.
Vlads value sketch.
Seems I forgot to take a pic of my sketch. This is Vlads.
First wash. Almost done.
And the washes are piling up. Pointy brush w Paris grey to the Eiffel Tower and the Pont Alexander.
Sliding toward home. Pulling the masking off the boat lines and a few other whites I wanted to save. 
Going to have to fix these lines now the masking gone. Can’t leave them stark white.
Lines
Looking better. Really need to work on softening my lines.
Calling it quits for tonite.
What a difference a few minutes makes in the sky.
Margaret Xoxoxox
Tried to post this yesterday but our power went out til 5 am today. Sigh. I have posted from the middle of the interstate but not my den when the powers out. Thanks SCEG.
Finished this sketch of the view from our fav Key largo restaurant as an experiment with my Namiki Fude. The only fronds on the palms were the spines of the leaves. I like the way they turned out.
Think my Fude did a great job adding texture to the photo and leaves. And shadows!!!
Meant to paint kayakers on the river today but the closest I got to that was downloading my photos off my Nikon. 
Guys be careful when you are in someone’s back yard. Oopsey.
My big achievement of the day was taking lots of bird pics. These are a couple of my favs.
Mirror images.
Margaret whose going to manage to not do a lot today. Xoxoxox
Today’s painting. Mellow Mushroom On Broad St. – FOR SALE 10×15” watercolor
Might be done. We shall see. Course I say that all the time so could be I will change it by this time tomorrow.
I started it a few weeks ago. So glad I can scratch it off my to do list. I should always have an espresso in the am. Get so much more done. House squeaky clean and a new painting. Not bad for one days work. 
I also worked on Dubrovnik some more. Tried to take some of the purple put of the wall. And wipes out some color on the right. I might need to wipe out some more. Who knows. It ak be done when it’s done right?! Lifted the handle of the par with some tape and a sea sponge.
Wipes out the signs dark shadow with the tape sponge trick and the black shadow under the truck.
Those two black shadows under the truck and around the sign screamed look at me. As did that white shirt on the girl in the foreground that had to go too.
Margaret contentedly tired but who needs to do her Powerplate xoxoxo
Quick post. A day in Giverny where Claude Monets house and famous gardens are. Along the banks of the Seine River. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev.
1/4 sheet Fabriano rough press. Lucas wc paint which I think gives a cloudy effect.
The photo.
First wash. Promise there’s a painting.
A very interesting class With Vlad Yesilesev today. All about perspective drawing people and cars. He explains things so well. The man has so much patience and a willingness to answer any question. Give him a try.
Margaret going to sleep. Xoxoxo
Margaret McCarthy Hunt Art 