Category: Watercolor

Day 109 Cumberland

2 Comments

Half sheet Fabriano. 300#

Took a day long online class from Vlad yesterday. Have to say it was the best class EVER and I have two masters aka taken a lot of classes.

The photo

I have taken classes from some great art teachers Charles Reid and John Salimen who I would take more from if they were on line. Vlad just shares all his knowledge and the man knows ALOT!

I have had some teachers that spent the class trying to sell you their stuff. Annoying and not what I paid for. I have had other teachers that don’t tell you all the info to do what you are trying to do. Also annoying. I have had teachers who never explain things only demo and then want to fix your painting when he doesn’t like what you did. Annoying and NOT helpful.

Value study. Kinda like it a lot.

the sketchFirst wash.

He showed us how to do the sky. His approach is quite interesting. Three four colors all wet on wet. Lotsa water. Let it dry. I defy you to reproduce this sky.

Onto the next layers

The class was very interactive. We could talk to him and he could see what we were doing one at a time. I learned a lot. I even learned some new things about perspective. Two points. The vanishing point and the point of sight lines from the person taking the picture.

Jamie Oliver’s ez pizza and scones from his YouTube. His pizza is a dump pizza. Use what u have and the toppings I ised were delicious. Was not fond of the crust. Will use yeast dough next time and yes I will do it again. There’s also a very tasty pot of his minestrone soup from YouTube.

Then I cooked all morning today and painted all afternoon. So tired I can barely type.

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 104 Sometimes you get LOsT

Leave a comment

So many cabinets and things to draw. My perspective went wonky. Counters different heights but it was fun to while away a rainy morning drawing this while the kids watched cartoons. Lazy summer day.

I think I should have a redraw next I go to Atlanta. Micro uniball. Actually urban sketch. There’s a house out that window if u can find it in all the business.

Was going to color it with my new small box of 12 caran d’ache neocolor ii but they seem to be missing. Hope my magpie granddaughter didn’t squirrel them away somewhere. Not even opened. Eeek

Uniball micro pen and stillman and birn Alpha. Only nine pages left.

The house in this pic is also in the drawing out the window of the kitchen. If u look at the people all in black they are carrying ar 15s. I didn’t notice that when I took the photo. Oopsey. Part of the Black Lived Matter protest in Decatur last weekend that marched down my sons street.

Margaret Xoxoxox who used to laugh about mom wondering into the middle of the Augusta riots in 1970. Must be an inherited talent. Genetic no doubt. Rofl.

Day 103 Flat Iron Building

Leave a comment

Or is it the Fab Four the Beatles??

Did a draw along with Danny Gregory and Ian Fennelly last nite at 11. This is drawn with my 2B Derwent sketching pencil. Love it so dark and juicy. Thick lead gives great lines.

And I like the energy of this sketch. Aka the energetic lines.

Danny gave us the pic and we all drew together along. Kinda can see Vlad Yesilesev influence in this sketch. It’s almost a value study.

Stillman and birn Alpha.

Margaret heading to bed early tonite. Did not go to sleep til 1 am. Kept having watercolor dreams. Xoxoxo

Day 102 A Rainy Evening in Paris

4 Comments

15×22″ 300# Fabriano rough press

With Vlad Yesilesev. Started the paint along TWO days late. And finished just as zoom made it go poof today. Thank goodness.

The picture. The church is St Eustache Eglise on Ile de France with Les Halles in the distance. The services of nearby Notre Dame have been meeting here since the fire.

The sketch. Erase erase erase. 😫

First washes. Forgot to take a pic of the very first wash. Darn it

Finishing up. But it went too dark I think maybe. Soooo

I taped her up and lifted some color with my sea sponge. Vlad should never have showed me how to do that.

Here it is lifted. After I looked at it for a while I decided it had to have some more darks especially under the cars. They looked like they were floating.

Here it is now. I may go back and add a few more darks on the buildings and a few more turrets.

Anyway we are off to hot sunny Laguna beach Sunday. Come join usat the paint along. You will be glad you did.

Our my back window. Can’t decide which view I like better.

Margaret xoxoxox

Day 101 tv Henry

2 Comments

Tv time. Always the easiest time to draw Henry. I think I forgot to finish his feet. Thought he would put his feet back in position but never did.

Sad he’s growing up. Eight in a few weeks. When did that happen?!

Does it count as urban sketching since the neighbors house is in the window?!

Lamy Ef, noodler eelskin Ink, stillman and birn Alpha.

Margaret packing up for home. Xoxoxox

Day 80 – All my Paint Alongs

7 Comments

To date. or maybe this should be called how far I have come.

All my paint alongs with Vladislav Yeliseyev from most recent to oldest. Join him next Sunday for another jaunt to France. Great way to pass an afternoon. http://yeliseyevstudio.com/school/live-paint-along/

A friend asked how this works. $19 you sit at home. Sign up on his website and pay thru PayPal. No one has to see what you do. Watch and paint along on your iPad or computer using Zoom. He answers questions. Tells you how to mix paint in real time. You can rewatch the video for two days.

He does these every T and Sunday at 2pm. Also offers more expensive lessons on how to draw, mix paint colors in depth and painting lessons during the month. I have learned a lot.

He’s a consummate teacher and leaves no rock unturned trying to help his students. No question goes unanswered and he’s funny.

Vladislav Yeliseyev Join him next Sunday for another jaunt to France. http://yeliseyevstudio.com/school/live-paint-along/

The Grand Canal Venice Need to add a few darks and fox those darn windows. Should not have touched it when I was so tired last nite. Joukas France May need a bit lore done to the street. BarcelonaProvence Havana Rooftops of Parafuegel France Rooftops of Parafuegel France1&2

Coasta Brava, Spain

Red Barn, Cambridge NY the birthplace of my other favorite teacher Charles ReidProvenceHavanaCroatiaLost Coast Florida panhandle Barn N Georgia Green Doors PragueThe Walk in Prague

Provence

Loving these paint alongs. Sorry I am going to miss the next two since I will be with my kids and grandkids and paint alongs = disaster I think. Hmm well maybe if they are napping. Hahahaha. Getting to have out grown that!

Margaret off to run a few errands. Xoxoxox