Don't Give Up!

I painted this hibiscus a few years ago, and was never happy with it:

Last week, I played around with it, adding a darker background, and a black mat.  Huge improvement:

Just goes to show, keep those paintings, and later on you might have a "salvage inspiration".  I've also noticed that what looks kind of pitiful today, may magically overnight mature into something I am proud of.  I don't know if watercolor fairies come and fix things up, or.....ummmmm?

Baby Mag, Day 3

Gave in to panic on the background, and just "blued" it out.  I like it, the leaves of this magnolia show up much nicer. 

Cindy

Baby Magnolia, Day 1

This little magnolia was hiding in the woods , and I was immediately in love with it's hour glass shape.  I snapped a pic, and here is my - very early in the process -  beginning to paint it.  I have a long way to go, and all I can think as I paint is "hold on to those whites...hold on ....

Here's the photo I took, that background looks pretty intimidating don't you think?  Just don't know what I'll do there.  I did put in some washes so that I could focus better on the whites, and that helps. 

Have a great day,
Cindy 

Finished Grasses.....

Finally finished "Grasses".  Watercolor and gouache on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed.  This one was so much fun...discovering all the nuances of gouache.  I just loved every minute.  Hope you have a good day.
Cindy

Grasses, day three

Grasses, day three.  Slow going, some people tell me I am "sneaking up" on a painting when I paint, pause, paint, pause.  I just have to make myself go slow, so stopping every hour or so helps me do that. 

Grasses - Day Two

really like how this is going....

Working, working, working.  Yes, that's a magnifying lense.  Old Eyes!  Have a great day,
Cindy

Work in process...Grasses

I am working on a painting using watercolors and gouache, which I have never used before.  Love this medium (gouache, pronounced "wash").  It allows for a darker wash of watercolor in the background.  Gouache's opacity makes it easy for me to get the brilliant greens I see when I look at my source photograph:

 

The painting is about half done.  Hours fly by when I am working on a painting, or anything, that I love.  Have a great day.
Cindy