2013 ALL MEDIA PHOTO CHALLENGE---January #27

Alexandra Spencer wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 11:16 AM

Susan, this is masterful. 

J.V.Schaffer wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 11:28 AM

Catherine your shelf is coming along very nicely I know I'm still a novice but remember less is more on the brickwork vauge always looks good your bricks pass  now

Susan that is as nice of a bird as Ive seen fantastic job of coloration and shading  especialy around the eye very well done

C. Brown wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 11:40 AM

Oh Susan this watercolor of the blue jay is just beautiful! I love those colors anyway and you've done a great job mixing them and adding that subtle depth to them. I think the background is very nice the way it is and allows the bird to be the center of attention.

Sam, Mister Clean Magic Eraser as in the house cleaning product?  I'll have to try that.  This morning I tried to pull out some of those brash reds around the window and also some of the other red bricks but now I have a washed out look. Not sure how to deal with that problem now. I've put the roof on the bigger white bird house and also it's door area in front. It's looking pretty good so far and after lunch I'm going to finish it's side and do the work on the last two white houses and then on the the statue.  I'm hoping to get this done today as I have housework to do and tomorrow I'm going to my first ever watercolor show! The only other watercolor paintings I've ever seen in real life are my own. I'm really excited.

C. Brown wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 11:51 AM

Thank you Jim. I appreciate all of the advice from everyone. I'm still learning the ropes on what brush to use and  light and dark shades etc. There is so much to learn and this painting has turned into a homework project. Bricks have a lot ot potential for experimentation and I'd like to do something with bricks as the subject one of these days.

Alexandra Spencer wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 1:06 PM

Catherine, please let us know about the watercolor show afterward. I remember the first time I saw Impressionist paintings in real like (as opposed to in a book or on a computer). They were so moving to see.

Sam, thank you for the excellent tip on the magic eraser. That will be a big help with my WC pencil paintings (recently has to cut a hole in a painting and glue another piece of paper under it to fix something!). You recently mentioned the tip about press Control+ and it opened a whole new world as well. Felt like a boob for not knowing it but was so pleased to learn it.

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 1:43 PM

Catherine, yes, I mean the house cleaning product Mr Clean Magic Eraser.  Just the regular ones not the extra powerful ones.  I think it is good if some of the bricks look washed out.  Jim is right that less is more.  The bricks can be a variety of colors and values - light to dark and brick red, orange, light blue, etc. I feel that you should do just a few and let the viewers fill them in.  Made the birdhouses be the focal point.

When I was trained in pastels in the '70s, I was taught to make the focal point detailed and let the surrounding area gradually fade away.  Sort of what the camera does.

Alex, I just recently learned how to enlarge images with the CTRL+.  There are so many things to learn and we can't know it all.  I'm glad that was helpful to you.  There is another way to increase the size of text and images.  On  my computer it is a little symbol that looks like a gear located at the top right of the screen.  When I click on it, I get a drop down and select ZOOM.  I kept my computer set at 125% but change it often to get a better look at things.

Kim513 wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 2:03 PM

Catherine, I'm eager to see your fin. ptg. of the shelf/objs.! It's certainly coming along SO nicely. Interesting to see the stages! Thanks for sharing the stages.  

About lifting watercolor, I have had really good of luck with a clean wet brush if small area - to scrub off lightly after paint dries; or to leave water on for a bit (after paint dries), then blot; possibly repeat or scrub remaining. I'm guessing some may depend on the pigment and paper too.  I'll try Sam's trick of the eraser next time - sounds quicker and effective too.

Susan, love the bird in close-up. Gives it a whole new persp. and your ptg. is super!

Alexandra Spencer wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 2:16 PM

Sam, that must be why I so loved the photog I worked with for the last 18 years - crystal clear at the focal point with everything else dropping away. Good to be reminded the same thing applies here. 

wetpaperfan wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 2:51 PM

Cath:  Wowsa...  coming right along and looking great.   I have used Mr Clean a lot.  its a great tool to have in your arsonal of art supplies.   The Strathmore paper you are using won't take a lot of scrubbing  as Kim suggested.  If you were using a Stronger paper with more rag in it Kims method wold be perfect.    That is the method I use the most,  but it all depends on the paper I am using.   I can't put a finger on it but the perspective of the window and the shelf seem to be fighting each other a bit,  I think it might be the dark shadow on the lower right side.  what I  am trying to say is...  the window looks straight on and the shelf is like you are standing on the side of it not straight in front of it.    If you look at the photo you can see the window casing on the left but you cant see it on the right,  that gives it the perspective of not facing straight on.     You watercolor technique is wonderful , keep in mind how you would frame this you don't want to paint to the edge leave space for matting.   I did that with a painting once and when I framed it the top of my mountain was gone...   I still have it framed as a reminder.... 

C. Brown wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 3:07 PM

I see what you mean about the window perspective not being right. By not adding the taller bird house I've exposed that lower right side of the window and I also added a stone window sill instead of referring to the plain sill in the photo. I think that is an easy enough fix and if not that's ok as I'm not  happy with the background at all and am going to file this painting away as a learning tool rather than display it. The bird houses are coming along nicely though and I'm learning more about how to handle the paint at different stages of wet and dryness. I have a funky old birdhouse that I got in Louisiana and now that I've had a little hands/brush on experience with structures and their perspective, I would like to paint it. This next time I'm using my better paper as I know it will hold up to a lot of water.

C. Brown wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 3:07 PM

*

jm7445 wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 8:13 PM

Catherine - I love your bird houses, you did a great job on the values and tones. Great job on the statue also, I was drawn to it.  I have to agree with Marsha the perspective on the window may be off. It looks like you may still be working on it, therefore maybe adding something to the right and left sides of the window for depth would help. 

C. Brown wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 8:26 PM

Thank you Jean!  I was hoping to get to the window today/tonight but this little painting has taken me to school with all the details. I need to do the work though as it's funny how you think to yourself "oh, that doesn't look that hard" and then you try it! LOL

wetpaperfan wrote

on 12 Jan 2013 9:45 PM

Susan I love your Jay... amazing color movement with the water colors.   I like that it is filling the whole page.   Great job.....

Berkenstock wrote

on 13 Jan 2013 1:31 AM

Beautiful colors.  Well done Susanne.