December bike ride to sketch

On this beautiful warm December day went for a bike ride to my favorite botanical garden with my portable stool and sat and did an ink sketch of a winter landscape in the afternoon sunshine.

Brought it back to the studio and added some final touches with different size ink nips-just love the Longshadows in this leafless landscape. 

Egg Rock light house in watercolors

This watercolor done of Egg rock lighthouse which is off the coast of Maine had hundreds of birds nesting on a small island. It captures the drama of the afternoon sunlight from the view from our boat.

I did another version of it in oils which I will post tomorrow.

Jane sun bathing

Too wet to sign this 5 x 7 in oil!

This is a challenge for me doing figures the emphasis was on catching the light on the form which happens to be the body. I like that she is more in focus then the secondary subjects next to her and shadow.and of course I like the subject drinking her piña colada on the beach what's not to love about that! Lol 

Holiday cookies

A fun little 6x6 oil in honor of all the holiday cookies left out for santa! Enjoy! 

Evelyns house portrait

  

I don't think people realize how many steps go into a commission painting you meet the client you take photographs you agree to a price you create sketches until both of you are happy

Here is the stage and what you have to do color swatches to figure out which color green is going to go where. That was the challenge here since there was so much green how to approach it and how to make each tree look delicious! 

This is the final work of the house portrait many hours of layering the watercolor so it would remain fresh. I added a lot of water with each wash I'm happy with the final product but again it's always what the client likes. Note the cat in the door way this was a special touch that I knew the homeowner would like. I'm pleased what do you think? 

Now I think I ve got to go get to holiday shopping and cooking since I have over 20 people coming for the holidays! Enjoy!

Today's Yummy Artwork

Watercolor backlit flower done in the sunshine. The difficulty in this was I had to make sure that each color did not run into the other I think it came out successful what do you think?