Liverpool Backroad

Whew, my muse has deserted me for months! Maybe this little painting will get me back on track. I tried something different with it by painting the 300# rough watercolor paper with a first layer of yellow acrylic, saving the small areas of white paper, and painting over it with mostly granulating watercolors. I think I was a little heavy handed with the first layer, which caused subsequent layers to be quite dark, but I do like the contrast and saturation that I was able to achieve with this method. And it was really, really fun to paint this way.

Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice

I was drawn to the warmth of this scene along the river in Venice. Most of the places I have visited there have been elbow to elbow with turisti but they must have been in the shops or out on the gondolas as I happened by. It's been lovely visiting Venice this month. As always, the virtual trip has made me want to pack my bags and go see it for real.

On the Canali di Venezia

Venice at last! I've looked at Google Street View so many times over the years, hoping to no avail to see Venice. It was so exciting to find that the cameras have been there and Bill Guffey has taken us there for this month's Virtual Paint Out. There is a temptation to spend all available time just looking around but with the holidays coming up, I decided I better just get to it.

Icelandic Sheep

I was looking for a single sheep to paint for this month's Virtual Paintout but I came upon this flock and the light was so incredible, I had to paint them all. There is one sheep who stands out for me though, the one near the bank who's laying down posing for the Google camera.

Waterfall

This is the largest watercolor painting I have attempted in some time and, just as I suspected, it was a lot easier to paint than the little dinky ones I have been doing. I'm glad I found a big mountain to paint so I could break out of that rut.

Icelandic Homestead

This old homestead in Iceland appears to be the original home of the family, with a newer home and outbuildings nearby. Although the newer home is crisp and neat, it is the older one that draws my interest. I did an earlier version of this painting, using the colors and values that I was seeing on Google Streetview. As you can see below, it was pretty bland and I decided there wasn't enough there to make a painting. My thoughts kept returning to the little home and the dreams of the family who built it there by the sea so I glazed it with warm colors to bring it to life.

Original sketch:

Mamacita

I discovered this colorful mamacita in Lima, Peru for this month's virtual paintout. I didn't think I would have time to paint this month since my own precious mamacita took a bad tumble near the end of September and broke her shoulder as well as breaking and shattering her kneecap.  She was in the hospital and rehab for two weeks, during which time I stayed in her room with her 24/7.  She's so tiny and fragile and was so broken, it was heartbreaking, but she's on the mend now and is her sweet and funny self again, thank God.