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.

Seaview, Isle of Wight

I've been experimenting with different color palettes to try to add punch to the scenes that I see on my virtual travels. This beautiful little seaport town didn't need a color boost but I was in the mood to see how it might look in the late afternoon.

Afternoon Traffic

The strong afternoon light on this street scene in Newport, Isle of Wight, caught my eye. Cars can be intimidating to paint but their shiny surfaces made me think of glass. With that in mind, I painted them shape by shape and aimed for high contrast, just as I would for glass. Fun!

Thatched Cottage

A scouting trip around the Isle of Wight for September's Virtual Paintout brought me to this ancient thatched cottage. Originally built in the 1600s, it now serves as lodging. Wish I could go see it for real!