Water or Plastic?

Currently, or as they say on the stupid-ass television news broadcasts, "RIGHT NOW", I am teaching a six week, once-a-week watercolor painting class at my studio. I am having my students practice watercolor painting techniques without the added complication and distraction of color. They are painting in black and white only. This is a demo I watercolored of a martini. Getting thirsty? . In an acrylic painting class that I'm teaching "RIGHT NOW" at Sacramento City College, I am having my students doing the same thing as represented with this second demo. NEWS FLASH - if you can't control your painting technique and value structure, you are working at a huge disadvantage.

Back to some glorious Payne's Grey

YeeHaa! . . . cowgirl was watercolored tonight in glorious Payne's Grey ... ain't no other way y'all ta learn some proper values! Yo! . . . "Attitude" is fresh! Gotta PG it in the hood, homies!

Playtime on a rainy day.

Boy, do we need this rain in too sunny California! More color has been added to the portrait I posted a few weeks ago.

"Attitude" Studies # 2 and 3

Both studies # 2 and 3 are on half sheets of 140 lb., cold press, arches bright white, watercolor paper. I'm playing applying (and taking off) paint to paper. He is an artist with a combination of bad ass attitude and affable humor. I love that combination.

"Attitude" Study #1

Watercolor on a half sheet of 140lb. cold press Arches. I'll probably do this young man again, as I'm not it is completely to my liking.

Can't judge no book by its cover.

Straight outa Compton? Never asked. Drawing student of mine and the nicest young dude you'd ever want to run into. Wore cool ball caps. Watercolor on half 140lb. sheet cold press.

"IN MEMORY OF"

A watercolor portrait I just finished while listening to my main man, Mr. Tom Waits. 140 lb. cold press, half sheet. I dedicate my effort to one of my fav. artists whom I met in the blogosphere . . . William, aka The Crazy, Moore.

ME @ MIKE

A little over a week ago, pre Christmas, I challenged Mike Bailey (Current president of the National Watercolor Society, fantastic artist, inspiring teacher, good friend) that both he and I paint a beach/ocean scene from a photo I took off Asilomar Beach on the Monterrey Peninsular. He accepted, and away we both went. Well wouldn't ya know it, Mike totally rearranged the composition and finished as of today with this beauty! My approach was to tweak the composition ever so slightly and concentrate on looking into the setting sun. This is what I LOVE about painting challenges . . . they keep you on your best painting behavior and even sometimes inspire you to push the envelope (or should I say the palette). Oh yes . . . they also show you other ways to approach a subject. Too bad Mike's in Santa Cruz and I'm in Sacramento . . . we need to clink libation glasses to the completion of the challenge! Thanks, Mike!!