Just playing

I posted a portrait of this lady about a month ago . . . kind of spiky looking, and I didn't like it . . .
so . . .  his is the same painting but with tweaks and embellishments . . . three weeks of playing . . .  Davey can be a dull boy if he don't play. Don't ask me what it all means as I haven't got a clue!
Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press. 14 inches by 18 inches.

Who is this young flasher?

End Of Spring Semester Final - Oh The Horror!!!

I had one of my students in the acrylic painting class I teach at Sacramento City College put together (I didn't have enough time in my schedule to do it myself) my mylar, helium-filled, remote controlled  "Air Swimmer" shark (check out the hilarious clips of it in action on Youtube). She brought it to our final class session of the semester last Friday. She did a beautiful job putting it together and even filled it with helium and provided all the double A batteries! A big, big THANK YOU to Hilary! She and I installed what we thought was the correct amount of ballast for a controlled flight mode but alas, Mr. Shark headed straight up to the ceiling (the ceiling in the art room has got to be at least 35 feet!) and lodged himself amongst the ceiling beams . . . oh the horror! There was absolutely no way to retrieve it.  It will most likely reside up there for several weeks until enough helium is lost to bring it back down. On a lighter note, this disaster state of affair was put aside, and I gave each of my students a one inch by one inch card (cut from a full watercolor painting) to translate in acrylic onto a ten inch by ten inch canvas board. This was their final assignment for the semester, and they all did a fantastic job! When all 20 canvasses were assembled on the studio floor, a bee-a-you-tee-full painting of a rooster was revealed (click on the photo to view it at a larger size). Since this class was taught on Sacramento City College's Davis campus, we  titled it "The Rooster That Devoured Davis". It will be mounted on foam core board and hung in the art studio classroom for future students to admire. The campus authorities will notify me when I can retrieve my air swimmer.

"Finished not Finnish" still a work in progress

I posted the beginning of this painting two posts ago. Here it is with some changes and more to come. What do you think dear readers?

These are two acrylics on masonite from the Lobenberg archive. They were painted from photographs that I snapped. The top is a U.S. postal truck driver taking an early morning break in the truck's cab. I thought the morning light going through the newspaper was pretty damn cool as well as his pose. The other painting shows a window glazer attaching molding to a round restaurant window opening. The circular geometry and motion attracted me. I am interested, dear readers, if you think these two images a worthy of watercolor interpretations. I am preparing for a couple of big watercolor competitions. Many thank yous in advance!!!

Finish not Finnish

The previous post was of my "base" watercolor portrait. This is my "finish". Do not confuse this with "Finnish". The dictionary defines that word as: "the Finno-Ugric language of the Finns, spoken in Finland and in parts of Russia and Sweden." As far as I know, the subject of my painting here does not speak Finnish. She could have visited Finland and maybe even visited family or friends in Finland. Come to think of it, I do not recollect ever asking this young lady if she speaks Finnish. Hey, maybe she does! . . .  anywho . . . this is my finish that measures 14 by 18 inches and was painted with a limited color palette  (the painting palette I use most likely was manufactured in China and not Finland) on 140lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper (manufactured in Great Britain and not Finland but with globalization, I could be wrong, and Arches watercolor paper is now manufactured in China). I bet it gets damn cold in Finland.

The Base

Just "completed" this watercolor portrait. Actually, it is not fully complete. I consider this as my "base" upon which I shall take off and add paint and conte. Stay tuned and fingers crossed! Painted on 140lb. Arches cold press. 14 by 18 inches. Hey, before I forget, click on this portrait to see it larger. Can you see how much flow is going on? I paint on a small drafting table that easily tilts from flat to almost vertical.