Sharing the Sky I - A Work in Progress

I didn't have a lot of time to work on my art today, but I wanted to do something so I chose this piece that I had started while I was in Cuba a number of years ago (see posts on 23 May 2016 and 13 December 2017).

First I added in a couple more kite boarders into the water.




















Next, I indicated where I would like to put in some larger seagulls and put in where some smaller flying gulls.

I will post this drawing at a later date once it has been completed.

Sharing the Sky I - A Work in Progress

Today I wanted to do a little more on this sketch that I started in Cuba (see post on 23 May 2016).

Using pen and ink I started with the clouds putting in the outline first and then adding in some shadows.

Next, I put in the horizon line, followed by adding the islands and hills.

From there I put in the palm trees, life guard hut, and the pier.















I then started in on the water and put in the waves and white caps as well as the ripples from the waves washing onto the beach.

The kite boarder was added onto the water. I then erased the hut that had been on the end of the pier as I felt it made things too "busy" and fought for dominance with the kite boarder.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have added a few more kite boarders and some of the seagulls which are sharing the sky with them.

ACEO - Caribbean Shore 1

It is fairly mild here 39F (4C) with the wind chill at 28F (-2C), fairly "balmy" weather for a December day, which is why I pulled out this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 08 April 2015 and 27 August 2016).

Using greens made from various mixtures of  Antwerp blue, burnt sienna, French ultramarine blue, new gamboge and raw sienna I started by putting in the trees on the distant land on the left side of the painting first.

I followed this by putting in the palm trees on the right side of the beach, followed by adding the closest palm trees on the left side of the beach.














I added a few strands of seaweed onto the sand of the beach just above the waterline.

Finally, using a dark of burnt sienna and the darker green mix I painted in the coconuts among the palm fronds on the two closer trees, then lightened the colour with water I put in the tree trunks on the closer trees and on the tree trunks at the far end of the beach.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Fabriano 100% cotton, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Grass Huts I

Today I didn't feel like working on a painting so I decided that I would work on this drawing that I started work on earlier this year (see posts on 15 February and 06 July 2017) once they had been found in a box that had been put away in storage.

I started back working on the right side tree and added a couple more palm fronds to finish the first tree.

Next I put in the two remaining palm tree trunks beginning with the trunk of the smaller one on the left side of the group and then doing the larger one in the middle.

Then I started putting the last of the palm fronds on the first tree which were blowing in the wind, followed by putting those on the smaller tree, being careful to keep them behind the middle palm tree trunk.

Lastly, I added the palm fronds on the large tree in the middle, being sure to keep them behind those of the first tree.

This original 6" x 7" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $75.00.

Grass Huts I - A Work in Progress

It is hot 84F (29C) and humid 91F (33C) and I thought that I would work on one of a number of sketches that I did while I was in Cuba (see post on 15 February 2017).

Along the beach by the Tryp in Cayo CoCo were a number of dilapidated huts that were left there to provide shelter should you get caught outside during a thunderstorm.

Hopefully, the wind won't be strong enough to cause them to collapse on top of you.

I finished the huts by putting in the walls and doors.

Next I indicated some of the sand on the beach and the waves along the shoreline.

I drew in a clump of palm trees by the huts.

I started with the small clumps of young palm trees at the base of the large palm trees before I started on the trunk and some of the palm fronds at the top of the trees.

I will post this drawing at a later date once it has been completed.

Ocean View I

Today I sat the exhibit at Art on Kent in Lindsay, Ontario.

While I was there I worked on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago while vacationing in Veradero, Cuba (see post on 18 December 2013).

First I started by putting in the horizon line in the distance and added some white caps in the ocean.

Next I worked on the palm trees starting with the coconuts and then adding the fronds and lastly the tree trunks.

To finish the foreground, I joined the growies together in front of the palm trees.

I worked on the clouds next, starting with the large fluffy clouds that were lower in the sky and then the smaller, higher ones in the top of the sky.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Beach Scenes - Four Works in Progress

Today I thought I would like to work on some of the scenes from the Caribbean.

I pulled out three drawings from Aruba (see post on 16 September 2013) and one from Roatan (see post from 08 April 2015).














Along the Shore 1

I thought that I would work on all four pieces at the same time starting with the sand.















Along the Shore 2

I used raw sienna in various strengths for the sand on the beaches leaving some areas of white paper by the shore for the froth from the waves.














Along the Shore 3

Using Antwerp blue in the sky I brush in the sky and then added in a little of the raw sienna for the water, leaving some areas white for the froth on the beach and for a few white caps.















Caribbean Shore 1

I will post each of these paintings at a later date as more work on them is completed.

Caribbean Shore 1

We are under a freezing rain warning for later this morning and with the temperature at 27F (-2.2C) and the wind chill making it feel like 20F (-6.7C) it gives me a feeling of déjà vu back to 2013 when I was without power for almost five days due to the freezing rain storm that we had about this time of the year.

So rather than dwell on the upcoming storm I thought I would do a drawing of a nice warm place like a beach in the Caribbean, with the surf rolling up onto the shore and a soft breeze making the palm fronds gently sway.














This little black and white drawing brings back warm memories of the white sand beaches. I can hardly wait to head south to the Caribbean islands again.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork.

Ocean View I - A Work in Progress

It is another snowy day with the temperatures above 0F (-18C) so we having a heat wave at 7F (-14C) and will wait to see how the day progresses with the temperatures supposedly climbing to 22F (-5C).

I came across some sketches I had started a number of years ago when we vacationed for the first time in Cuba on a diving trip with Adventure Divers where we stayed at the Veradero Breezes.

Our room was on the second floor and while we could not see the beautiful white sand beach we could see the Atlantic Ocean from our balcony.

It was pleasant to have the balcony and I would often sit out there in the early morning and enjoy a cup of tea and in the evening we would relax after a very busy day of diving or touring.

This is one of a number of sketches I did while in Veradero and I will post it at a later date once it has been completed.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Coconut Tree 1

It is getting closer to the time I can head south and go diving.

As you can see I have the warm beaches and the salt water on my mind.

While the cold winds blow here I will just keep on thinking about the warm breezes and the coconut trees.

I can see I am going to have to remember to erase my reference notes on my sketches before I take photographs of them and I have removed them.

This original 6" x 6-1/2” pen and ink picture when framed will be available for $145.00.

Caribbean Evening

It is September and the leaves are slowly starting to change and it won't be long before there will be snow on the ground.

I cannot help but think of the Caribbean and the warm weather that is fairly normal down there.

This is a scene I would often see in the evening from our balcony window. The palm trees silhouetted against the twilight, with the sea breeze causing them to sway and rustle softly.

I completed this original 10-3/4" x 13-1/2" watercolour painting today while with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group. When it is framed it will be available for $345.00.

Now I am getting a couple of sketch books together to take with me tonight when I go with Ron in the truck to Winnipeg for a couple of days.