Wolf Lake V-VIII -- Four Works in Progress

With it being a nice sunny day we decided to take the canoe and go out on the lake for the day.

As we headed up Highway 28 we were talking about which of the many lakes in the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park and decided that we would go on Wolf Lake.

It didn't take long for us to unload the canoe, put our gear into it and head out onto the lake. We paddled up the lake until we came to one of the inlets and I started sketching while Ron got his rod out and cast his line.















Wolf Lake V

I had barely gotten started on my sketch when he caught a nice sized bass, so I had to stop what I was doing and carefully take it off the hook and release it back into the lake.

It wasn't long before we left the inlet and went onto the lake again and headed further up the lake and went to the far side of an island.















Wolf Lake VI

Once again I started on a sketch beginning with a tree stump sticking out of the water just off shore of the island and then, Ron caught a small bass. So, I had to stop and take it off the hook and release it.

I barely had time to pick up my pencil before Ron caught a larger medium sized bass for to me to remove it from the hook and release it.
Before I could clean my hands there was another medium sized bass for me to unhook and release.















Wolf Lake VII

We moved further up the lake and stopped between the shore and a large group of islands and had lunch. Then we turned the canoe around and once again I worked on a sketch while Ron went back to fishing and before long, he caught another medium sized bass and I had to set it free.

We found another inlet and at this one Ron wasn't catching a fish as soon as he cast out the line. I was able to spend some time on my drawing where I put in the island and indicated some of the land on the far side of the lake before he caught another small bass.















Wolf Lake VIII

It wasn't long before we returned to the boat launch and headed were soon heading back home.

I will post each of these drawings again when more work on them has been completed.

Loon Call Lake VII

Today I was sitting at A Place For The Arts in Bancroft, Ontario.

The new show in the Annex, "Exhibition of Colour" was being hung, featuring the art of Jewell Allington and Jane Hall, both are friends I made through my time at the "old" Kawartha Artists' Gallery and Studio.

After opening the Gallery and doing the various chores that all sitters should do to keep the site looking clean and tidy, I took out my artwork and continued to work on this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 14 September 2014 and 10 December 2016).















It was another fairly quiet day for a Wednesday so I ended up having plenty of time to work on this piece.

I started by completing the cottage and followed by putting the rocky shoreline in to the left side, putting the shadows to the rocks and adding some grasses and growies.

Next, I worked on putting in the pine trees on the rocky area to the right of the cottage, followed by adding the rocks, their shadows and the grasses and growies.

Lastly, I put the reflections of the trees into the water.

This original 6" x 9" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Drawing on the Otonabee River

Today, Norma and I went out along River Road to find a place to sketch.

We came across a lovely location with two cottages on the opposite side of the Otonabee River, which had stone stairs leading down to the water and a wide variety of blooming plants in their gardens which were reflected into the calm waters.















Cottage on the Otonabee River I

After doing my drawing of one of the cottages, I walked a little further up the river and did this sketch of the branches sticking up out of the water of a cedar tree that had broken and fallen into the river.















Dead Cedar on the Otonabee River I

I will probably come back and do a little more work on each of these drawings at a later date.

ACEO - Morning Fisherman 2

Today I decided to finish this painting that I had started a couple of years ago (see posts on 07 February 2017 and 08 December 2018).

First, I mixed a couple of different greens with French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge. I painted in the distant shore on the right side of the lake and then using a sponge, I dotted the leaves into the area above where a tree would be located on the rock spit.

Next, I mixed a brown of burnt sienna and the remaining green paint for the tree trunk and branches.

With burnt sienna I put in the rock reflections into the water.















For the fisherman I used cadmium yellow for the shirt, French ultramarine blue for the jeans and a mix of the blue and burnt sienna for the hat.

Lastly, the all important fishing pole and line were put in with the hat colour and a small amount of the tree trunk colour to darken it slightly.

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. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

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

Calm Water 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I was painting with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group, and one of our members Emil Varga did a demonstration on how created coniferous trees using a sponge.

First masking tape was put across the horizon line and then the sky was brushed in using layers of French ultramarine blue and cobalt blue.

Once the sky was dry the background trees were brushed in using various greens made from the blues with raw sienna and allowed to dry while the tops of the rocks were lightly drawn with a pencil.

Using a sponge and dark green watercolour paint made from various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue and cobalt blue together with raw sienna, burnt sienna and new gamboge.















While the paint was still wet, cadmium red, cadmium yellow and a mix of both colours were splattered and dropped into some areas on the green trees.

Next the rocks were painted in using various mixtures of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna and a little cobalt blue.

Once the rocks were dry the masking tape was removed and the reflections of the rocks were drawn in and then painted.

I will post this painting at a later date as more work on it has been completed.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Moonlight Island

Today I wanted to finish this little acrylic painting that I had started quite some time ago (see posts on 19 October 2015 and 19 March 2017).

I started by adding more detail to the pine needles on the trees using various mixtures of ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, raw sienna and Hansa yellow.

Next I painted in dead branches onto the trees followed by adding some highlights onto the tree trunks.

Using a pencil I added some definition to the shape of the rocks.

Then using various mixes of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, raw sienna ultramarine blue and cobalt blue I painted the rocks.

Lastly using titanium white I dotted in some stars into the sky, added highlights on some of the rocks and added a few ripples into the water at the base of the rocks.

This original 8" x 10" acrylic painting when framed will be available for $225.00.

Snelgrove Brook 1 - A Work in Progress

Today is not going to be a pleasant day, with having had freezing rain overnight and a Meteorological Alert for Wind Warnings of sustained winds of 31mph (50km/h) and wind gusts of 62-68mph (100-110km/h), a high of 37F (3C) and two thunderstorms, one in the morning and one in the afternoon (although I am not going to complain about the thunderstorms, as I enjoy watching them).

I decided that since I am staying indoors I may as well paint. I picked this piece that I had started a number of years ago while driving home (see posts on 23 September 2013 and 08 December 2018).















I started with the pine trees in the forest behind them using mixtures of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and raw sienna.

Next, I put in the reeds along the far side of the brook, using various mixtures of raw sienna, burnt sienna, aureolin and new gamboge.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have put in the foreground shoreline.

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

ACEO - Tied Up 4

Today I was thinking about being in the Caribbean, with the warm breezes and turquoise waters, so I thought I would work on this painting that I had started last year (see posts on 19 April and 24 July 2017)

Since I already had the sky with the birds completed I started by working putting in the water with a mixture of Antwerp blue with a small amount of cobalt blue. I left the area by the sand with the surf splashing up the white of the paper.

Next I used raw sienna as a base colour for the sand and as it dried I used a wash of burnt sienna I put in the islands on the horizon.

Darkening the burnt sienna was with a little cobalt blue I added the shadows to the islands and into the sand and put in the tethering post.

Using the Antwerp blue and raw sienna I put in some palm trees on the islands and some seaweed onto the sand around the boat.

Now it was time to work on the boat with alizarin crimson.

A lighter red was put on the sunlit side first and a hint of new gamboge was added in a few areas. On the shadowed side darker alizarin crimson was painted in first and Antwerp blue added  into the shadowed areas.

Lastly, with a mix of French ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna I put in the gunnels and the rope tying the boat to the post.

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. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Skies - Three Works in Progress

Today I wanted to play with colour and what better way than to paint skies?

I pulled out these three pieces that I had started a while ago (see posts on 27 June 2013, 23 September 2013 and 07 February 2015).

To keep the palette simple, I would use just three colours which were alizarin crimson, Antwerp blue and new gamboge.

I made a puddle of each colour on my palette, so I could put the paint on quickly and not have to stop to mix color.

I wet the sky in the first painting being careful not to touch the sun.

Using the blue first, I brushed in the top quarter of the sky, this was followed by using the red into some areas of the blue and part way down the sky.

Windmill 1

Lastly, I used the yellow and painted down to the top of the horizon line and then set this one away to dry.

With the next piece I wet the entire paper and as with the first painting I started at the top using the blue and brushed a small amount into the top leaving white areas for clouds, followed by putting the blue into the bottom of the painting for the reflection of the sky colours in the water.















Snelgrove Brook 1

This was followed by using the red into the top third of the painting again leaving areas of white for the clouds and then putting some into the water just above the blue.

Lastly, I put in the yellow into the bottom of the sky to just above the horizon line, followed by putting it in below the horizon line and going down into the red of the lake.

I set this one aside to dry.















Morning Fisherman 2

For the last piece, I started by brushing in the blue through the sky and leaving some areas untouched down the horizon line. The blue was then worked through the water area the same way up to the horizon line.

Next, I brushed the red throughout the sky and in some places overlapping the blue, followed by brushing it in throughout the water.

On this one I decided not to add the yellow. Instead, I put in the rocks in the foreground using burnt sienna, the red and the blue. before setting it aside to dry.

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

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

Copper I

Today I had to go into KAGS to open the studio for the still life class. The theme was metals and we had two wonderful displays.

Carol and I were the first to arrive and we set up a large display featuring items that were made of brass, copper or silver on the large table in the centre of the room.

The rest of the group arrived later and what they brought in was set up on a smaller table which featured things made of either silver or brass.

I decided I would do a separate drawing featuring each of the different kinds of metal. I chose copper as the first metal and used a pitcher, a tall vase and a kettle from the display.















I liked the shape of the pitcher and started by placing it on the left side of the drawing first. This was followed by my putting the tall copper vase slightly behind and to the right of the pitcher.

On the right side of the drawing I put in the copper kettle which was a heavy enough piece that would balance the height of the two pieces on the left side.

Next I added the draping and some of the folds of the cloth beneath the kettle and the other copper pieces.

I will post the one in brass and the one using silver at a later date.

ACEO - Dusk 4

Today I wanted to finish this painting that I had started last year (see posts on 08 March and 13 July 2017).

With a pale green of raw sienna and Antwerp blue, I put in the trees on the far side of the lake.

Next I added some French ultramarine blue to the green paint to darken it down and painted the three pine trees into the foreground.

Using various mixtures of raw sienna, new gamboge and aureolin I put in the grasses and growies at the base of the pine trees.

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. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

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

Vertical 1 - A Work in Progress

Today is our last day at the Knoepfli Inn and after breakfast we took down our art exhibit "Scenes of Magnetawan".

But before I went home I wanted to get some photographs of Ahmic Lake and do a sketch of something on the boathouse side of the property.

I took some interesting photographs of the mist rising on the lake and of the reflections of the autumn colours in the water, as well as the bumpers and tires at the edge of the pier and their reflections in the water.

I tried to do a quick sketch of the white bumpers and their reflections but couldn't manage to capture it, so I turned it into an abstract of various shapes and made it into a vertical composition.

I will post this piece at a later date once I start adding some colour to the sketch.

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

ACEO - Dusk 3

Today we are under a Meteorological Alert with rainfall warnings 1.5"-2" (35-50mm), a severe thunderstorm watch and warnings, flooding, hail and downpour alerts with the temperature at 72F (22C) and feeling like 88F (31C) with the humidity.

I thought I would work on this piece that I had started last year (see posts on 08 March and 13 July 2017).

Mixing various greens using combinations of Antwerp blue, French ultramarine blue, raw sienna and new gamboge; I started putting in the pine trees starting with the furthest back trees and working my way forward.

Next I used mixes of raw sienna and burnt sienna to put in the grasses at the base of the closer trees.

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.

ACEO - River Morning 1

This morning I looked at the two Monarch butterfly chrysalis on the outside of the front porch.

The first one that was at the lower part of the porch window frame had changed and you could see through the outer shell the darker veining in between the areas of the orange on the wings and some of the white markings.

More than likely the butterfly will emerge either later today or very early tomorrow morning. I will keep checking on it and hopefully be able to watch it happen.

The second chrysalis, which is on the corner of the upper window on the porch, hasn't started to change colour and probably won't emerge today, perhaps sometime tomorrow.

I will just have to be patient.

In the meantime I thought I would work on this painting that I had started a few years ago (see posts on 13 September 2015 and 26 February 2018).

The first thing I did was bring the orange and peach colours from the sky further down into the water making the river wider.

With a pale mixture of burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue I put in the furthest back tree trunks on the far shore and gradually darkened the colour and increased the size of the tree trunks as the trees came closer to the river.

Darkening the colour more I put in the largest tree trunk on the shore in the foreground.

Next I mixed a pale green of raw sienna, French ultramarine blue and Antwerp blue and using a sponge I put the leaves on the furthest back trees first. Then I slightly darkened the green mix and put in each layer of trees on the far shore.

At this point I put the grasses at the edge of the shore leaving some areas untouched for the rocks at the river's edge.

I wet the river with clear water and using the green brushed in the reflections of the closer trees into the water.

While the river was drying I darkened the green mix and with the sponge I put the leaves on the foreground tree.

Lastly, I painted in the grasses and the growies at the base of the foreground tree and on the closer shore.

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.

ACEO - Moonlight 7

Today I thought I would like to work on another of the moonlight paintings (see posts on 17 September 2016 and 08 March 2018).

I decided that I would make a few changes to this one by removing the trees on the foreground land mass as well as on the land on the left side.

With the sky colour on this one being more into the mauve range I thought I would continue with the same colour throughout the painting.

Mixing together alizarin crimson, Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue I brushed in the areas of water first, being careful to leave areas of white paper showing, which could be snow on the frozen water or areas of thin ice.

Adding water to the paint I washed in the shadowed snow covered areas of the land, again leaving areas of white paper touched by the moonlight.

Next I painted in the moon with new gamboge and lemon yellow.

Adding a little bit of cadmium yellow to the moon colour I painted in the moon's reflection on the water.

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. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $20.00 and sold unframed.

Viamede Resort Cottage Reflections I - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do a little more work on this drawing that I started last year (see post on 14 September 2017).

Starting on the left side, I put in the closer deciduous trees and added a few growies.











Next, I indicated the trees in the background, followed by putting in the pine trees.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on the cottages have been completed.

Mornings - Two Works in Progress

After returning from the Executive meeting at KAGS I wanted to do some work on a painting and I pulled out these two drawings and wanted to at least put in the skies.

The first one (see post on 13 September 2015) already had some colour in the sky and I wanted to darken it slightly.

In the bottom of the sky I washed in aureolin, then added alizarin crimson and put in the centre of the sky and into the water.

Lastly, I added more red and put it into the top of the sky and into the water.

River Morning 1

I set this painting aside to dry and picked another drawing to put in the sky and reflections using the same colours.

For the next piece that started a long time ago (see post on 10 September 2014) I wet the paper and started with aureolin in the bottom of the sky and in the water nearest to the shoreline.

I added alizarin crimson and brushed in the middle of the sky and the water.

Adding more red I finished the sky and water.

Peaceful Morning 1

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

Loon Call Lake III

Today I was at St. Matthew's Church in Buckhorn, with the Tuesday Buckhorn Painting Group.

I wanted to change the watercolour painting I have had at the church since the summer with a different piece. The one I chose is an acrylic painting called "Strawberries".

I brought my pencil sketches and pen and ink drawings, that were in various stages of completion to work on and hopefully get at least one completed.

I chose this one which I had started a number of years ago, and have been working on this year (see posts on 14 September 2014, 23 February and 09 October 2017).

Since I usually work from left to right on a drawing, I began with the trees and foliage on the left, worked my way across in behind the boathouse and finished with the trees on the right side.

I did the same, this time putting in the rocks and shadows from the left to the right side of the drawing.















Lastly, I added some shading onto the boathouse, followed by adding in more reflections and ripples into the water.

This original 6" x 7" pen and ink drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Coon Lake X - A Work in Progress

Today I had a little bit of time to work on a drawing and decided that I would like do more work on this piece that I had started a while ago (see posts on 29 July 2014, 20 July 2016 and 31 August 2017).

I started with the reflections in the water beginning with those in the background and then working on the ones in the foreground below the rocks of the island.

Next I added the shadow from the small tree across the rock on the right side of the island.

I added a few more dark shadows into the rocks to give a little more depth to the drawing.

I will post this drawing at a later date once I have the rocks completed.

Autumn Maples 1 and 2 - Two Works in Progress

This morning I woke up to find the ground outside covered in a thick layer of frost. With the temperature at 30F (-1C), it is just a taste of more cold mornings to come in the future. The nice thing is that by this afternoon the temperature will be 63F (17C).

After doing the barn chores and feeding the birds, I thought I would like to work on these two paintings that I had started many years ago (see posts on 20 September 2013 and 22 January 2017).

I started with the rocks using a mix of alizarin crimson, burnt sienna and a touch of French ultramarine blue.

I was just about to start on the trees in the background when a couple of my friends dropped by for a visit and they brought lunch.

It wasn't long before I had made tea, coffee and a provided a variety of desserts.

Autumn Maples 1

After an enjoyable visit, it was time for me to get back to work on my paintings.

I decided that I would work on the second painting, beginning with the trees in the background.

I used various mixtures of cadmium red, cadmium yellow, new gamboge, burnt sienna, raw sienna and Antwerp blue.

Using French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I painted in the maple trees.

Autumn Maples 2

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