ACEO - Along the Shore 1-3

Today I am back at the Douro Spring Automotive Flea Market and Car Show held at the Douro Community Centre and Arena, located at 2893 Highway 28 and County Road 4, in Douro, Ontario.














Along the Shore 1

When I first arrived, there were already four of the old cars lined up along one side of the parking lot and after taking a few things inside I came back out to take photographs.

With wanting to go back outside to take photographs as more cars arrive I decided I would work on these three paintings that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 16 September 2013, 27 August 2016, 16 January and 22 December 2017).















Along the Shore 2

In between taking photographs of the cars, I completed each of these three paintings.

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














Along the Shore 3

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

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Fabriano 100% cotton, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Along the Shore 1-3 - Three Works in Progress

This morning I woke up 19F (-7C), with the wind chill making it feel like 8F (-13C) and add to that another 3" (7.6cm) of snow on top of everything we had received a couple of days ago.

To offset the cold I decided to work on these three paintings that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 16 September 2013, 27 August 2016 and 16 January 2017).

Working on all three paintings at the same time, I started by putting the seagulls into the sky using a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna.















Along the Shore 1

Next I put in the blue of the water using various mixtures of Antwerp blue and raw sienna, leaving some areas of the paper white against the shoreline.

I added a small amount of French ultramarine blue to the water colour and added a few darker areas throughout the water to indicate waves.















Along the Shore 2

Using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, Antwerp blue, raw sienna, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson I started adding layers of colour onto the distant islands on the horizon line.

Darkening the colours slightly I put in the closer islands.















Along the Shore 3

Lastly, I worked on the closer more detailed rock cliffs close to the beach.

I will post each of these paintings as they are completed.

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.

ACEO - Beach Sunset 1

I wanted to complete this little piece that I had started last year (see posts on 15 April and 24 May 2016).

Using a pale was of raw sienna I put in the sand on the beach, leaving the sea shell without color. I then added a tiny amount of burnt sienna to darken the sand colour in the foreground and with a little more burnt sienna added to the mixture painted in the wet sand at the edge of the water.

Now it was time to tackle the water, painting it in with the reflected colours from the sky.

I started at the edge of the shore using new gamboge and a touch of raw sienna, I put in the first section of the waves leaving some areas of pure white against the wet sand.

Next I added a touch of alizarin crimson to the new gamboge for a pale orange and put in the next section of waves from the horizon line on the left side and down to the yellow waves.















To complete the water I used almost pure alizarin crimson from the orange waves to the horizon line.

With French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I made a dark grey for the distant land on the horizon line between the sky and the water.

I put in the seaweed that washed up onto the beach with a green of French ultramarine blue and raw sienna.

Lastly I painted the seashell in with pale shades of alizarin crimson and the shadows were in pale burnt sienna.

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.

At the Beach 1 - A Work in Progress

Today I was given the wonderful news by the surgeon that I would no longer have to wear the hinged splint and that I could finally put full weight on my leg, drive a car and go upstairs. I can get back to having a life that goes beyond being confined to my living room and kitchen and most importantly I can have a shower instead of a sponge bath using my kitchen sink.

I pulled out this painting that I had started a number of years of years ago (see post on 24 November 2014) and thought I would like to work on something bright and colourful to match my mood.

I started by under painting the sky with aureolin, leaving the sun untouched.

While the paint was still wet, I used a mixture of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson to paint in the evening clouds at the top of the sky.

Next I used new gamboge; I darkened the sky just above the horizon line.

I darkened the sky colour with a little bit of alizarin crimson and painted the sky reflection below the horizon line leaving some areas of white for the crests of the waves.

To this mix I added some cadmium yellow and put in the middle area of the water.

Lastly, using burnt sienna and raw sienna I put in the sandy shore.

I will post this painting at a later date once I decide on the colour of the water against the shore and place the people on the beach.

ACEO - Evening Lighthouse 1

I wanted to finish this painting that I had started last year (see posts on 18 April and 24 May 2016 and 10 February and 28 April 2017).

I started with a pale orange of new gamboge and alizarin crimson and washed into the foreground water and then a little burnt sienna was added to the mix and the colour was put in just below the horizon line.

Pure new gamboge was put into the water from below the dark orange to just below the rocky shore.

Using various mixtures of French ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson the rocks and shoreline below the lighthouse was stippled in to create texture; the crashing surf was created by leaving ragged areas of white paper at the base rocks.

By mixing a pale blue grey with French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna the shadows within the surf against the rocks was indicated.















With a darker mix of the pale grey slightly more to the blue range the darker part of the waves were painted in between the water reflecting the sky colors.

Lastly I painted in the distant land on the horizon line with a darker mix of the wave colour.

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 300lb. 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 enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Evening Lighthouse 1 - A Work in Progress

I wanted to do a little work on a panting and I chose this one that I started last year (see posts on 18 April and 24 May 2016).

Using a mixture of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the windows on the lighthouse, the edge of the lantern room, the roof on the lighthouse keeper's home and the concrete foundation for the lighthouse.

With a mix of cadmium red and alizarin crimson I added the roof on the top of the lighthouse and the base around the lantern room.














With cadmium yellow I put in the lantern and a thin line of the reflected light from the sunset on the left side of the lighthouse.

I will post this painting at a later date once I paint in the water and the crashing surf at the base of the rocks.

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

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

I started to work on this underwater drawing that I began last year (see posts on 15 July and 28 December 2016) by indicating the bottom edge of the sea fan by the top edge of the rock.

Next I put in the top of the highest rock on this piece of the reef.

Part way down the reef I put in the rock out cropping with some yellow tube sponges. At the base of the sponges I put in some sea weed.

I will post this drawing at a later time once I have decided whether I am going to put in a school of French Grunts or Purple Wrasse.

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

Tied Up 2 - A Work in Progress

I came across this piece that I had started a number of years ago (see post on 22 June 2013) and I thought I would like to get more work on it completed.

With the boats tied to their mooring lines I felt an evening scene would be appropriate.

I started with aureolin at the horizon line and worked upward in the sky, then added new gamboge above the first colour, followed by a little alizarin crimson into the top of the sky.

I added a little burnt sienna to the alizarin crimson and brushed in a few clouds into the sky.














Using new gamboge with a little raw sienna, I put in the water just below the horizon line. This was followed by adding in alizarin crimson and painting down to the top of the wave curling toward the beach.

Leaving some areas white for the waves rolling up on the beach, I put in the sand using mixes of burnt sienna and raw sienna.

I will post this painting at a later date once I have completed the boats.

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

I pulled out this sketch that I started earlier this year (see post on July 2016).

First I added more details to the fish and started on the branches of the sea fan.

Next I added various coral and sponges onto the rock.

I started to ink in the main branches of the sea fan before I ran out of time.

I will post this sketch at a later date.

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

Tied Up 3 - A Work in Progress

This morning I went out to do the barn chores with the temperature at 9F (-13C) and the wind making it feel like -4F (-20C) and on top of that, we are to get 8" (20cm) of snow today in addition to what is already on the ground.

I pulled out this drawing that I did a couple of years ago (see post on 11 September 2014) and thought I would work on this piece until the snow plow comes by so I can go out and run my errands.














Using Antwerp blue I brushed in the sky into the background, but before I could do more work on this piece the snow plow arrived and is here clearing my driveway.

I will set it aside for now and post it again once more work on the painting has been completed.

School's Out I - A Work in Progress

We had rain last night and the power went out in the evening around 7:30 and didn't return until around 4:30 this morning. The rain, wind, heat 79F (26C) and the humidity 88F (31C) continued throughout the day.

I came across my slate that I use when diving and transferred this sketch that I did when I was in Roatan onto a piece of paper.

This landmark rock formation is at a decompression stop at 30' (9.1m) located between the Prince Albert wreck and the platform in the backyard of the CoCo View Resort.

While waiting there you are almost always guaranteed to see a multitude of fish swimming around the large sea fan.

I will post this sketch at a later date when I have tightened up the drawing of the fish and added the details of to the rocks and sea fan.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork.

ACEO - Tied Up 1

We may have an early spring this year as a flock of Red-Winged Blackbirds arrived today to join the four that have been here all winter.

I thought that I would like to complete this little piece that I had started a few years ago (see post on 22 June 2013).

I started by putting in a sky using Antwerp blue, followed by indicating the beach at the bottom of the paper using raw sienna.

I added a little burnt sienna to the sky colour and brushed in the waves on the water leaving a few white areas for the white caps.














To the wave colour I added French ultramarine blue and more burnt sienna and used this mixture to put in the land masses on the horizon line.

With raw sienna and blue I put in the a few trees on the closer land mass.

Now it was time to put in the boat. I started with alizarin crimson and painted the gunnels.

Using a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna I put in the mooring line, then lightened the colour with water and painted in the hull of the boat.














Lastly, I added a few darker areas on the sand at the edges of the waves with raw sienna and burnt sienna.

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.

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.

Last Day of Water, Water Everywhere

Today was the last day of the Water, Water Everywhere show at Art on Kent.

I had one of my paintings in the display window on the lower level of the Gallery facing out on Kent Street.

It was a lovely display but unfortunately I couldn't take a better photograph of it due to the glass reflecting back the building from across the street.

But it did give a very good idea of the artwork patrons would find on the upper level of the Gallery.

I brought in three paintings for the next show called Abstractions and Contractions which will open on 01 November, which unfortunately I will not be able to attend as it is also the same day as the opening of the Outdoor Painters' Show at the Kawartha Artists' Gallery & Studio.

In addition to the show opening at KAGS there is also the silent auction of art work by the ODP to raise funds for the Best of High School Art as well as a frame sale to raise prize money for the Juried Art Show being held next year.














I spent most of my time either taking in paintings for the upcoming show at Art on Kent or working on drawings of Koi for six paintings on which I am working and hope to have completed before the year is over.














I hope many of you will be able to come out and enjoy the art at both shows next month.

Watching the Boats I

Today I spent the day at KAGS. In the morning was the first still life class for the fall/winter session and the theme was once around the bathroom.

Since I couldn't get into painting, I ended up taking a number of reference photographs for future use.

After lunch I worked on this painting that I had started earlier this year (see post on 22 January 2014) of a beach in Cayo CoCo, Cuba, while I was with the Outdoor Painters' Group.














Then I stayed to help with the take in for the upcoming Carnival of Colour show which runs from 21 September - 16 October with the opening reception on 21 September from 1-4pm.

The original 5-1/2" x 9” pen and ink drawing shown above when framed will be available for $95.00.

Last day of Kawartha Arts Festival

Once again I am back at the Kawartha Arts Festival in Fenelon Falls on a very warm 81F (27C) and humid 95F (35C) day. We are fortunate that there is a nice breeze blowing through the building, otherwise it would have been a miserably hot day.

One of the artists due to health problems had to leave the show yesterday and some of the artists on either side of his booth were asked to fill in the empty space. To help this is what I put up on the wall.










I would like to thank Ms. Cynthia Morton of Lindsay, Ontario on the purchase of Lazy Days (see post on 28 June 2012).

Thank you for looking at my artwork.

In the Caribbean 1

Today I was watching a program on television about the various resort islands in the Caribbean.

As I was watching the program, I pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and did this little sketch which was a composite of a number of the beaches.















I put in the horizon line where the sky meets the ocean.

I added clouds into the sky and added some of the larger waves into the water.

Lastly, into the foreground I added the bubbling froth as the wave starts to recede back into the ocean.

Ships - Three Works in Progress

My ginger tom, Junkyard came back from one of his wandering trips with an injured left front paw and is hobbling around.

Although I have still not been able to touch him, he was hungry enough to come close to me for his food and did sniff my hand before he retreated to wait for me to leave.

Hopefully, I will soon be able to get my hands on him to see how much damage there is and fix it or take him to the vet.

Dawn Sky I

Winter still is not ready to let go its hold; we are starting the day off with strong winds and heavy snow falling.

The temperature is 22F (-6C) and we are going to get another 6" (15cm) of snow. So much for the third day of spring.

I decided that other than going back out into the storm to do barn chores that I will stay inside today and get a few things done around the house.

Full Sail I

I pulled these three sketches out and did a little work putting some ink on each of them.

There is still more drawing that needs to go into each piece before they are ready to have more ink put onto them.

I will post each ship at a later date as they are completed.

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

Follow the Leader I

Sand and Surf - A Work in Progress

The last day of February and winter is definitely going to hold on for a while. The temperature is -10F (-23C), but it is a bright and sunny day and the winds are not as strong as they were yesterday.















So instead of thinking about the cold I decided to turn my thoughts to the warm tropical breezes of the Caribbean; with its clear blue skies, white sand beaches and turquoise waters. 

I will post this painting at a later date once more of it has been completed.

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