Water Lilies - A Work in Progress

After a cooler summer than normal, we are once again getting more of seasonal temperatures with today being 79F (26C) and with the humidity feeling more like 90F (32C). Small wonder I had the air conditioner on both ways for the trip to Toronto and back.

Although waiting for my daughter to see a specialist with a 2:30pm appointment and finally seeing him four hours later is a bit ridiculous, but fortunately the traffic was fairly light.














When I finally returned home I wanted to at least get a painting started. I sketched out a water lily and then applied liquid frisket to the edges so I could paint in the background.

I will post this painting once the background has been completed.

Pink Beauty - A Work in Progress

I wanted to work on a floral painting today and I have always enjoyed seeing water lilies on the lakes.

This pink water lily is usually found in the Caribbean on the resorts as a decorative plant in their water gardens.

I will post this painting once I have more of it completed.

On Golden Pond - A Work in Progress

I will have to leave shortly to attend the opening of the Outdoor Painters' Group Art Show at KAGS.

This is a sketch I did on location earlier this month while up in Magnetawan. It is the view from the bench by the wishing well overlooking a quiet inlet.

I will post this painting after I find the reference photographs and add more details to the sketch before I put the under paint on the paper.

Hopefully some of you will be able to come out and see the show.

Water Lily Reflections

Yesterday I started working on three paintings and was experimenting with plastic wrap and the effects that can be created.

The first one Yellow Water Lilies (see yesterday's post) was completed.

For this one I mixed in separate containers dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna, alizarin crimson as a red, and a green of Antwerp blue and raw sienna.

The paper was wet thoroughly and the red was poured on in a couple of areas, then the green was poured onto the paper, and the remaining white spaces were filled with the dark mixture.

Plastic wrap was crinkled and laid over top of the wet paint and the painting was set aside to allow it to dry.

Once the paint has dried the plastic wrap was carefully removed and set aside.

Then as with yesterday's painting the pink shapes reminded me of water lilies and lily pads floating on the water.

Using pure alizarin crimson I painted the shadows onto the lily petals. Then at the bottom I added a few lines with the red as though water was covering the bottom of some of the petals and indicated a slight reflection of the flower.

Then I added some French ultramarine blue to the green mixture and painted in some of the shadows on the lily pads.

This is an original 6" x 7-3/4” framed watercolour available for $125.00

Yellow Water Lilies

An original 5-1/2" x 6” framed watercolour available for $125.00.
Today I am working on three paintings and will be experimenting with plastic wrap and the effects that can be created.

In separate containers I mixed a dark of French ultramarine blue and burnt sienna, new gamboge as a yellow, and a green of Antwerp blue and raw sienna.

The paper was wet thoroughly and the yellow was poured on in a couple of areas, then the green was poured onto the paper, and the remaining white spaces were filled with the dark mixture.

Plastic wrap was crinkled and laid over top of the wet paint and the painting was set aside to allow it to dry.

Once the paint has dried the plastic wrap was carefully removed and set aside.

The yellow shapes reminded me of the local water lilies, and the green seemed similar to the lily pads.

I added a touch of burnt sienna to the new gamboge and painted the shadows onto the lily petals. The added a touch of alizarin crimson and painted in the stamens on the inside of the flower.

Then I added some French ultramarine blue to the green mixture and painted in some of the shadows on the lily pads.

Tranquil Afternoon - A Work in Progress

While going through some boxes I came across a number of partially finished paintings.

This one had the sky, distant shoreline and water completed. The under painting on the rocks and the closer trees had been completed.

I finished the trees and added some dead tree trunks in among the trees on the island to complete that part of the painting.















Dark shadows and some definition were added to the rocks, giving them shape. Once the painting had dried I removed the masking fluid from the water lilies.

It is fitting that with the Art of the Turtle Show being held tonight that I work on a painting with water which would be an ideal habitat for turtles.

The show was well attended with all paintings meeting or exceeding the reserve price and the highest price paid in the live auction was $480.00.

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