Telliquah Covered Bridge - Revised - Watercolor & Pastel - 9x13 - May 2012

Telliquah Covered Bridge - Revised - Watercolor & Pastel - Not sure it helped this painting but I did some over painting with pastels over watercolor.   

Telliquah Covered Bridge - Tennessee - 8x12 - Watercolor - May 2012

Telliquah Covered Bridge - Tennessee - 8x12  Watercolor - May 2012
Watercolor is by far the most challenging medium I've tried.   It truly has a life of it's own.   I haven't quite figured out how to work with it and not against it.   I finally stopped on this one because I notoriously overwork watercolor.   I will be trying this one again to clean up the color.  

Telliquah , however is a great covered bridge.    Telliquah was a haven for the Cherokee.   This bridge was privately built.  It is believed to be the largest privately owned covered bridge in Tennessee and possibly the USA.   Visit this bridge if you are in Tennessee or in the Georgia Blue Ridge area.   It is a short drive from Blue Ridge, GA.    It sits just off the road.   If you walk across the street there is a covered pavilionwith a great view of the bridge.  

Fall Day - Watercolor - 9x12 - May 2012

"Fall Day" - Watercolor - 9x12 - May 2012
Started this watercolor in class on Friday.    The hardest thing about watercolor to me is "overworking" it.    I need to use the same approach that I do with pastels......"start a painting everyday".  

Venice - Pastel - 8x6 - May 2012

Venice - Pastel - May 2012    This is is quick pastel on a 8x6.   I did a thumbnail but decided to do a quick small one before I tackle a larger painting of the same scene.   Karen Margulis offered a tip of painting mini paintings.   I use to do this a lot and I do think you learn a lot.   Even though each small painting is not great it always teaches you something about your composition.   

First Portrait - May 2012 - Laila

Laila - Portrait - Pastel - 9x13 - May 2012

This is my first stab at doing a portrait.  I've done charcoal sketches before but never a pastel.   I love this picture of my granddaughter Laila.    I've got some corrections to make.   Got a new set of Terry Ludwig Portrait Pastels.   They worked great....smooth and easy to blend. 



"Hydrangeas" - Watercolor - 10x13 - May 2012

"Hydrangeas" - Watercolor - 10x13 - May 2012 - Just completed this painting at Ann Cockerill's Art with a Twist  workshop.     We painted with acrylic and water then I came back with watercolor to finish.    I want to try this one again to get a lighter and looser feel.   Hydrangeas are beautiful.   I have lacecaps and mop heads blooming in my garden.   You should put the Douglasville Hydrangea Festival on your calendar.   There is a flower show and tour of gardens scheduled for June 2-3, 2012. 

Country House - Pastel - 5x7 - May 2012

Country House - Pastel - 5x7 - May 2012 - We did a 100 stroke exercise in class several weeks ago.   I took one of those painting exercises and added some color and redefined some shapes.   

Birch Trees Revised - May 2012

Birch Trees Revised - May 2012
Decided to go back to this painting to add some color and shapes.   Finally had to just step away from the painting.  Loved working with these colors and composition. 

Birch Trees - Pastel on Uart paper with dark pastel and alcohol underpainting.

Birch Trees - Pastel from today's pastel class with Barbara Jaenicke.    For this painting we did a alcohol wash.   The shapes were sketch and values were shaded.   The alcohol wash was painted on  and then dried.   The pastels were applied to the underpainting.    This one needs some more work.   It was an interesting composition and one I will want to repaint.