Soft Sunset

There's a story with this one. I painted it quite boldly, with lots of really loud, glaring colors. It was just too...something. There's a place for bold, and you know I love bold, bright colors, but sometimes you have another goal in mind and this wasn't it. Here's a small peek at what it looked like before:

So I decided to be brave. I mean, it wasn't bad but it wasn't what I wanted. So, I wet a brush, just damp, not sopping, and lightly drew it across the sky. It transformed it! Gouache always lifts when re-wet, so some of the colors were drawn across with the brush. I didn't make a lot of passes, just a couple, softly and subtly. Suddenly there was this soft haze of atmosphere draped across the evening sky. I added a bit more bright yellow gold where the sun is peeking through, but left the rest alone. I love it's softness and the sense of depth now. Sometimes you try something and it really works!


Painted in gouache on Bristol Vellum, 2.5" x 3.5".

~Deborah

Sidelit Sunflower

Okay, the title is lame, but I like the painting. How can you miss with purple and orange? Well, at least for me. Favorite little bit: where the light *blings* on the petal at the middle left. Ya gotta love the small stuff, you know?


Painted in gouache, again on Bristol Vellum, 2.5" x 3.5".

~Deborah

Mountain Lake

This is from the Watercolor Challenge over at WetCanvas. I liked the original photo and thought I'd crop, spindle and mutilate it a little. Take a look and you'll see how different it is. I like the contrasts, the swooping composition, and the reflections. You know how every painting has a little something you really enjoy? In this one it's the way I got the top of the pine tree against the snowy bit on the mountain. *bling* Made me happy.


Painted in gouache, again on Bristol Vellum, 2.5" x 3.5".

~Deborah

Evening Arrival

This one was just an explosion of rich color, totally fun! I had in mind a goal to stay relatively loose and simply dash in the pigments, rather than trying to over-think or excessively control the marks. I've been inspired to return to more spontaneity in part by the paintings that Maggie Latham has put up on her Small Works blog. Beautiful stuff--take a look.



Painted in gouache, again on Bristol Vellum, 2.5" x 3.5".

~Deborah