Back to Watercolors

Last year I took a great class in watercolor portraits from Marie Natalie in New Jersey. What a fantastic experience! Marie is a wonderful teacher who explains what and why she does what she is doing as she is demonstrating. Here are some of the paintings that I did before, during, and after the class.

The first one is of a farmer - I got the image on-line somewhere when I was looking for some photos to practice from. Here is the photo and the drawing on 300# Arches wc paper.

This is after two or three early washes to establish the base from which to complete the painting.

And the completed painting.

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This little dancer is from a photo I took at the Penn State Arboretum, where many people have their professional photos taken for graduation, family events, etc. A young family of four were being photographed, and as the photographer was focusing on the parents, the daughter was playing with her iPhone. I love the back lighting in the photo and was anxious to try out this particular painting.

I finished this one at home. I'm not fully satisfied with it now that it is completed. I will paint her again one day - lighter, airier, and more ephemeral.

Next, is another image pulled off the net for practice. I haven't painted in watercolor for such a long time that I knew I'd need a lot of practice to get back into the discipline required for watercolor. The drawing and the finished painting. This was my third attempt in class. I love the faces of the elderly - they have so much written in the lines on their faces. Stories we will never know, emotions that became a part of them, memories that sustain them. This photo reminds me of a very alert, special woman.

After painting this, I found a similar painting in a watercolor magazine that must have been from a very similar photo! It is handled differently than mine,, to be sure. I like them both!