Autumn Landscape in,Watercolor

Autumn landscape Watercolor.

Here is a little watercolor I did over the last couple of days. It was started late at night Sunday, so I was only able to get the under panting and first washes in.

I was working off an old photo, and much of the detail was lacking.

The next two sittings I built up values in the foreground to make the foreground more brilliant and give a sense of distance since the background is pale.

I know I should not put so much texture in the trees but I just can't help it- I like the dots. It is nice to work in yellow since so many of my projects are cool greens and blues. The landscape where I live is very green; it is somewhat boring at first but after a while you learn to appreciate it and just how varied green is in landscape.

I like how complicated this picture is with the different middle grounds and the different textures between the sky, mountains, and foreground, the values and converging lines all make it interesting.

I am very happy with this project and may frame it.

Adron

How to Make Easy Block Print Bookmarks.

Wood cut block prints are very exciting to do. You take a long time carving out an image and don't really know what it will look like until you ink it and press the paper on. It is very gratifying to see a project turn out and to have others like it.

I made some book marks for friends at church to give out as gifts. I know bookmarks are a thing of the past but I am still holding on. I decided to not use a wood or linoleum block but to use self adhesive foam since I was in a big hurry.  I cut the foam into the shape of the words from the Bible that I chose and then stuck them in mirror to a piece of acrylic.

I knew the black ink and white of the paper would be too stark so I stained some papers in pastel washes of red, violet, blue, and green. Then cut them into shape leaving a little overage for final trimming. It was a lot of work.

I inked my "foam letter block" and pressed the papers onto the print. It turned out as expected, I was very pleased. After printing about twenty I cut them to size and laminated the prints onto a lightweight paper so a white border would show and the lamination would hold to the boarder, this kept the print in place and gave it protection.  For lamination I just used a strip of boxing tape; it is clear and heavy, but you have to be careful since it has static and the pieces want to move into it before you are ready.

 The final project had the verse on one side and the reference on the other. I used a hole punch and tied tassels on them.

The gifts were well received.

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(c) Adron

Mini Treasure Boxes Art Project

My wife asked me to paint some little boxes for her to use as give away gifts and thank yous for a seminar that she was giving. I worked on them for some time and posted an earlier update. Now they are done and delivered.

A project for my wife is always a special privilege for me since I love to do things for her and there is so little I can give her since I am only a poor artist.

These little boxes were painted first in gesso and then given a coat of butter nut white. After they dried I painted little decorations on each. One is covered with roses one with some vines and hearts and the largest one is painted with sunflowers. All are done in acrylic.

I could have done these in the quick "One Stroke" method but I am too much a representational artist to use the easy technique. I used a traditional painting approach and just took a long time. I had to build up layers of color with the acrylic. I prefer to paint in oil or watercolor but found that the acrylic had properties similar to both traditional mediums.

I was very happy with the results and hope they contributed to the success of the seminar my wife was giving.

Adron

Work in progress continued Lake Elkhorn

Continuance of work on painting.

After a week or so I returned to this little project to do some more on it. Against my will this painting is moving more to a pointillist approach. I don't know why but I seem to drift that way.

I added a lot of texture and dimension. I lightened up the background a bit and darkened the foreground a little. I worked on the sky to make it more summer.  I worked on the water and feel I have a lot to do there. I have a lot more to do to the water and the trees on the left. i need to redo the structures some.

I hope to finish it in the next week or so. If I don't get done soon I never will and the painting will taunt me.

October Fire Tree, Watercolor Sketch

October Fire Tree, Watercolor Sketch.

This is a little watercolor I did yesterday at Wild Lake MD. It is the tree in the field near the boulevard. It is quite big and impressive to see firsthand. I walked around looking for something to paint and was so impressed with this huge tree blazing with orange and yellow. It was accentuated by the bare branches that seemed to poke out through the leaves.

I did a wash for the background and struggled over the foliage. I should have used layers of wash but wanted to emphasize the texture of the leaves so I took a small brush and began a long process of dotting in the yellows oranges and little red for the leaves. I used a little green and umber to tone down the shadows in the leaves. I was painting outdoors so I had to work quickly.

I was a little worried about the background. I wanted to keep it muted and pale to contrast the portrait of the tree. I was struggling with the values of the background I didn't want the colors too bright but not too muddy either. I did several washes with a nervous brushstroke to give the texture of the parkland behind. I think it might have needed a little more umber or something to deepen it but I am happy with the results.

I do not expect to sell this one but I think it will be a good study for a painting.

(c) Adron

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Thank you for visiting my blog. 
I hope you enjoy my art. 
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Adron



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Treasure Box Update, One of Three Finished

Mini Treasure Box

This little treasure box measures about two by three by two and a half. It is cardboard and painted over with acrylic paint. It is very cute.

I would rather be painting a landscape or an ocean scene but when my wonderful wife wants something I drop all else and give it my all. This is one of three little treasure boxes I am decorating with a stylized art for her to give away at a seminar she is giving this weekend.

I had to hold back from decorating every line and corner but sometimes less is more and if I didn't draw the line somewhere I would never get the other two painted.

I do not do these types of projects often and when I do there is always a problem finding the right supplies since the paints are languishing in a drawer somewhere and usually drying out.  I did not have the choices in colors I would have liked but it worked out OK.

Miniature Treasure Boxes, Work In Progress

A few weeks ago my wife asked me to paint three little treasure boxes that she was going to give as gifts at a seminar she is giving.  Two were cardboard and one was wood. So far I have given them a coat of gesso primer and a top coat of honey butter white; I like the warm yellow of this white as oppose to the bone white or antique white.

Next I will design some rosettes, hearts and vines to embellish these and paint them in acrylic paint. I want to take my time in working out the individual designs and be careful to make them look beautiful. I have learned the importance of doing a thoughtful design and working out the problems before the painting. It is incredibly frustrating to try to work out a design while you are painting the design. If you get something wrong you start to make corrections and it gets out of control, you end up with an overworked mess.

The problem is I need to have all three done by this Friday. I better get to work. It might look like a few little boxes but to my mind, they are for my wife and that makes it major.

____________________________

Thank you for visiting my blog. 
I hope you enjoy my art. 
If you want to see more just choose from the labels or the favorites in the sidebar. 
Adron

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(c)Adron Dozat

Work in Progress, Painting of Lake Elkhorn

This is the painting I started a few weeks ago. It is the view of Lake Elkhorn as seen from the dock by the play ground.

My photography is poor and I do not have the proper lighting to make the colors look accurate.

I hope to find some time to sit in front of my easel and finish this little gem soon. I actually started painting it at the lake one afternoon. I have a lot of trouble getting out to paint outdoors since it usually requires a major part of my day; there are not many days that I can take three or four hours and go out and paint. Three hours are all a person should paint outdoors since the light and shadows changes so much. I could finish a painting in that time but will not be happy with it since I like to work down to my smaller brushes and add a lot of little texture and effects, this takes a lot of time.

I am hoping to add a lot of lights to the water and a lot of reflection. It needs a little more detail to the two structures in the painting. I think the water needs a lot more blue and white.

One of the disadvantages in painting outdoors is that you have to make a lot of decisions quickly and live with the results. I think the picture suffers from having a strong line dividing it in half at the far shore, and the point of interest is too high up not near the "Golden Mean." Still someone will enjoy it since it is a place that is popular with those who visit the lake.

More post will follow as I progress.