November 14, 2009 - Day 96

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper

This painting is of Macaulay Point in Victoria, BC. It is my absolute favorite spot in Victoria and the place where I walked beside the ocean for the first time. It will always be a special place to me.

Today is the last day with the Langton paper. It was OK but I didn't like the roughness of it. It might work all right for larger paintings but with this smaller size I found it too rough for my use. I am picking up a Legend watercolor sampler tomorrow (I think). It has different types of paper including my Bockingford. Some of the papers are tinted which will be interesting to try.

As well, I think that Day 100 will be my last day with the watercolors for awhile. If all goes as planned I will be switching to acrylics for 100 days. After that I don't know what I will try.

November 13, 2009 - Day 95

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper

I am happy with the way that my animal paintings are progressing so now I would like to spend some time working on my landscapes.

This is a mountain in Montana (I think). Having grown up a flatlander I really love the mountains. They are very impressive rising up out of the foothills like giant teeth. Each one is so unique like fingerprints. This one was all rock and cliffs past the treeline.

November 12, 2009 - Day 94

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper

I couldn't decied what to paint again today and I started to get that "stuck" feeling. Finally, I just said to myself "whatever, just pick something". Once I chose the subject and started the painting that stuck feeling went away.

I liked the look of the painting with just watercolor so I didn't use any pencil crayons today.

November 11, 2009 - Day 93

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders field

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

November 10, 2009 - Day 92

Da Vinci watercolor


Da Vinci watercolor and Prismacolor colored pencils on

140 lb Langton cold press paper

As I did yesterday I started the painting in watercolor and then completed it by adding additional detail with Prismacolor colored pencil. I like the results that I get by using both paint and colored pencil.

November 9, 2009 - Day 91

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper


Additional detail added using Prismacolor colored pencils

I had decided yesterday that I was going to do another furry animal for today's painting and that I would finish the painting by adding more detail with Prismacolor colored pencils.

The first picture above is done with Da Vinci watercolor paint only. I liked the way the painting had turned out using only watercolor but I wanted to see where it would end up by adding the colored pencil.

At one point during the colored pencil stage I thought I had completely ruined the painting. It looked a mess and I had lost a lot of the detail in the cheek area. I really thought I would be posting a failed painting today but I kept adding more layers of colored pencil until I reach a point where I knew I should quit.

I am pretty happy with this painting and I really am loving the way the backgrounds are turning out with the salt sprinkled into the wet paint.

November 8, 2009 - Day 90

Da Vinci watercolor on 140 lb Langton cold press paper

Prepared this painting the same as yesterday by masking off the Meercat with tape and cutting off the excess. I then wet the paper and painted strips of blue and red. I then sprinkled ordinary table salt over the wet paint and let dry. I am really happy with the background.

I am almost happy with the Meercat but I think that it needs more detail but I am not sure how to achieve what I have pictured in my mind. If I do another furry animal tomorrow I am going to try using colored pencil once I reach this stage and see if that doesn't do the trick.