That Girl is Always Playing With Her Paints and Goofing Off

Sounds like me!

After working on my waterfall series, I didn't really feel like working on a "serious" project. I did want to keep painting, and I wanted to try something abstract. Also,it just so happens that I had just purchased a wonderful set of french curves by Alvin & Co. from Amazon. I wanted my next painting to have flowing graceful lines and I wanted to just play with the paints and colors. This particular painting is watercolor. I tried to bring the different colors together with one very light glaze of New Gamboge (to try to pull all the wild colors together a little) but I didn't want to totally lose the stained glass effect. I am not sure that New Gamboge was the best color to try over the Cerulean, but that is what I tried. And so, just for fun, I painted this:

French Curves

Left Over Paint

Because I had left over paint, I had to try to use as much of it as I could. Saving acrylic paint is not easy (although it can be done). Luckily, acrylic paint can be layered. Because this is an experiment, that is exactly what I am doing, and because this is an experiment, if it doesn't work out, it's not a problem.

Still working on it

Glad this is an experiment. The comments below will clarify why.

What NOT To Do When Painting With Acrylic

Unless you want to create a dress with polka-dots on it, do not, I repeat, DO NOT answer the phone while painting with acrylic, especially if you have any Thalo Blue paint on your brush. Why? Because, if you are a watercolorist, you will instinctively grab a tissue to dab up the excess paint and with every dab you will create terrific little dots - like you would want only on a polka-dot dress, and not in the sky of a landscape painting.

So, now I am back to square one with this painting and seriously thinking about the merits of the trash can. All is not lost. The upside of today's work is: I have learned how to add subtle polka-dots to a dress, and I started another painting, which so far, I have not managed to destroy. Now, if necessary, I can ignore the lack of color harmony on the bottom portion of this painting - unless somehow I can figure out how to add fifty zillion birds to the sky.

Other Possibilities:

• There is always Gesso.
• I can buy acrylic medium and use this as the base painting for another experiment!
• I can tear this painting into funny little pieces and use it in a collage.
• I need new wall paper for the bathroom. (not an option - The painting isn't large enough and I would probably have to add pterodactyls to the sky in order to cover the spots.)
• I can paint the sky white and see if that makes things a million times worse.
• I will figure out something.

One last thing, be sure to edit your post before hitting the "post" button. You will almost always find errors.

Worked On The Painting Some More:

Above, I have my original composition.

Above, I tried turning the original composition upside-down.

Just Having Fun

So, what did I do with the leftover acrylic paint last week? I grabbed another piece of watercolor paper, more water, and I played with my paints!

Playing With Leftover Acrylic Paint

No expectations, just having fun figuring out just what my paints will do.

Just Had To Try This In Acrylics

For those of you who have followed my series San Antonio Japanese Garden Waterfall, I have one more painting that I did - this time in acrylics. I have kept this to the same setting in order to get an idea of what I can manage to capture in the different media and what I need to work on in each one. That seemed easier to figure out if I kept all the paintings basically the same. The first was more of a drawing, in Prismacolor markers; the second, watercolor; the third, oils; and the forth, acrylic. It was fun and at times exasperating - especially when I had to remind myself to work with the qualities of the particular medium I was using, rather than battle it and try to make it work like another medium. Someday, I hope to simplify it down to a simple pen and ink drawing. That may be awhile.

So here is the acrylic:

San Antonio Japanese Gardens Waterfall - acrylic

The Latest: San Antonio - Japanese Gardens Painting

Ok, so I am sitting here quietly kicking myself. Why? Because for once procrastination might have worked in my favor. Yes, as you see, on Saturday, I decided that I wanted to try to do my watercolor painting of the San Antonio Japanese Gardens, and enter it into a competition. I used my photo along with my drawing that I had done using Prismacolor markers to work from. Once I got the watercolor painting finished, I entered it into the composition, but then today, I decided to do a copy of the painting in oil paint. And wouldn't you know it? It came out pretty nice. And so, now I am thinking - well maybe I should have waited and entered this one. Of course I didn't really have any plans to do this one until today - at least, no for sure plans. I had kind of half way tossed the idea around in my head to do an oil version, and then remembered what I am like with oil paints. I have a picture on my Facebook page that reminds me of what I am like with oil paints in my hands. The painting is of a young child, totally absorbed in his painting and totally covered with paint. And sure enough, by the time the canvas was covered with paint, so was I. The good thing - I totally enjoyed myself, completed another painting, and have something to enter into another painting contest if I choose to. I also have something new to share with you on my blog.

Prismacolor Markers

Watercolor Version

Oil Painted Version

And before I go, one final note. I want to sincerely thank my Cafe Press patrons who have purchased my artwork on everyday items that they can use while enjoying my art. Hope my art helps to brighten each of your days for you.

Did a little more work on the flowers

Our Whimsical World: {HUGE Giveaway} Pfister Faucets

Don't forget to check out the second half of Pfister Faucets great giveaway. Pfister has chosen Our Whimsical World (blog) to host the second half of the give away for them. Be sure to enter the contest and brows through Kaitlin's blog!

Our Whimsical World: {HUGE Giveaway} Pfister Faucets:

This Weekend

This weekend, I decided to work on a really quick illustration of a picture I had taken at the Japanese Gardens in San Antonio, TX. During the spring, this place is magnificent. So, I used some watercolor paper (140lb. Arches) and my Prismacolor markers. I was trying to decide if I want to make this into a full fledged painting. I think the answer is, yes.

By the way, on the Pfister faucet - I chose Lita.