Pam’s Muffins

 

“Pam’s Muffins”

5x7” Watercolor and Ink Sketchbook painting 

Our recent “Painting Safari” took place at the Scituate home of our own “Hostess with the Mostest”, Pamela, who baked us delicious berry muffins and in her usual fabulous style, set them up in a picturesque still life in her front garden. I set up my camp chair in the shade and did this sketch. 

I had to tilt the tabletop slightly because it was at eye level, and I incorporated the windows which were not visible from my angle. Sometimes it’s nice to invent a scene out of different components.

Step by Step Marsh and River Demo

Using my new viewfinder I lightly grid my canvas and sketch in the larger masses.

 It takes me three strokes in the sky to get the value correct. 
The sky and the water are the lightest values.

The light on the distant marsh is lighter than it seems

The grass is a middle value and I've lightened 
the far tree line to push it back

The final touches

The painting in grayscale

Thanks for all the emails about the Painting Safari!
Tomorrow looks like it will be clear so meet me in the Rexhame Beach parking lot at 9:30 for an out door demo and painting session.Fee is $15 per class and we will paint until 12:30.

Value Studies in the Dunes

 Prompted by the value challenge on DPW this week, I headed out into the dunes near my house to paint some landscape studies using my new Picture Perfect value viewfinder. This painting was done on Monday in the late afternoon. I didn't do a step by step demo on this one but I'll show you that on the next post. Altogether, I did three paintings out there this week at different times of day. I'm taking a page out of my friend Kelley's playbook and doing a Painting Safari class out in the dunes between Rexhame Beach parking lot and the South River. Email me for times and details.

The Perils of WIP

I'm going out on a limb here by posting the finish to this painting. I got wonderful comments on it but didn't feel that it was complete. I also had my hubby check it out because he is really the typical viewer, not an artist. What I ask him is, "does anything bother your eye?" If I disagree, I don't change it, but often he is able to point out something that doesn't read clearly. So, love it or hate it, this is it. I will add that this is one of the few times I've taken a painting further and did not feel that I wrecked it.