ACEO - Exchange

ACEO Exchange

Amanda of Ulixis Crafts has organized an ACEO Exchange.
This is for my contribution for the ACEO Exchange.
I wonder what card I will get!

Down the Road

Down the Road
original watercolor painting
5 x 7

Take a nice relaxing stroll "Down the Road."

Chinese Brush Painting

Purple Butterfly

ACEO

I love to read art books! It is a fun way to experiment and learn some new techniques. One little fun book I have been reading is Art of Chinese Brush Painting by Lucy Wang. It shows some different brush strokes and exercises. With some practice this little purple butterfly appeared. It was great fun to create!

New ACEO

Swans
ACEO

My little swan found a new friend!

Hide and Seek

Come play hide and seek and win a wonderful prize. Easy and fun to play!

Just click here!

Good Luck!!!

Contest - We Need a Winner

I am a member of the Dirt Road Artist Team at Etsy and we are having a contest!!!

Please join us in finding our lost team member. All you need to do is go to our website, look in our shops and fill out a entry form.

This is who you are looking for.....


Here is the website!!!!!! Simple to play and lots of fun looking through the shops!

Have a wonderful adventure!

Spring in the Ozarks

Spring in the Ozarks
original watercolor
11 x 15

I have been practicing using different combinations to make green. This time I used phthalo blue and transparent yellow. It made a beautiful light green. To darken it I used a little Burnt Sienna. I think I will use these combinations again.

Anchored

Anchored
original watercolor
5 x 7

Hoping you can put your anchor in a peaceful harbor this Monday.

ACEO - Swan

ACEO - Swan
3 1/2 x 2 1/2

This little ACEO would love to swim to you!
All my ACEO's are available at my Etsy Shop.

New ACEO's

ACEO - Fuchsia Butterfly
3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

ACEO Dragonfly Landing
3 1/2" x 2 1/2"

I have two new ACEO's in my shop!

I've Got the Blues - Blues Sax

Blues Sax

Original Pastel
9 1/2 x 13

The theme for this weeks challenge at Inspiration Avenue is "I've Got the Blues". Blues Sax is my entry. It is a pastel on Fabriano Tiziano Pastel Paper with Rembrandt pastels. Check out the other listings they are always so unique and interesting.

Pond Reflections

Pond Reflection I
original watercolor
5 x 7

I have been doing a study on reflection of the sky on water. The first layer is warm made with alizarin crimson and cadmium red. Then I added cool colors of cerulean blue and ultramarine blue.

Pond Reflections II
original watercolor
5 x 7

Pond Reflections III
original watercolor
5 x 7

Reflections in the Pond

original watercolor
5 x 7

Sea Porcupine

Sea Porcupine
original watercolor
9 1/2 x 7 1/2

This is Sea Porcupine was painted just for fun and to practice some watercolor techniques. More fun with gauze. (see previous post: Tip - Using Gauze). I also tried out some new to me watercolors by M. Graham: Red Quinacridone and Violet Quinacridone. They are quite bold colors! Very fun to play with.

Papa's Barn

When Time Stood Still
original watercolor
15 x 11

"When Time Stood Still" is a painting of my Papa's farm in the early 1980's. All of the grand kids have wonderful memories of time spent of this farm.

Papa was a small, wiry thin man. He always wore a hat. He used to milk cows at 10 o"clock in the morning and after the 10 pm news. He would usually come in around midnight and wake everyone in the house. Of course, the grand kids would giggle and my grandma would holler and say "Ray, don't wake those kid!" Wonderful, cherished memories.

The second painting of the barn is how it looks now, thirty years later. Weathered but still standing.

Still Standing

original watercolor
11 x 15

Thanks for letting me share a little trip down memory lane.

Charcoal Portrait - SR a Real Cowboy

Charcoal Portrait - SR a Real Cowboy

I do very few portraits, they make me nervous. I think I feel judged more. Does it look like them? Is the nose, eyes, ears, etc. right?... The list goes on on on. Anyway, this is a surprise for a teacher who is retiring. She has helped me so much in the last three years. This is a portrait of her son, who is a real cowboy.

Calm Seas

Calm Seas
Original Watercolor
5 x 7

The Stormy Skies have passed to reveal Calm Seas.

Stormy Skies

Stormy Skies
Original Watercolor Painting

5 x 7

Stormy Skies is one of those painting that was a mistake and then it worked out. I usually do the sky first and then work on the water. Well...when I added the water it was too dark. So I went back and made the sky really dark. Then I just kept repeating the dark blues and purples in the grass.

I need to remember this painting next time things don't follow my plans. Things usually work out if I just relax and go with the flow.

My First Feature - May Flowers

Passion's Picks - May Flowers

I am so excited to be featured on Passion For Beads. Miss Passion has found some unique flowers for May. Take a look and enjoy the parade of May's flowers.

ACEO - Seahorse

ACEO Seahorse

This ACEO was created on smooth bristol paper with watercolor and pen and ink.

Did you know? ... Seahorses are named for their equine profile. Although they are a bony fish, they do not have scales, but rather a thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates arranged in rings throughout their body. Seahorses swim upright. (A little factoid just-in-case you are ever on Jeopardy or Are You Smarter Than a ...., etc.) :)

ACEO - Orange Poppy

ACEO - Orange Poppy

I am very pleased with this happy little Orange Poppy ACEO Original Watercolor painting. ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. Collected and trade around the world, they're a unique and affordable way to start your own art collection.

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy.

Have you ever wanted to go on a Friday Art Walk but were too tired by the time Friday evening rolled around? Well set back, prop up your feet, get a nice beverage and stroll through the Etsy Shops.

First Friday Art Walk on Etsy was established in June 2009, and is an ongoing event, taking place on the first Friday of every month, across the entire globe. How exciting is that!

Just go to Esty and search for "firstfridayartwalk" and enjoy strolling through the different shops!

Come join me on my first art walk.

Picasa Pictures

At the blog party on Inspiration Avenue this weekend Pics by Shel posted tips on how to use Picasa. I use this free program to edit by pictures but wasn't aware of these features. Check out her tips! They were very easy and have tons of applications.

Daisies in the Field

Daisies in the Field

Original Watercolor

11 x 15

Inspiration Avenue had a wonderful blog party over the weekend. This is just the first of many new skills and tips I learned. This one is from Marlene at Marlene's Musing. She taught us how to use saran wrap for the background. Her instruction were very easy to follow. Check out her blog and Inspiration Avenue for more interesting tips. Keep checking my blog for more of my adventures.....

Blog Party - Inspiration Avenue - Tip Using Gauze

Using Gauze in Watercolors

Gauze can make an interesting texture when added to a watercolor painting.

There are two kinds of cotton gauze: non-elastic surgical gauze and elastic surgical gauze. The non-elastic surgical gauze stretches out more and takes the watercolor better. It is hard to find the non-elastic stuff. You need to look closely at the package.



Put your design on the paper. I used masking fluid to save my whites. I find a simple design works best. The paper is arches 140 cold pressed, 5 x 7 taped on a gaterboard.



Cut the gauze to fit where you want the texture on your paper. Unfold the gauze so it is one thin layer. You can stretch and manipulate the gauze.

Wet the area with clear water thoroughly where you want the texture to be. Lay the gauze down on top of the wet paper. Wet the gauze to hold it in place. Note I got excited about adding the color before I snapped a picture. The blue is watercolor.

Fill a large brush with enough pigment to saturate the area and drop the color in. Having the area already with water allows the pigment to disperse more freely.

Wait for the gauze and paper to completely dry. Don't be temped to lift the gauze to peek until it is completly dry. Letting it dry overnight is best. Don't peek. Note: I used a hairdryer to speed the process this afternoon and it seemed to workout okay.

Remove the gauze and masking fluid. The final step is to fill in the details.

I have tried this process a few time. It seems to work better each time. Have fun experimenting.

ACEO - Blue Dragonfly

ACEO - Blue Dragonfly

watercolor original

ACEO's are miniature pieces of art that measure 2-1/2" x 3-1/2". If a small piece of art has a different measurements than this, it does not qualify as an ACEO.

The acronym "ACEO" stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They can be original art, print editions or photographs.

Purple Dragonfly - 7 Card Draw

Purple Dragonfly

ACEO 3 1/2 x 2 1/2
original watercolor

I was browsing around ETSY and found this fun "little" challenge. You can visit the thread and participate here: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6481735 By visiting you have a chance to win up to 7 ACEO's each month. How fun is that?

To see other ACEO's that have been created for this challenge and that are for sale just search "7 Card Draw". Make sure you include the quotation marks in the search engine on the ETSY site.

This is a fun challenge for the collector and artist, lots of great artwork to view. Go by and visit, leave a comment and maybe you will win.

Seahorse in the Seagrass

Seahorse in the Seagrass
5" x 7" Original Watercolor

Seahorses are members of the pipefish family. They are usually found in the shallow, warm water among the seagrass beds.

Sunset

Sunset, 5" x 7" Original Watercolor

TGIF - hope you have a relaxing and wonderful weekend!

Tequila Sunrise

"Tequila Sunrise"
5" x 7" Original Watercolor

It's just another tequila sunrise startin' slowly across the sky ...

This is just the first in a series where I'm working on adding the sun to the sky.

Orange Spice

Cup of Tea - Orange Spice
7 1/2" x 9 1/2" Original Watercolor

"Cup of Tea - Orange Spice" A cup of tea soothes the soul and warms the heart. A cup of tea can take you to another place. I love to ponder my thoughts with a cup of tea in one hand.

Junonia - Seashell

"Junonia - Seashell", 5" x 7" Original Watercolor

Junonia seashells are usually found off shore by divers or shrimp boats. Occasionally the gems wash up on the shore.

Sunbright Sunflower

Sunbright Sunflower
5" x 7" Original Watercolor

"Sunbright Sunflower" is in bloom. Sunflowers always face the sun and make you feel that all is right with the world.

Entangled

Entangled, original watercolor 11 x 15

It's mesmerizing and amusing to become Entangled in purple trees.

Fruit - Window Pane

"Fruit - Window Pane", original watercolor, 5" x 7"

An addition to the series of watercolors using a window pane technique. This would look great with the "Pear - Windowpane" or the "Orange- Window Pane".

Oranges - Window Pane

"Oranges" Window Pane, original watercolor, 5" x 7"

A new addition to the series of watercolors using a window pane technique. This would look great with the "Pear Windowpane".

Pear - Window Pane

"Pear - Window Pane" watercolor, 5" x 7"

More in my series of watercolors using a window pane technique.

Inspiration Avenue - Fish

Rainbow Trout - Window Pane, original watercolor 5" x 7"

"Rainbow Trout" Window Pane technique. The subject is divided into four equal sections. It looks as if you are looking through a window pane. These have been really fun to paint and I am very excited about them.

ACEO - The Red Tree

ACEO - The Red Tree

This little original watercolor painting is on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It measures 3 1/2" wide and 2 1/2" tall. ACEO’s are fun to collect in a bright fun album to make your own coffee table art book. Trade them with other collectors, pop them in greeting cards or letters, frame them or use them as a gorgeous little bookmark.

Check out the Custom Art Framing shop on Etsy for a great deal on mats for your ACEO's.