Heliconia Day 1

Heliconia - 5 x 7 inch on watercolor paper

I started another painting last night of a beautiful Heliconia.  Lots of details still needs to be done on it but as you can see, it has lots of different color on the flower itself.  I have a problem of whether to finish this painting in a light or dark background since the value of the edges varies from very light to very dark.  This photo shows that I am trying to use a background variation between light and dark values.  It might work but I think in some areas it can use a bit darker value to make the Heliconia stand out.  I will work on it more and publish the finish work on a later date.

Pepper #6 - Green

Chili Pepper #6 - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 on watercolor paper

This is a green chili pepper I did last night.  Quite a quick exercise and I have been using some Ultramarine Blue mixed with green for the dark areas.  It was lots of fun.  I might want to try painting some chili pepper using oil paint.  I have tried Water Soluable Oil from Winsor and Newton before and it was fun too.

Chili Pepper #5

Chili Pepper #5 - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 Watercolor on paper

This one I did late last night.  I like the color of this pepper which is from yellow to a beautiful organge color.  Everytime I do a painting of any size I feel at one point that the painting is really looking bad and un-salvageable.  It is usually at the three quarter of the way.  At that point sometimes I will want to give up, destory it and start over again.  But if I can tell myself to stick to it, go on and pass that point, my painting tends to be ok the next day I look at it.  That is the time when I have to say to myself not to stop but do my best to go on.  It will turn our alright.

Another Curved Chili Pepper

Pepper #4 - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 Watercolor on paper.

This is another one of my small 2 1/2 in by 3 1/2 in Chili Pepper done in watercolor.  I did it very late in the evening before going to bed.  It does not take long and I urge if anyone likes to paint, they should do a little every day even though you don't seems to have time for any.  For practice and getting back into things, I know that practice doing it 10 minutes a day is better than doing 60 minutes in one day and skip 5 days. Comments welcome.

Hot Chili Sauce in a Jar

Hot Chili Sauce in a Jar -  5" x 7" Watercolor on paper

I have done a bigger painting this weekend with more time on my hands.  As you can see, it is on the jar of Red Chili Pepper all made into Hot Chili Sauce in a jar.  Rather than doing the small 2 1/2 in by 3 1/2 in painting.  Because of subject size, this watercolor painting is on a 5 in by 7 in watercolor paper.  It contains more detail and thus taken longer to do but I found it quite rewarding.

Another Pepper - Pepper #3

Pepper #3 - 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 Watercolor on paper

Paint another pepper again last night.  Now it is 3 peppers all together.  These are all ATC card size which is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 and would be interesting for me to try painting a bigger size watercolor.  Well, I found these peppers are quite nice to do and it is good to learn layering in doing my watercolor.

Another Pepper - Pepper #2

Pepper #2   2 1/2 x 3 1/2 Watercolor on paper

This is the second pepper I did and I hope this keeps up with my little bit of watercolor painting every day.  It is a small piece again but I think as long as I keep it up, I will eventually get back to my art.

My first watercolor after a while of inactivity

Red Pepper 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 Watercolor on Paper

Finally last night I did a little watercolor of a red pepper.  It is in the size of an Artist Trading Card 2 1/2" x3 1/2".  I did a quick sketch of the pepper which my friends has given me to make Hot Chili Sauce a week ago.  I took some photograph of the pepper at the time and the watercolor was painted from one of the phographs.  I use Winsor Red, Wiinsor Violet (Winsor and Newton) and some green as my basic color in my watercolor.  Shown here is the finished Red Pepper in Watercolor.

Try to get back to painting

I am trying to write something so that I will get back to painting.  Just to create my interest again and pick up my brushes again.  I like to do some watercolor.  Even doing small ones I think will get me back to the routine.  I also like to do some oil (water soluable) painting.  I am just starting out and I have borrow books from the library, read art books and search the internet to look at nice painting but I am too lazy to pick up my brush. Mmmm............. I will try to write about my struggle back to doing some painting.........  may be paint a small one a day?  Too much excuse not to paint.  I think I love painting and ............ well, we will see.