Where I Stand Saturday

As you may know, this post is usually "Where I Stand Sunday" however, where I stand today (Saturday) is usually where I stand tomorrow, when I am home.  The studio needs some rearranging and organization and just plain revamping.  Boxing up things, so heavy stuff with removal of things off of shelves and out of drawers can be moved more easily. 

"Seaport Sunflower"

8" x 10"

watercolor/gouache

Arches coldpress

If interesting in purchasing this or any of my art go to my Etsy shop.

I am still in the watercolor mode.  I find that I have trouble leaving the paper white - like around the sunflower - it would have helped with the brightness of the petals, but I ended up using white gouache to bring it back up into the light.  Working background to foreground works OK, but lighter then darker, or transparent layers - often doesn't and I end up painting into the light that I wanted to leave.  I have such a mindset in dark to light.  I tend to go too opaque (and I know that sometimes watercolor can be opaque - but I'm going for that transparent look).

I am giving this medium some time and so onward with practice.  Artistic struggle at the most.  And I realize...sometimes - even though you want your work to be a certain way, it isn't.  Does that ever happen to you?...and even if you rework and have it there, it is sometimes just NOT THERE.  But when you ACHIEVE WHAT RESULTS YOU WERE AFTER and you know it, there is nothing better!  Lots of books and magazines and DVD's to learn with so maybe I can have that feeling with watercolor some day. 

Instead of JUST COLD, it decided to snow a little here today.  Just a dusting.  I am ready for more.

Thanks to my floral designer daughter, I have lots of flower resource material.