Category Archives: Photos

My Blue Mountain Ridge

Big Blue. 6 x 6 in. watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

A day in the life of a mountain. From misty morn to saffron sunset. Most often, the mountains look like two ridges. You can see below, there are many more layers. This is the first I am seeing so many distinctions. Fun day!

Mingus Morning 1.

Mingus Morning 2.

When I began to paint, I thought about showing the mist over the ridge. But the indigo won out, and I painted clear blue sky with a few puffy clouds. Next time.

Mingus Afternoon.

Amazing what lucent light can do.
The mountains stand tall and strong and true.
A passing cloud, or misty shroud.
Then clear and bright.
To day’s fading light.

Sun Setting.

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Mountains Blue

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Started this by splashing white gouache on the paper. Next I sketched with indigo Inktense pencil, and added more gouache to soften the lines. I worked quickly. Just felt the need to put brush to paper before turning out the lights.

I am excited about my new phone. The camera is better than the old one. I did not want a new phone, but I had no service here at the house and had to switch carriers. A new camera makes up for having to learn the ins and outs again. Still can’t figure out how to set up my voicemail.

So my terrible, fuzzy photos will be a bit sharper. Wooo Whoo! Here is one of the mountain range as it heads south.

View from Prescott Valley, AZ.

And here is a close up of Mingus.

Mingus.

Still working with the inks, following along with Sandy Sandy‘s FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-course. I haven’t had time to work on finishing a piece. But I am experimenting, learning which colors work well together.

I tried to make my own felt pad, I saw an example online using a binder clip, felt and tape. But I wasn’t really happy with it and I bought the dabber Sandy recommends for the class. I made one just by rolling some felt and using the clip to hold the felt. On another, I taped the felt to the widest part of the clip. They both worked, but had the tendency to create areas of heavy application. In the center is the purchased dabber.

Alcohol ink applicators and new backgrounds.

Here is one I really like. After I dabbed on the ink, I sprayed it with blending solution. that created some soft areas where the color moved and the hard edges were lost. later I accidentally sprayed (over spray) alcohol on it, and teeny spots formed. Terrific mix of texture!

Alcohol Ink on Yupo.

Happy creating to you!

Six Days

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Tapering Storm. 5 x 7 in. watercolor on Yupo. 2016 Sheila Delgado

This was an experiment. The hills were painted with a palette knife. Palette knife, Yupo, watercolor. I am not entirely sure those three things go together. I delayed posting this for six days because I thought it was hideous. Really, the only saving grace is the blue hill. Interesting textures going on there.

Done on a cold and rainy morning, the blustery view was still better than how my depiction turned out. By noon the sun was out the hills clearly visible.

1. view of Mingus mountains.

2. view of Mingus mountains.

3. view of Mingus mountains.

4. view of Mingus mountains.

5. view of Mingus mountains.

Kim Smith hit the nail on the head. I seem to be caught in an ebb. Everything I have tried to paint has been a major flop. Working my way through the lessons from Sandy Sandy‘s Alcohol Inks course, and nothing is turning out. I have wiped all the ugliness, so there is no proof. Tried again with what I know best, watercolor and paper, and another ugly was born. (The sky is not bad in this.)

Single Tulip. 5 x 5 in. watercolor on 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

So I am working, and plodding along. I should have started a large canvas for my cousin, but I decided I was not ready to fail on a HUGE scale. So I turned to what I thought would be an afternoon’s task. (Avoidance, yes, I know.)

I went through the last three of my tubs from the move. Five days later I am still organizing the contents of the last one. Cards and letters from family and friends. FOUR decades worth. UGH! A task I have wanted to complete for at least 15 years. So I suppose that counts for something. Maybe with that minor success under my belt, I can find success with my brush once again!

Going through the correspondence, I am finding forgotten treasures. And reminders of adventures I had forgotten. Letters from my Grandmother’s, who are both long gone, special indeed. And photos! I will finally have all my photos in one place. Then I can begin to sort, and scan and share them with family!

girl Found this sketch, from the late eighties. A stick and some ink. It is goofy, but even more goofy is that fact that at some point I found it worthy of a mat! It makes me think of the blond in the Muppet band.

Sheila's Corner Studio

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