I am having so much fun with these. I hope you find this dainty display delightful.
Enjoy!
Heeeyyyy everyone! Welcome to the 30-Day Creative Gathering. 🙂 Hope you’re ready to get in the groove, and have some fun. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I had enough mojo to participate. But I chatted with some of you, and we sort of talked each other into it. Ha-ha. That’s what friends are for ‘ey?!
It may have hit me late, but a few days ago, I started to get really excited. And here I am.
One more time.
This will be my 13th 30-day challenge. Ten of them were with Leslie Saeta in her 30 Paintings In 30 Days events. Leslie changed her focus a couple of years ago, and a few of us wanted to continue the challenge. Yay! Christiane Drieling and I co-founded the 30-Day Creative Gathering on Facebook. Follow the links to see samples from the events.
Let’s kick it ya’ll!
My piece for day one is a do-over. And I most likely will be trying this again. It is a huge canvas that has been hanging on my wall unfinished, ever since we moved to Arizona. Four years!! Truth be told, it was unfinished for even longer than that. I had once painted a scene on it. Then I moved, and I prepped it for the new space. Haha, that is as far as I got. Honestly, I just never could decide what I wanted to see on the wall. And what I had the courage to attempt. LOL. 🙂
But it’s only paint, and I can start all over if I want to. This canvas may make an appearance again later this month.
I don’t have room to paint on a canvas this size. I painted it on my bed. Haha. I painted the sky first, stopped for dinner, and then worked on the rest. Here is my first try. I apologize for the terrible photo. The dark area is my shadow.
I am going to critique this, but know that I am happy with it to an extent. I am sharing my thoughts on the process to help clarify what I learned.
Happy as always for the learning!
I did not have the right colors on hand, and I do not have the right tools for a large piece. I used a 2-inch brush for the sky and land. Dotted (poured) the colors on, and then blended. Adding spritzes of water as needed.
For the ocean area, I used the same technique to get a base layer of color. Next, I used palette knives, a gift card, a one-inch brush, and my fingers. I used both craft paints and artist paints. Also matte gel for extra body.
When I finished the first time, I noticed a GLARING mistake. I had three bands of color. Three straight lines. Haha. B-o-r-i-n-g.
So I went back in and softened where the land and sky meet. I think I could have done better, but I am OK with this. Here is the final version again…
The dark band at the top of the sky actually looks perfect in daylight. It is softer and blends well. I still have “lines’ of color, but it’s no longer like nails on a chalkboard. Haha. 🙂
You can click on any image below if you want a closer look.
I was trying to mimic the feel of a painting by Hiroshi Matsumoto. I love his work. I had narrowed down my favorites to: May 2019, and June 2019. I love the feel of these two.
I decided on his June piece. The light, the shades of blue, the misty horizon. The abstract, chunky colors. The southern California-ness.
It bombed. Haha, haha. I just don’t have the right tools. I think I needed larger knives. Heavier body paint. I changed course midstream.
After looking at my piece on the wall, I have decided I want something calm in that space. Color, with hints of detail. Haha. Make up your mind Sheila!
Lastly, I think the main problem with this piece, is that it feels like separate paintings, chopped and put together. It isn’t integrated. Unified.
I promise I won’t write a novel for each piece this month. Thanks for visiting, suggestions are welcome! Happy creating everyone! 🙂
4 x 6 in. watercolor & pen on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
Made myself a challenge, knowing full well January might be busy. Not bad, managed to get thirteen paintings done for the month. The first two here, I painted for the Love Notes postcard swap. I forgot to scan the first card. So hey, that makes fourteen paintings! More I am sure, than I would have completed had I not tried for 30.
The table above, scanned much more red than the earth, clay tone that it actually is. I was unable to tweak it in Photoshop.
I apologize for the horrible photo below. This was a fun attempt at being loose after watching a video by Angela Fehr. I embellished with watercolor pencil and splatter.
4 x 6 in. watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#9, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
Sunset Light, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#8, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#7, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
The four pieces below are much too tight, and over worked. I tried again, with better results. (See the four above.) I learned that with Quinacridone Gold and Gold Green you have to take care so they do not become dirty and dark. Lesson #1.
Lesson #2 – for either of those colors to be rich and not neon, you must layer at least three washes. Think that qualifies as a conundrum. For me anyhow. Fun in the learning though 😉
I am holding myself to a 30 piece challenge this month as well. It may be several days of painting a series of pieces and not daily painting. I have two gifts to paint. Something different on the way. 😉
If I were to choose favorites, they would be #7 and #8.
#6, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#5, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#4, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
#3, 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
Layers. 4 x 4 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2019 Sheila Delgado.
Yo No Se. 8 x 8 in. mixed media on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado.