Tag Archives: #pricklypear

February 2022 30-Day Creative Gathering, Day 28

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Day 28, 8 x 8 in. watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Day 28, 8 x 8 in. watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

In writing songs I’ve learned as much from Cezanne
as I have from Woody Guthrie.
Bob Dylan

I thought I botched this. When I finished, it looked too dark. Some of the paint was still wet, so I was hoping that would fix it. Watercolor always dries lighter. I left it to sit, and I took a break. Took a nap actually. Haha.

When I went back to it. I was pleasantly surprised. Whew! I rewet a couple of areas where I had hard lines, added a little more color to help disguise what I could not soften. I added more turquoise to the large pad, and maybe I went overboard. But I like it. Haha.

The indigo areas dried sort of greyish. So I added sap green in some areas, more indigo in others. And I darkened a few spots. Haha. Yeah, I know. Changed my mind.

Maybe I went to dark over all. But I am surprisingly, completely happy with this. Some areas of the background look slightly grey , it is the paper texture. But I can live with that. Haha.

Lesson from the universe. If you are not sure, walk away. Come back later and play. 🙂

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.
Friedrich Nietzsche

Beginning with audacity is a very great part
of the art of painting.
Winston Churchill

February 2022, Day 25

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Day 25, 3 x 4.25 in. watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Day 25, 3 x 4.25 in. watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I’ve always felt that having a garden
is like having a good and loyal friend.
C Z Guest

Gardening is learning, learning, learning.
That’s the fun of them. You’re always learning.
Helen Mirren

To forget how to dig the earth
and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.
Mahatma Gandhi

World Watercolor Month, Days 5 Through 9.

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Day 5, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 5, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

These tiny 2 x 2’s are fun to paint. A nice change. I think my favorite size hovers around 8 x 8 inches. Or 10 x 10. This weekend I will be continuing work on the bear. And I have started two other canvas pieces. One is 4 x 4, and the other is 12 x 12 I think.

The skyscape below was inspired by a real sunset. When I stepped away to get my phone, the light changed, and I missed getting the shot. The clouds were all shades of pink and orange, The sky was blue and lavender grey. Storm clouds moving through.

Day 6, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 6, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 7, WWM, Ranunculus, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 7, WWM, Ranunculus, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 8, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 8, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 9, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
Day 9, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

I first learned about the color Green Gold from Angela Fehr. She is one of the artist ambassadors for World Watercolor Month. Laurie Mueller uses it often in her work also. Or maybe it is her own blend, but it has the same jaw-dropping effect. Diluted, it is almost blindingly neon. But you can get a deeper, rich hue as well. It’s a favorite in my palette.

I am sharing two revisions with you. The scans came out too dark, and I was not happy with the “black” band at the bottom. I was behind, so I went ahead and posted them. In reality, The indigo was softer, and blended to a rich, dark green. The color bled into the wet areas above, and there are some soft “finger” like details. But I needed to blend the dark with the rest of the foreground.

I added a few more blades of grass, and I think they work much better now. What do you think? The revised scans are true to life, not as vivid as the first scans. The setting wasn’t right. I like them better now. To me, I think the green gold stands out more. The oranges are not overpowering. Do you like the first version better?

  • Day 1, WWM, Revised, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
    Day 1, WWM, Revised, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
  • Day 1, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
    Day 1, WWM, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
  • Day 4, WWM, Revised, Sunny Delights, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
    Day 4, WWM, Revised, Sunny Delights, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
  • Day 4, WWM, Sunny Delights, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.
    Day 4, WWM, Sunny Delights, 2 x 2 inch watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

Stay firmly in your path and dare.
Be wild two hours a day!
Paul Gauguin

When art critics get together they talk about
Form and Structure and Meaning.
When artists get together
they talk about where you can buy cheap turpentine.
Pablo Picasso