Day 2, Color Study. 7 x 7 Watercolor on paper. 2017 Sheila Delgado
Had fun today. Really. Right up to the point I wrecked the piece. Seven plus creative and satisfying hours, down the drain. This is the palette I used, along with stenciling, collage, and pen. Tomorrow is another day!
Trees. 6 x 6 mixed media on paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado
It’s all about the light. I reclaimed light by dabbing a damp paper towel into the treetops. Also found a bit in the first, large trunk. I dipped my rubber comb into clean water, and scraped the paint in the foreground. I love that those marks remained subtle after drying.
To the treetops I added more yellow, some orange and Shiraz in selective areas. Seeing it here, I feel like I need to add some shadow at the base of the trees. What do you think? Not going for realism, just think a little more contrast would be good.
We had rain for about 20 minutes today. Full sun, windy, light rain. Clear blue sky to the south. I kept hoping the sun would catch and really make this pop. Very dreamlike as it was though.
Rainbow
Was inspired by Sandrine Pelissier’s newsletter, as I always am. Dug out my travel Spirograph. Had a bit of a worry when I didn’t find it in the first two looks. The 4 x 6 paper did not fit, so most of my drawings ended up more centered, less random. I filled the edges with doodles. I am going to try again. But maybe this lends itself to trees better.
Just FYI. If you ever buy a travel Spirograph, post-it notes fit perfectly!
Hot Mess. 4 x 6 mixed media on paper postcard. © 2017 Sheila Delgado
Trees WIP. 6 x 6 mixed media on paper. © 2017 Sheila Delgado
Another attempt to paint a cactus. But From the beginning dripping layers, these trees made themselves known. They remind me of the tall palms that are such an iconic symbol of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.
Had the idea to add orange on top. To be a focal point. Or maybe I will add it to all the trees. Thinking of maybe going back in with a damp towel to bring back some of the lights in the first layers. Actually, most of the lights ended up between the trees. That is how I knew they were trees. Ha.
A few of my thoughts. Would love to hear what you think. I used a comb for detail in the foreground, I went back in with color that was not diluted as much as I thought it was. I may go back in and reclaim some of that texture as well.