Category Archives: Pen

September Painting Challenge Review

 

 

Sheila Delgado September Challenge Collage 9 2016

 

The September painting challenge was a salvation for me. Your kind and generous support has lifted me up, and enabled me to have a productive month. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

The move in July and August was exhausting, and threw me into a Lupus flare. Everything that could go wrong, did.  (See list below.) My energy level was in the negative. I woke up depleted, and counted the hours until it was time for bed. When it was, I couldn’t fall asleep before 2 am. I lost my appetite, was short of breath and had no strength. I lost fifteen pounds.

It was a full month (August) before I had enough energy to even think about unpacking. During that time, we had workers in and out of the house. Unpacking had to wait until some of that work was completed. My goal was to be settled and ready to paint by September first. And guess what, I was!

I did not have a theme planned, nor was I able to prep or start painting before day one. Mountains, cacti, flowers and a bunny. A few themes there. All sure to be revisited. You can see my favorites from this month below.

 

Sheila Delgado - Favorite pieces from 9. 2016 challenge

 

Viewer favorites by post visits:

Day 29
Day 5
Day 14
Day 30
Day 6

The most used colors in my palette continued on from the September 2015 challenge. Many more colors I enjoy, and many I would like to try. I just find myself reaching for these staples.

Sheila Delgado Palette September 2016

 

Thanks again to all of you who followed along with me this month – you are a blessing!
I am so thankful for your friendship and support!

 

 

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Treat yourself to a look at the artist collages
for 
Leslie Seata’s 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!
My Pinterest board for the event is bursting with over 1600 works of art!

 

 

Some of you had asked about the how the move went.
Moving complications list:
truck that arrived was too small
moving crew arrived late and without needed equipment and only 2 movers, not 4
rented 2nd truck which was too small, had to exchange it
moving crew took longer to load than stated
still loading trucks as new owners were moving in
after full day of loading and cleaning, drove to Prescott
arrived at midnight, had to wait for room, which was on 2nd floor, no elevator
changed room after 2 days as we had requested the first floor (moving coolers, suitcases, and supplies needed for our two-week stay)
new house not ready when promised
19 days in hotel room

But for all that stress, we have been BLESSED since we have been in the house (19th of August). We found movers that were above all expectations. Helping to place and unwrap the furniture. They even returned a couple of times just to help move heavy pieces.  The crews – landscaping, closet installers, electrician, tile, pantry woodworker – have all been supreme! We consider all of them friends.

The neighbors on our street are all from California. And with potlucks and a neighborhood garage sale today, there is no shortage of activity.

Thanks again, I am so thankful for your friendship and support!

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Day 20 – Crop And Save

 

Golden Hill. 3 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

Golden Hill. 3 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

This is too pretty to end up in the round file. I really like the tiny flowers, and the washes on the hill are interesting, if subtle. Could be cute bookmarks, if I slice it down the middle.

Golden Hill, whole. 6 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

Golden Hill, whole. 6 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

I started out with a 6 x 6 piece of paper, but I could not get the hill in back to look like it was behind. No matter what I tried it just did not work. Softer. Faded. More grey. Just got worse. Finally I just cropped it digitally. That did the trick. I had fun in the process!

Treat yourself to the Day 19 art on Leslie Seata’s 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!
My Pinterest board for the event is over 1000 works of art!

 

 

 

 

Day 19 – Noble Nopales

 

 

Noble Nopales. 4 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

Noble Nopales. 4 x 6 watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold pressed paper. © 2016 Sheila Delgado

Every time I see cactus flowers or prickly pears, I think “crown of thorns”. And sometimes I even hear Sandra Bullock saying it, like she did in Hope Floats. (Oh my gosh, that movie was made in 1998, I can’t believe it is that old!)

The luscious purple/magenta bulbs look like jewels to me. I am sure they do to the rabbits and birds too! Juicy fruit filled jewels.

I don’t know why, and I was unhappy with the fact that these came out dusty looking. Like there is a layer of white gouache. I only used watercolor, so it is a mystery. After a while, the next day, I decided it was not a bad thing. They do in fact look dusty or washed out, in life.

I spent the better part of the weekend cleaning and organizing. I felt like I was working in the middle of a pig pen. I was only using a small part of my desk, and the rest was covered in a mess of supplies. And you know how it goes, the mess always gets worse before it gets better! I am still at the “worse” stage.  But there is always tomorrow!

Happy Monday everyone!

 

Treat yourself to the Day 19 art on Leslie Seata’s 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!
My Pinterest board for the event is over 1000 works of art!