Tag Archives: #2021

World Watercolor Month, Days 5 Through 9.

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?

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

Coming Around Again

Sunset Pink. 1.27.21, SMD
Sunset Pink. 1.27.21, SMD

I am laughing at myself. I got all excited about the snow. Little did I know a blizzard was on the way. The beautiful scene above is from two days after the storm. It may not have been a blizzard officially, but we were asked to stay off the roads for about 24 hours. We had a good solid day of heavy, blowing snow. It was AWESOME!

Blustery, blowing and snowing. 1.25.21.

My window was covered in a layer of ice.

Veil of White. 1.25.21, SMD.
Veil of White. 1.25.21, SMD.
Powder Coated. 1.25.21, SMD.
Powder Coated. 1.25.21, SMD.

I’m sure this is the most snow we have had in the 5 years we have lived here. Scottsdale and Phoenix even had a dusting! Wowzers! By the second day, roads were dry and clear in our area.

Drift Away. 1.26.21, SMD.
Drift Away. 1.26.21, SMD.
Two of a Kind. 1.26.21, SMD.
Two of a Kind. 1.26.21, SMD.
Clouds lifting, 1/26/21, SMD.
Clouds lifting, 1/26/21, SMD.
Clouds rolling in 1.29.21, SMD
Clouds rolling in 1.29.21, SMD

We had more snow today, briefly. Then the sun came out and the cleared a bit. There was a roll of clouds hovering over Mingus. Then it spread out and moved forward, closer to us. I looked again, and it had collapsed, and was in the original hovering position.

Orange light, 1. 29. 21, SMD.
Orange light, 1. 29. 21, SMD.

I increased the vibrancy on this photo, but the clouds really were blindingly orange. It has been a BeAuTiFuL week in Arizona! Amen!

Silently, like thoughts that come and go,
the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.
William Hamilton Gibson