Tag Archives: #paddleplant

Two Pots

My new scanner arrived. Yipee! I had to wait about a month for it. I played with the settings to get a true to life image. I used a piece that I had scanned on the older machine.

There are over a dozen combinations of settings, the interface is very easy to use. I do like that it is powered by USB. So I just need to connect it to the laptop, and it is ready to go. No need to wait for it to warm up. Nice! It was recommended by a couple of artists I follow.

I need to get used to having to preview first. It really is useful, as you can change the settings if the image is off, and then scan for the final saved image.

Two Pots was painted on a spiral-bound pad. I didn’t realize the scanner lid is removable, it expands to hold books. On the left of the image, I can see that it is blurry. Where the rings are. I will need to be more aware of that.

Below are some of the different settings. You might not be able to see much of a difference in some of them. The first one is an illustration setting. That was interesting. It simplifies the image to color “blocks”. More like a vector image. Or cartoon.

Below you can see the Epson scan and the scan from the old machine. The Epson is more true. Haha. Well, the blooms are. The vase and the background in the original are closer to real life. I’m fine with that. I know I will need to make adjustments in Photoshop as usual. It is just how the different colors reflect the light. I will work with the settings and see how close I can get them. But I’m sure they will be different for each piece. I have scanned about a dozen photos, and they came out true to life.

Day 30, 4 x 6 Watercolor and pen on paper. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

This scanner is so slim. About an inch and a half. And it is so lightweight! About 3 pounds. It has a kickstand and you can scan while it is standing on its side. I love that I can tuck it away, and pull it out when needed. I don’t need to sacrifice valuable desk space.

It is so light and easy to connect. It will be perfect for travel. Visiting family, and sharing old photos. Oh, did I say? It is an Epson Perfection V39.

Happy week everyone!

Days 16 & 17 Of 30

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Day 16, Mixed Media on 5 x 7 Canvas Board. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

Day 17, Mixed Media on 5 x 7 Canvas Board. © 2021 Sheila Delgado.

Everything that could go wrong, did. Haha. I worked all night trying to fix this and that. And just when I thought I was done. Another problem. I picked a white, that turned out to be a satin. Nope. Looked sticky. Sticky paint? Haha. Well, no worries. Decided white wasn’t right. OK. Time for bed.

Starting today, right after breakfast no less! (First for the month.) I mixed a buff and sand color for the background. Yes, that will work. Changed the terra cotta pots to a desert rose. Added a glaze to the leaves. This helped to tone down the mess of a yellow paint pen that I had used to outline the forms. DIdn’t realize that was glossy paint.

I left the yellow on the snake plant, top. Felt it worked as the golden stripes some of the leaves have. Added a subtle pattern. Bubble wrap. Too subtle. May go back in and bring it out just a bit more. But that means repainting the entire background and then applying the pattern.

Had added texture and scratch marks, hoping to add the aged effect I had in the Blue vase pieces. There is a dark blue base and I tried sanding some top layer away to reveal it. Just didn’t work. I revealed the white gesso instead. Haha.

Happy enough with them now. That Kiwi green is a little too neon. But it keeps them from being too muted. The board lent itself to a postcard layout. So I thought I would create something clean and graphic, for just that.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit me here, and to let me know you stopped by. Happy creating to you!

You don’t drown by falling in the water.
You drown by staying there.
Robert G. Allen

Intelligence is not to make no mistakes,
but quickly to see how to make them good.
Bertolt Brecht

What we call experience is
often a dreadful list of ghastly mistakes.
J. Chalmers da Costa

Day 8 And Revisions

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Day 8, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

For day 8, a Saguaro. Sentinel and symbol of the southwest. They grow taller than many trees, up to 40 feet. They are strictly protected in Arizona.

About a year ago I purchased a pad of inexpensive paper to use for watercolor. I knew it was not good quality, but I thought it would be good for practice. I also used it with acrylics, and it worked pretty well.

I really fell in love with the texture, and I used the whole pad. I have been trying to find more since then. Haha. Thought I did, and I bought two pads when they were 50% off. This paper is slightly different. The texture before was straight horizontal lines. Now it looks like there are two patterns, one straight, and one sort of wavy. Here’s an example of what I remember.

Turquoise Dream. 6 x 6 mixed media on paper. © 2018 Sheila Delgado

Maybe this paper is the same. I had fun working on today’s piece. It started loose and fast. I worked really wet, puddles, and the paper held up, not warped. This is Hobby Lobby’s Master’s Touch brand. 140 lb., premium watercolor pad. I also have a pad of their regular watercolor paper, I’ll try that next. The textures are different.

I revisited two previous works. For the aloe, I used a digital edit. The original is still intact. I like both versions, but I do think the drips competed for attention. I also shortened the small dark leaf. For me, the edit wins.

Day 7 revised, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Day 7, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

I had so much fun with the Paddle Plant. Three cheers for Arches paper, and its ability to take a good scrubbing. I left some of the Indigo, I was afraid to get to close, and ruin a leaf. It acts as a shadow, and I really like that. I do see one area, above the right, top leaf, where I could go back in and soften a little more.

I LOVE the way this turned out. I love the hints of dark beneath. The softness of the wash. It was a fairly thick wash, but it looks translucent. LOVE this!

Day 4, new background, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Below is what was left after I scrubbed the indigo off. I also used some Winsor & Newton Turquoise in areas, and the variation in the stain is interesting. I LOVE this one as well! Crazy right? The neutrals really allow the other colors to pop. It makes me think of a tablecloth in shadow, low light.

Day 4 color removed, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Day 4, FEB C.G., 8 x 8, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

The original has my loyalty as well. I love the dark. And the almost abstract shapes. I really appreciate everyone’s comments in the group. Thank you!