Lying Around WIP Part 3 - Stripes!

I never would've guessed how long it would take to paint the stripes I painted last night (about 2 hours). Maybe I just wasn't focusing well because I was listening to music too, but, anyway, I'm making progress. ;)

Lying Around WIP Part 2

Both girls' faces are now done. Started working on the stripes today. Not a quick thing painting stripes. I am getting some beautiful pinks with scarlet lake, permanent rose, rose madder and cadmium orange. Back to painting....

Lying Around WIP

I'm really liking this painting so far....I got the value of the washes on the skin right the first time which made me very happy. It's looking really clean and coming together quite nicely. Can't wait to do some more. Stay tuned...

12 x 16 watercolor on 140lb Arches cold press

Illustration Friday "Subtract"

Subtract: to take away; deduct


I drew this quickly in my sketchbook and then used watercolor pencils to color it.

Double Portrait WIP Finished

Portrait WIP - Part 2

Last night, I worked some more on the little girl's dress, the little boy's face and the background, but I'll need to do something wth that green between the heads. Stay tuned....

New Double Portrait Work in Progress

I thought I'd post a WIP of the portrait commission I'm working on. It's roughly 12 x 16 painted on Arches 140 lb cold press. I think these kids look like "Hummel" figurines. They're so darn cute.


I am working from a photograph but I'm trying really hard not to make it look "hard" like many watercolor portraits I see that are painted from photographs. I let some of my first washes go over the lines and blend into the background. I will also soften the hair into the background in some places. I seem to stay with the same palette for most portraits (alizarin crimson and new gamboge for the first wash on the face; alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, cobalt blue, sap green, burnt umber, rose madder, perm. rose on the face; new gamboge, quinacridone gold, raw sienna, raw umber, burnt umber for the hair). I can't take any credit for these colors as I've studied with Jan Kunz and this is her palette but it's one I'm comfortable with.