Monday, February 28, 2011

...messing around with color.

I've been working with a lot of detail and realism lately, so I checked out of that for a couple of days and went with color and feeling...


Painting 124, "Bird in Deep Night" is simple and primitive...just night colors and a sweet sleeping bird. I didn't use standard shadows...made the bird flat so he's not too real.
(Oil Pastel, 9x12 Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Paper)



Painting 123, "Happy June Cherries" follows the same theme...color and feeling...simple and primitive. Again, no real shading...I wanted the bird flat with energy (can you tell I had just devoured TWO chocolate "fundraiser" bars? Happy February Chocolate was coursing through my veins...).
(Oil Pastel, 9x12 Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Paper)



Painting 122, "Golden-crowned Kinglet in Autumn" is a bright and watery watercolor, but I controlled the second wash in the background by limiting the palette to red and yellow with a heavy pigment load. This painting started as a realistic painting, but I was dead tired and the paintbrush had a life of it's own...going heavy handed after the first detailed pass and then just pouring on color (I don't know why I chose red and yellow...thinking back, it might have been my brain's attempt to grab some energy to try to wake up!)
(Watercolor, 12x16 Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Paper)



Painting 121, "Golden-crowned Kinglet in Monochrome"...no detail...no color. I did this in minutes with two watercolor pencils and a water brush--no under sketch, using just a bit of negative space to define his belly with a cast shadow. I was at Matty's tennis clinic and was drawing in my sketchbook when this simple little Golden-crowned Kinglet popped to mind. I'm so glad I'm not afraid to paint and sketch in public anymore--thanks to the challenge!!
(Watercolor Pencil, 5x7 Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Paper)



Painting 120, "Four Turquoise Hummingbirds" 
...a super fun test painting! Rick gave me a bunch of Daniel Smith Iridescent and Duochrome watercolor paints, and I wanted to see if they really were iridescent. Guess what...they are!! You can't see it in the scan, but the painting fairly glows in the light with every color reflective. I did heighten the reds in the flowers with a bit of regular watercolor, but the iridescent paint underneath still shines through.
(Iridescent Watercolor, 9x12 Arches Cold Pressed 140 lb Paper)

This painting is part of the 100 Painting Challenge. If you want to make art a regular part of your life...join up! This is my second year of the challenge. I'm working on 500 paintings in five years.
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25 comments:

  1. Laure FerlitaFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Love all the freedom and brilliant colors in these. Love the lost edges on the monochrome Kinglet. The colors are gorgeous in all of them.

    Looks like loads of fun!

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  2. Grizz…………February 28, 2011 at 8:58 AM

    Love the simplicity of form and color. I think the two of the golden-crowned kinglet are my favorites. You have a great eye.

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  3. Lois EvensenFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:18 AM

    These are so much fun. The colors with the hummingbirds are so striking. Just beautiful!

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  4. Janice KFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    EAch picture was a joyful surprise. I especially like the night time one, because I often wonder, especially in bad weather, where those little guys are and how they spend the night.

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  5. holdingmomentsFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:32 AM

    Lots of colour; they really brighten a dull day. Love them all.

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  6. TimareeFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:57 AM

    I love them all. The first two are my favorites though. Maybe because of the style and the heavy pastel.

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  7. Cicero SingsFebruary 28, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    I love the two kinglet pictures!

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  8. grammie gFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    HI Kelly... you do make me laugh,...your description are always as fluent as the painting you are doing !! : }}
    Those fundraising bars will do it every time, lack of sleep, anger, slap happy, whatever the emotion may be. :}}}
    I do like them all except the Hummingbirds really through me for a loop..lol
    The monochrome Kinglet is a cutie
    Keep plugging away toward the challenge..♥

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  9. MontanagirlFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:43 PM

    Kelly, I love how you're not afraid to experiment and express yourself! Just gorgeous colors today. And I really am fond of that turquoise hummingbird painting. It's beautiful.

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  10. Warren BakerFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:54 PM

    I dont believe that........I just pushed a chunk of chocolate in my mouth as I read you words :-)

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  11. RoyFebruary 28, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    You really have created a great painting style all of your own Kelly and I see it more and more in each of your successive work.

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  12. Betsy Banks AdamsFebruary 28, 2011 at 3:55 PM

    Gorgeous, Kelly... So many different looks and colors... The little Kinglet looks like he is sitting on the top of water!!!!!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  13. Wanda.....February 28, 2011 at 7:27 PM

    The "Golden-crowned Kinglet in Monochrome" and the "Four Turquoise Hummingbirds" are my favorites.

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  14. forgetmenotFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    Wow--those hummingbirds really stand out--what a colorful, fun painting. Love the Kinglet in Autumn too--beautiful, bright colors. Always enjoy coming to your blog to see what creative things you have done. Never disappointed!!! Mickie

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  15. Susan EllisFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:54 PM

    You're an inspiration Kelly! Love # 121 & 122 especially..and seriously would consider either if they're for sale?
    And, have you surpassed your #100 challenge and are just keeping on?

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  16. ElaineMarch 1, 2011 at 2:36 AM

    What a fun group of paintings! I had a smile on my face all the while I was reading the post. You are setting a wonderful pace too--124 already! I have the feeling it's getting easier for you as you go along. It helps when the paintbrush comes to life and just takes over when you're tired!

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  17. Rural RamblerMarch 1, 2011 at 6:23 AM

    Good Morning Kelly! I love painting 121! Guess what CH and I are going to do today,FINALLY. We are going to look for mats and frames :)

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  18. Kathy A. JohnsonMarch 1, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    Awesome work, Kelly...or should I say play? Because a fun spirit comes through in all of them. I particularly like the golden crowned kinglet in autumn--gorgeous colors and sweet little bird.

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  19. GainaMarch 1, 2011 at 2:56 PM

    The hummingbird picture is particularly stunning!

    You are making me seriously contemplate breaking out my paints again at the first sign of nice weather :D

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  20. MargaretMarch 2, 2011 at 12:38 AM

    So free and alive! I just had so much fun looking at them all. And I loved the ugly-cute black vulture, too.

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  21. EMarch 2, 2011 at 11:43 PM

    Well done, dear Kelly, thanks for let us see your lovely paintings. Congrats and hugs.

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  22. DaveMarch 4, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    Your work is always great! I love the modern works, lots of emotion in them!

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  23. ChadMarch 4, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    I love the Golden-crowned Kinglet in Autumn! Very, very cool!

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  24. Angela SullivanMarch 14, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    Truly the bold and the beautiful.

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  25. AnonymousDecember 22, 2011 at 6:26 PM

    These are some of my favourites, especially "what the heck is this mess?" Inspiring.

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