DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?

Many painters like to create their own greeting cards. However, I find that painting really small is MUCH more difficult than painting really big, so cards can be a challenge for me. I used to paint an original Christmas card for every person in my classes, (but now we don't even send out Christmas cards.... shame on us.)

Each year, one of my friends reproduces a picture that one of her grandkids paints then sends them for her holiday cards. I love that idea because the card is so fresh, plus that child has been encouraged to be creative and expressive with such a positive focus on art.

The painting posted here was one of the demos for Christmas cards at our watercolor meeting this week. The size is bigger than a regular card for the sake of the demo. I splattered miskit, tiny specks of it, in the sky, and miskited the edges of the lambs, plus all of the star. Can you imagine a star that bright? Absolutely awesome.

"DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?" Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140# about 6 x 9"

YUPO PRIMARY CHRISTMAS

Yesterday we had our monthly Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society meeting at the Cincinnati Art Club and worked on making our own Christmas cards. After I demo-ed two cards, Judy asked if I would do a demo on YUPO. No problem! She gave me a sheet of her YUPO (I had none with me) and requested I do some Christmas ornaments. What do you think? The ornaments are my three favorite primary colors - quinacridone magenta, turquoise and hansa yellow - so the title was a snap. I'll post the other two cards soon.
"PRIMARILY CHRISTMAS" Transparent Watercolor on Yupo - about 7 x 6"

A FAVORITE PAINTING

Taken from high in the bleachers at the Brickyard 400, this bird's eye view just had to be painted....on YUPO. It's my husband's favorite painting, and since today's his birthday, I thought it was appropriate to post it.

Happy birthday, Honey!

"ON PATROL" Transparent Watercolor with Texture Medium on YUPO 14 x 25"

YUPO = PAINTING FEARLESSLY

"OVER THE RHINO" Transparent Watercolor on YUPO 25 x 11" SOLD - Giglees are available
This old girl in the Cincinnati Zoo seemed to like showing off her old, wrinkled skin, and I couldn't wait to paint her. First I tackled the background area, letting the paint have its way with a little encouragement from gravity.
Mixing sedimentary colors with juicy puddles of the more finely ground colors, like Phthalos and Quinacridones, resulted in fascinating textures on YUPO ..... making it totally fun to watch paint dry. YUPO 'paper' won't let the color soak in, so the colors stay brilliant and strong. It's a perfect surface for making the wildest textures. If you paint in watercolor, I really encourage you to play with YUPO. I call it FEAR FREE watercolor, because anything can be changed/fixed/washed off! Go for it!