As well as painting my own subjects I find it really valuable to try exercises that you may not necessarily choose yourself - so each month I make time to do some watercolour exercises that Judith Farnworth posts in the Loose Group on Paint my Photo - sometimes they work out - sometimes they don't - but I try not to get too frustrated about it! A couple of months ago I tried and tried to paint a conch shell but wasn't pleased with any of the results - and of course everyone else's attempts were great! - but such is life - I will go back to that damn shell at some point - I'm stubborn like that!!! I think there may be another post in there somewhere, showcasing my disastrous attempts at paintng a conch!!!! Anyway I'm rambling, back to this post!! ........one of the exercises Judith chose for this month was some fish on ice - from a photo by Ruth Archer. There were so many lovely colours in the fish so I wanted to get those in and create an impression of ice for the bg. I worked on this this afternoon - and actually quite pleased with it and may go on to do a small series of fish paintings ...... that's another great thing about doing these exercises - you find that you actually enjoy painting a subject that you may not have thought of - and then that can lead you in another direction in your art - which is great! Maybe the opposite is also true and I should stay away from painting subjects that drive me bananas - like conch shells!!!!
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Silver Darlings from a photo by Ruth Archer
by Sharon Whitley the rambling artist |
The other exercise I did was a poppy - I wanted this to be pretty loose so I gave myself a time limit so I wouldn't fiddle - so this was painted in around 20 minutes I think. Thank you Judith for choosing such great subjects this month - have really enjoyed painting them!
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Poppy explosion from Marilyn's lovely photo
by Sharon Whitley the rambling artist |
click here for a link to Judith Farnworth's blog site
click here for a link to Paint my Photo
As always I really look forward to your comments
I love the looseness and clean colors of the poppy. Wow 20 min, nice work!
ReplyDeletethank you Karen x
DeleteBoth the fish and the poppy are great! I had a go at the poppy but it is like your conch shell. :) And the reference of the fish is waiting for a try. I love your impression of ice!
ReplyDeleteLol Judy - aargh those wretched conch shells! Hope you don't have as much trouble with your poppy and I'm sure you won't - good luck xx
ReplyDeleteHello Sharon!I love cool colours palette of fishes!Beautiful loose brilliant watercolours,very well done !!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for links!
Hello Rita and thank you for the lovely comments. Glad you like the links
DeleteLas dos acuarelas son muy buenas, los peces están fantásticos!
ReplyDeleteHola Tina - Gracias por sus lindos comentarios! Que tengas un buen dia x
DeleteSharon....my favourite colour by a mile is - and always has been - red and your Poppy is best described as brilliant, and I don't mean brilliant red, I mean brilliant painting....luv it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Pete - I know the perfect Christmas card for you then when the time comes - Gary will know which one I mean!
DeleteCertainly do know which one, love both of these, you keep on amazing me xx
DeleteWithout words you let me, symple wonderfull.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words Eva
DeleteSharon, I really admire the way that you challenge yourself this way, you have completely 'nailed' those fish - wonderful! I bet your conch shell was a lot better than you let-on too but I know what you mean; I find it hard to like so many of my own attempts.
ReplyDeleteHi Jerry! good to see you here - yes we are our own worst critics aren't we, I'm sure the dreaded conches will make an appearance on the blog soon!
DeleteHello Sharon:) Maybe the shell didn't work out, the fish sure did!! Lovely with all those colors. And the poppy is amazing! Compliments:)
ReplyDeleteHello Renate, so pleased you like them both, thank you again for dropping in and commenting x
DeleteMaravillosos pescados y amapola! Enhorabuena. Feliz noche.
ReplyDeleteGracias Sonia x
DeleteExcellent!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bob, great to see you here!
DeleteLoving your watercolor work - both of these are well done and so different :) The fish remind me of a lot of work done by Jeanette Jobson on her blog - she's into fish!
ReplyDeleteYes I know Jeanette through Paint my Photo and I think she may have done an oil painting from this same reference. Her work is superb. Thanks for dropping by, love your blog!
DeleteThe colors you used in the fish are wonderful...but the poppy captures my soul. Wonderful, clean, bright reds. The way you lost some edges appeals to me too. Watercolor at its best!
ReplyDeletewhat lovely comments Julie - thank you so much, I love painting with reds
DeleteAnother really good blog Sharon and I can say that your conch was not as bad as you are suggesting and these are both tremendous... the poppy is beautiful and vibrant, red isn't an easy colour to paint with but you have done it superbly here and the fish so different but so well painted... it is really good to see you back with such force!!!! Onwards and upwards!!
ReplyDeleteThank so you for the link by the way..... one or two people have visited my blog directly from here, good idea to post at the bottom of the page, will do that on mine next time!!
thank you Judith, I've got you to thank for the subjects, will definitely be doing more fish, they really appealed to me for some reason! Good to hear you've had a few visitors from here too!
DeleteLooking at your work on the challenges inspires me to get back at it. Nice and refreshing to do something you wouldn't choose and you always lean so much and it is so exciting to see how someone else handles the same picture -aren't creative people just the best!! For 18 months into this painting part of your life I am glad you found it as it is exciting for us to watch you bloom.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for you kind words Nelvia, I'm so grateful to you for taking the time to leave the comments you have tonight, have a lovely day
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