WATER COLOUR LEARNING LOG - ONE A WEEK WATER COLOUR PAINTING CHALLENGE 2018
For motivation, I decided on this challenge - one water-colour painting to be completed at the end of each week for 2018. - Apart from the abstracts, these scenes are painted using my own photographs - so they are my interpretation of the world from my own particular perspective.
Some of them will need more work when the challenge has been completed as I am learning from the exercise and have no knowledge or experience of water-colour painting.
all are A4 size on paper unless otherwise stated and all are for sale.
One and only water colour painting - a gift to a friend:
All of the following are A4 and for sale unframed but mounted as shown below. (Some of the recent paintings are A5 size.
25th FEBRUARY 2018
4TH MARCH 2018
11 TH MARCH 2018
15th APRIL 2018
It feels a little like taking three steps forward and two backward! Must keep going - still playing catch up!
8th September
This took much more time than I had hoped. I'm not entirely satisfied with the outcome but still learning. A lot of drawing here and some of the lines are not as they should be. Also the colours could be less uniform. Having said that I like the distant mountain slope and some of the buildings.
15th September
22nd September
29th September
Still catching up - only 5 behind schedule. Like the little engine...I think I can, I think I can...
6th October
13th October
20th October
4 Behind schedule but one on the easel - almost done! Must keep going!
27th October
10th November
17th November
24th November
1st December
8th December
15th December
Some of them will need more work when the challenge has been completed as I am learning from the exercise and have no knowledge or experience of water-colour painting.
all are A4 size on paper unless otherwise stated and all are for sale.
One and only water colour painting - a gift to a friend:
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| Seamus at work (gifted to a friend in 2016) |
All of the following are A4 and for sale unframed but mounted as shown below. (Some of the recent paintings are A5 size.
So here we go:
7TH JANUARY 2018
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| HAG'S HEAD, CLIFFS OF MOHER, CO. CLARE (€75) |
14TH JANUARY 2018
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| FAMINE COTTAGE, KNOCKFEIRNA, CO. LIMERICK (€75)◍SOLD |
21ST JANUARY 2018
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| GALWAY HOOKERS, KINVARRA, CO. GALWAY (€75) |
28TH JANUARY 2018
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| SURFING AT SUNSET, LAHINCH, CO. CLARE (€75) |
4TH FEBRUARY 2018
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| STROLL AT DUSK, LAHINCH BEACH CO. CLARE (€90) |
11TH FEBRUARY 2018
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| BRIDGE OVER RIVER INAGH, LAHINCH, CO. CLARE (€100) |
18th FEBRUARY 2018
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| SKELLIG ROCKS, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL (€100) |
25th FEBRUARY 2018
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| APPROACHING THE ROCK, SKELLIGS (€100) |
4TH MARCH 2018
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| THE PLASSEY, INIS ÓIRR (€100) |
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| BROKEN WING (€100) ◍SOLD |
18th MARCH 2018
25TH MARCH 2018
1st APRIL 2018
8th APRIL 2018
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| LAHINCH BEACH (€120) |
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| THE REFLECTION OF NARCISSUS (€120) |
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| CONNEMARRA (€120) ◍SOLD |
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| THE REEKS & LAKES, CO. KERRY FROM TORC MOUNTAIN (€120) |
15th APRIL 2018
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| LAHINCH AT DUSK FROM THE BRIDGE (€130) A4 & A5 Prints available also. |
22ND APRIL 2018
29TH APRIL 2018
6th MAY
13th MAY
20th MAY
27TH MAY
3rd JUNE
I seem to be a little ahead of time. Once you get into a rhythm of painting, a process develops...the more you learn, the more apparent it becomes how little you actually know...the ability to draw seems to be crucial to this medium, there's nowhere to hide, no room for error!
Step 1
The first step in the process is choosing your subject - what do you want to paint? Chose well and absorb it for some time, perhaps a few days.
I snapped this beautiful swan a couple of years ago. I kept the photo until I had acquired sufficent skills to draw it. I'm not sure how successful it is but I actually like it.
10TH JUNE
Still a little ahead of the challenge. Not sure I like this result but the photo has been in my file for a few years. I snapped it at O'Brien's longhouse in Cratloe Woods, Limerick while out on a plein air day with my painting mentor Roger McCarthy.
17th JUNE
Step 2
The next step is deciding on your support. Good quality watercolour paper is my current option. I bought an A3 pad and I cut each sheet in half. So you end up with two roughly A4 size supports from your A3 paper sheet. I use the textured side of the paper. Secure your support to a flat even board using masking tape and your are ready to go.
Step 3
Now you're ready to start. First design your picture. What will be the focal point, vanishing point, horizon line - think about the Golden Rule. In the picture of Mullagh Mór the horizon line is two thirds up the picture plane and the sky fills approximately one third. Roughly draw in your horizon line and draw your picture using HB2 or HB3 pencil with light outlines. When you are happy with your drawing leave it for a while to let it settle in your mind before applying paint.
Step 4
Decide which direction the light is coming from and apply masking fluid to the areas to be highlighted, making sure to allow it to dry completely. Use an old brush and rinse it thoroughly.
24th JUNE
Sept 5
Mix your chosen colours for the first layer and apply - working from the top of the picture plane to the bottom. You can use a hair-drier to speed up the drying process. But better to allow to dry naturally. Not every attempt will be successful. However every attempt will teach you something. If you prefer you can wet the paper before applying the first layer.
Using lemon yellow or similar it would be wise to apply the spots of the picture plane where the light hits. At the same time prussian blue or similar could be applied to indicate the areas to be in shade.
31 st JUNE
7th July
14th July
The latter two paintings are the products of my imagination and started out as blobs of colour on a white surface. Its amazing what happens when you allow your imagination to take over!
21st July
28th July
4th August
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| SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EYREES & KENMARE,( €130) |
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| George's Head, Kilkee (€150) |
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| Sunset on Mutton Island (€120) |
13th MAY
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| POL NO BRÓN, THE BURREN, CO. CLARE (€150) |
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| INIS ÓIRR LIGHHOUSE (€120) |
27TH MAY
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| HILL SHEEP, SHEEP'S HEAD, WEST CORK (€150) |
I seem to be a little ahead of time. Once you get into a rhythm of painting, a process develops...the more you learn, the more apparent it becomes how little you actually know...the ability to draw seems to be crucial to this medium, there's nowhere to hide, no room for error!
Step 1
The first step in the process is choosing your subject - what do you want to paint? Chose well and absorb it for some time, perhaps a few days.
I snapped this beautiful swan a couple of years ago. I kept the photo until I had acquired sufficent skills to draw it. I'm not sure how successful it is but I actually like it.
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| Grooming Swan, Currachase (€200) |
Still a little ahead of the challenge. Not sure I like this result but the photo has been in my file for a few years. I snapped it at O'Brien's longhouse in Cratloe Woods, Limerick while out on a plein air day with my painting mentor Roger McCarthy.
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| All that is Left (€150) |
17th JUNE
Step 2
The next step is deciding on your support. Good quality watercolour paper is my current option. I bought an A3 pad and I cut each sheet in half. So you end up with two roughly A4 size supports from your A3 paper sheet. I use the textured side of the paper. Secure your support to a flat even board using masking tape and your are ready to go.
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| Mullach Mór in the Blue Hour, The Burren (€120) |
Now you're ready to start. First design your picture. What will be the focal point, vanishing point, horizon line - think about the Golden Rule. In the picture of Mullagh Mór the horizon line is two thirds up the picture plane and the sky fills approximately one third. Roughly draw in your horizon line and draw your picture using HB2 or HB3 pencil with light outlines. When you are happy with your drawing leave it for a while to let it settle in your mind before applying paint.
Step 4
Decide which direction the light is coming from and apply masking fluid to the areas to be highlighted, making sure to allow it to dry completely. Use an old brush and rinse it thoroughly.
24th JUNE
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| Wild Meadow Flowers of The Burren (€120) |
Sept 5
Mix your chosen colours for the first layer and apply - working from the top of the picture plane to the bottom. You can use a hair-drier to speed up the drying process. But better to allow to dry naturally. Not every attempt will be successful. However every attempt will teach you something. If you prefer you can wet the paper before applying the first layer.
Using lemon yellow or similar it would be wise to apply the spots of the picture plane where the light hits. At the same time prussian blue or similar could be applied to indicate the areas to be in shade.
31 st JUNE
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| Mullach Mór (2) €150 A4 & A5 Prints available also |
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| Matthew 5:30 (If thy hand offend thee - cut it off!) €150 |
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| Spirit Tamed €200 |
21st July
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| Taurus - Young White Bull with full Moon €150 |
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| Storm Clouds over Lahinch €150 |
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| Monbretia - Harbinger of Autumn €150 |
11th August
So I have fallen far behind in my challenge but i've taken it up again and swear to catch up :-). While painting with my friend last night I used her beautiful photo as inspiration - needs work but must press on. I'm eight pictures behind and seem to be suffering from some kind of block. It may have something to do with the busy in-between time of year. So just to get re-started here we go:
18th August
25th August
So I have fallen far behind in my challenge but i've taken it up again and swear to catch up :-). While painting with my friend last night I used her beautiful photo as inspiration - needs work but must press on. I'm eight pictures behind and seem to be suffering from some kind of block. It may have something to do with the busy in-between time of year. So just to get re-started here we go:
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| Geraldine's Place - NFS |
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| Pansies €80.00 |
25th August
My results have taken a bit of a nose-drive since the summer but I will keep trying. I'm playing catch-up with all of September and half of October to cover. Six paintings behind schedule but one on the easel which will mean 5 really - But here goes for now:
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| Iris - €100.00 |
1st September
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| 'Some of us are looking at the Stars' €100 |
8th September
This took much more time than I had hoped. I'm not entirely satisfied with the outcome but still learning. A lot of drawing here and some of the lines are not as they should be. Also the colours could be less uniform. Having said that I like the distant mountain slope and some of the buildings.
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| Eyrees €150 |
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| Spanish Point - a bit of training - €120 |
22nd September
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| Spanish Point at Dusk - €160 A4 & A5 Prints available also |
Still catching up - only 5 behind schedule. Like the little engine...I think I can, I think I can...
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| Under the Bridge at Lahinch €150 |
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| Sunflowers €150 |
13th October
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| Sea Pinks €180 |
4 Behind schedule but one on the easel - almost done! Must keep going!
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| Sea Pinks - Clinging to the rocks €120 Worked late last night on this and finished it this morning! |
3 Behind with one on the easel!
3rd November
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| Autumn Glory - €150 |
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| Amanita Muscaria (1) €100 (A5 size) A4 & A5 Prints available also |
10th November
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| Amanita Muscaria (2) €100 (A5 size) A4 & A5 Prints available also |
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| Under the Trees (A5 size) €100 A4 & A5 Prints available also |
24th November
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| Under the Trees (2) as above A4 & A5 Prints available also |
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| Yin Yang €150 |
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| Robin in snow €90 |
Only two to go:
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| Christmas Rose €75 |
22nd December
Amost there, one to go!!! I did fix the clouds in this as they look muddied. But can't stop to upload the newer version! Working on a small gift for Christmas and then my last watercolour of the year!
29th December
So no. 52 completed. Challenge completed. Its only fitting that in my first watercolour the subject is a male and the last one in the challenge is another male! Although there's one more on the easel which I would like to include to bring the challenge to a close at the beginning of January...
Amost there, one to go!!! I did fix the clouds in this as they look muddied. But can't stop to upload the newer version! Working on a small gift for Christmas and then my last watercolour of the year!
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| Back to Hags Head €190 |
29th December
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| The Cellist - NFS |
So no. 52 completed. Challenge completed. Its only fitting that in my first watercolour the subject is a male and the last one in the challenge is another male! Although there's one more on the easel which I would like to include to bring the challenge to a close at the beginning of January...
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