Shall I sign it? Is it done?

So, let's refresh our memories with the fact that, when I left you last, I had just removed my masking fluid from the whole painting.  (In case you've forgotten, this painting measures 30"h x 40"w.)

My very next step was to add blues to the middle and foreground, in an attempt to create a lovely "S" intro into the painting.  I'm trying to lead your eye to my (eventual) focal point.  (I had another ulterior motive for the S. I'm hoping to break up the horizontal bands with something that looks at least a little bit vertical.)

Now it felt like the areas that previously had masking on them were too distinct.  Below I added color to them. Then I softened the two bottom waves.  And lastly, I added more bright colors to the top wave so that there was no doubt what I wanted you to end up looking at.

This one's going to need a title.  Any ideas???

Per my usual M.O., I'm going to live with this version of completion for now and see if it talks to me some more tomorrow.  I'm thinking all it needs is a signature and a title!  Before I sign off for tonight, I thought you might want to see the three brushes I used throughout this painting.  Even though it's a large canvas, I chose these smaller brushes in order to be able to work in and around some of the smaller tidbits of color that I put throughout the painting.  

- The bottom brush is a Royal Langnickel SG250 (size #3 round).  A $3.50 brush that I absolutely love.

- The middle brush is an Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum round (no size written on it but I'm guessing maybe a 6 or an 8).  Thank you, Anne P., for this gift!! 

- The top brush is a Rosemary & Co 1/2" Sable Blend Dagger SLR 772. Price is $15 (plus shipping from England).

Thanks for sticking with me.  Now, does anybody have a title for me?????

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The mask is gone!!!

The "voice" won out! (You may read yesterday's post HERE)

Here is a pic of where my painting was, as of last evening.

And below is what the painting looks like today, with the masking fluid removed. Dramatically different, no!?  

This is very much STILL  a work-in-progress.
Check back and see what I do next!

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It's time to think about Venice in 2017.  Come paint with me! 

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Forming those waves.

Here's where we left off yesterday.

And below is what I just did.  I added darker color (less water) to the ocean between the waves.  I am SOOO dying to take off the masking fluid over the whole thing.  I get to a point where I can't determine what to do next without seeing what it looks like without the mask.  I'll probably ignore that "voice in my head" a tad longer whilst working on the painting some more, but if it won't shut up, I'll happily give in!

And now for a couple of photos of me down by the beach.  Yes, it does get cold here during the winter months.  Not as bad as elsewhere and I'll be eternally grateful to my husband for making this move here with me!!!

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It's time to think about Venice in 2017.  Come paint with me! 

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Darkening the Ocean

Like you (I suspect) I continually struggle with "available" technologies (I can't even call them "new" technologies just because I've never partaken....right?).  I really wanted to create a GIF of the step-by-step photos for you so it's easier to see the transitions.  I did manage to download a GIF program and then I couldn't figure out where it got saved on my laptop.  So goes my life!

Here, instead, are the next 2 steps of my painting.  In the second one, I've gone over the existing colors at the very bottom with a wash of Winsor & Newton Payne's Gray and W&N Indigo (not over the whole thing, just where I wanted it darker).  I'm hoping you can see the difference (?).  

  

For now I'm happy with the result.  I always reserve the right to go back in there at a later time.  Next step:  darken that next section right above the bottom wave to make the wave pop out. The white of that wave is NOT done.  I needed some darks around it, in order to judge what to do next.  (Maybe I'll figure out how to create that GIF as well!  Any suggestions as to a good program to use?)

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It's time to think about Venice in 2017.  Come paint with me! 

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Let's finish this Painting!

I'm temporarily putting aside some smaller paintings I've started so I can hopefully finish this 30"h x 40" wide piece that I started a while back.  My brain really has to do some adjusting when I make a switch like that. Do you find that's true for you? 

Here's my first wash (which means a layer of color).  I used Winsor & Newton Permanent Rose, Cadmium Yellow, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue and a touch of Holbein Mineral Violet.  The substrate is a Fredrix archival watercolor canvas, gallery-wrapped, so I've painted onto the sides of the canvas as I move around the painting to be sure it's integrated into the final result. (Notice that I've got some masking fluid in the white sections of the waves.)

First I painted the sky.  I used some Holbein Lavender Blue with cerulean blue.  After that dried, I taped off the horizon line (on the sky side, making very sure it was level) with blue painter's tape. I rubbed on the tape with my thumb to ensure no water could seep under it.  I painted the ocean a brilliant blue with the addition of Peacock blue, along with the other blues already mentioned.  I apply darker tones of the same colors into the wave at top (darker tones are achieved by using less water).  You can definitely paint over your first wash if you're careful.  It takes practice not to remove what you've already put down (more so than when you're painting on paper).  No amount of reading will make it magically happen for you.  

Here I'm working on the bottom area, getting it darker.  I've covered the top area with a plastic bag so I don't splash anything on there by mistake.  I sometimes tend to "throw" color into the paint puddles.  

Here's a close up of the darker water at the bottom.  You can actually SEE the texture of the canvas in this shot.

I'll keep painting now, and I'll keep posting.  Let me know if you'd like to sign up for my blog posts so that they come directly to your email inbox.  And definitely feel free to leave me Comments (if you're receiving this via email, you can click on the blue title at the top and it'll take you to my blog where you can post a comment).  I like it when Art becomes a Conversation!  What are you thinking?

www.helenKbeacham.com

It's time to think about Venice in 2017.  Come paint with me! 

Check out my classes HERE.   

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Inspired by Others in Cyberspace

There's an artist, Brenda Swenson, whose blog I follow.  Today she posted that one of her paintings (and how it was created) is featured in the online magazine "Inspired", a free e-mag of www.ArtistsNetwork.com.  

 "Forbidden Fruit" by Brenda Swenson.

While you're on the "Inspired" website, click to page 40 where you'll see an image of a rolling wave by Amy K. Sanders, a pastel artist.  It reminded me of one of my past paintings called "Before the Storm".  Every artist brings their own interpretation to similar subjects!  I'm not able to download Amy's image for you to see, so you'll have to click on the "Inspired" link to see it on p.40.  But it's worth the trip!  Here's my image for you to compare:

"Before the Storm" (watercolor) by Helen K. Beacham - Sold.

Come with me (Helen K. Beacham) and Kelly Medford to paint Venice this October...

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Pretty in Blue

A blast from the past!  Went through my old "transparencies" (anyone remember those days?) when I came across this painting that I had already forgotten about.  Since I've lost track of who owns this piece, let me know if it's You!