Pretty in Pink Droplet - July 22, 2010
Holiday Dreams - July 21, 2010
Sally Dew Drops - July 21, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Three more additions to my Painting A Day Challenge!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Yesterday's Painting
Liquid Dew Drop - July 20, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Card
ATC Trading Card
I love the fade of blue to violet red and the deep richness of the dark dew drop. Another great addition to my Painting A Day Challenge and the Dew Drop Series.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting
Top Side?
I often get asked by my students, "Which side is the right side and which is the wrong side of the watercolor paper?"
If you are very particular and only want to paint on the top side of the paper, here's a tip for you. Do you purchase your paper in full sheets, then trim them down to quarter sheets to paint?
1. Look for the watermark
2. Using a pencil, lightly mark each corner with a small T.
3. Trim down your paper to quarter sheets.
4. You will now know which side is the top.
Having said all of that, if you're just starting out in watercolor buy high quality 140 lb. 100% cotton rag acid free watercolor paper and use both sides to practice on. The quality of the paper is the most important thing.
Many different brands of watercolor paper have a slightly different finish on both sides. Some manufacturers purposely make one side rougher than the other. Most of the time you can tell the difference between the top and the bottom, because the pulp is spread out onto a screen to dry. But there really isn't a right side and a wrong side to the paper.
Which side do you prefer to paint on?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Analogous Color Palette
Brown Eyed Susan - July 16, 2010
Electric Red Dew Drop - July 17, 2010
Yellow Cosmos - July 18, 2010
Tiny Flowers - July 19, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO = Art Cards, Editions & Originals
ATC = Artist Trading Cards
Playing catch up once again with posting my Painting A Day Challenge. The past four days, I seem to have used the same palette of colors. Enjoy!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Inspired by Current Events
Droplets on Oil Spill - July 15th
Sapphire Dew Drop - July 14th
Cucumber Dill Drop - July 13th
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
My Painting A Day Challenge dew drops from the past three days seem to be inspired by current events and things happening around me. The Cucumber Dill Drop inspired by cucumbers growing in my garden, I cannot wait until they're pickable. I love slicing them thin and marinating them with dill. Sapphire Dew Drop inspired by my gorgeous sapphire ring. Droplets on Oil Spill inspired by news of the oil spill in the Gulf, the well finally being capped.
These dew drops and more from my Painting A Day Challenge can be found for sale in my Squier Etsy Shop.
Have a great day! :)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Whimsical Sunny Flowers
Black Eyed Susan - July 12, 2010
Susie - July 11, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Even during my visit to the Adirondack Mountains I was able to continue my Painting A Day Challenge.
Enjoy!
Adirondack Flowers
Red Bee Balm - July 10, 2010
Trio of Bee Balm - July 10, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Inspired by the Adirondacks
Adirondack Evergreens - July 9, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.50 x 3.5 inches
Spending a few lovely days in the Adirondacks to escape the heat and humidity was fun. No electricity, no hum of the air conditioner, no humidity. Crystal clear water at 74 degrees and nothing but gorgeous sunshine.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting
People SilhouettesNot ready to add people to your watercolor landscapes? Instead of going for the full details, practice making silhouette shapes of people. A tiny little silhouette of a person can add a little life to your landscapes.
Start by making a simple practice background. I chose a sunset on the beach. When the background is completely dry, add the people. Don't forget about scale and depth. People far off in the distance will be smaller than those closer to the viewer.
Create your people in a variety of stances, different poses. Make some people standing still. Some can be walking. Pair an adult with a child. Give them a simple activity. Here I had two of the people flying kites. Ladies can wear skirts.
Practice and have fun with it. When you get the hang of it, don't be afraid to add a little silhouette of a person to one of your landscapes.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
A Cool Violet Blue
Cobalt Dew Drop - July 8, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Card
A refreshing cool violet blue background with a pair of deep cobalt dew drops.
Hope you're keeping cool during the heat wave! We're doing our best to keep cool here.
Wildflowers Flowers
Cosmos 2 - July 6, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Card
I loved the first Cosmos painting done just a few days before, I just had to paint them again!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Hot Hot Orange Dew Drop
Oranges Poranges Drop - July 7, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Card
A hot hot orange dew drop for a very hot hot summer day!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting
Keeping Notes On the back of your watercolor paintings, it's a good idea to write little notes. Keep track of what is important to you.
The title you gave the painting, maybe the date or at least the year you painted it.
Do you keep track of your paintings in a notebook with cataloged numbers? Add the number to the back.
Are you new to painting or have trouble remembering what colors you used? Write the names of colors on the reverse. Maybe you have a favorite color combination that shows up in a lot of your paintings. Or you look at one of your paintings and think wow those colors look great, now which ones did I use?
On the back of all my little ACEOs with an india ink pen, I write the title, the year, my name, my websites. Since they're part of my Painting A Day Challenge I add that too, plus the day I painted the little painting.
I have done all of the above from time to time. My larger paintings get pencilled in catalog numbers on the back and sometimes the title too. Before I really learned my palette, I kept track of the colors I used on the backs of paintings.
I use either 140 lb. or 300 lb. watercolor paper when I paint. I have never had any trouble keeping notes on the backs of my paintings in either pencil or india ink pen. The paper is thick enough pen and pencil lines do not show through to the top side. If you're heavy handed and are afraid, lighten up! It's good to keep little notes.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Independence Day
True Blue Dew Drop July 4, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Hope you had a fun 4th of July and were able to enjoy the fireworks!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Two for Friday July 2
Robin's Egg Blue Drop - July 2, 2010Drops of Water - July 2, 2010
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Paintings
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
ACEO Art Card
These two paintings were done by 8:30 this morning. I painted Robin's Egg Blue Drop first and still felt like painting more. So I started working on Drops of Water and I am so happy with it. I love it! They look so real and three dimensional, dripping down the paper.
Painting A Day in July
Lil Red Flowers - July 1, 2010by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
This little floral painting starts off my Painting A Day Challenge for the month of July, which actually began on February 1, 2010. I am so happy I have decided to keep the Painting A Day Challenge paintings this small miniature size. I do paint larger at times. But this is a nice little size to store and display.
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