Thank you

Marigolds - May 29, 2010

Plum Posies - May 30, 2010

Memorial Day Bouquet - May 31, 2010

A simple thank you to the men and women who serve and to those who have served our great country.

Friday and the Painting A Day Challenge

Vatten Dew Drops - May 28, 2010

Dirty Blue Dew Drop - May 28, 2010

Agua Dew Drops - May 28, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Three more for the Dew Drop Series and my Painting A Day Challenge. Blue in honor of our true blue heroes, in support of our troops for this approaching Memorial Day Weekend, now and always.

Thursday's Painting

Steel Blue Dew Drop - May 27, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Today's Painting A Day Challenge Painting ... I simply love the colors in this little painting! I enjoyed painting this little painting this afternoon. Getting access to my computer to upload it here is the biggest challenge since I have a kitty who has decided laying across the keyboard and mouse pad is the perfect place to take a nap.

Paintings for May 25th & 26th

Olive Drab Dew Drop - May 25, 2010

Smokey Dew Drop - May 26, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two single dew drop paintings done on two different but very hot days. It's May isn't it? We're already testing the air conditioning. Trying to figure out the automatic settings, very different for the automatic settings for heat. I love these two paintings!

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Two Lamps

I have my drafting table set up with two adjustable arm task lamps. It is so important to have good lighting as you paint. It is a bonus to have two lamps that you can adjust as you need to while working. The window in the photo faces East and then there is one to the right which faces South. The natural lighting changes in my studio through out the day, it is nice to be able to adjust my lamps as I need to do so. It is good to be able to see what you are doing!

Two Paintings for Monday

Sandy Dew Drops - May 24, 2010

Dew Drops in Grey - May 24, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two paintings added to my Painting A Day Challenge on Monday. I love the earth tones in these two pieces. They're done on my favorite watercolor paper, Saunders Waterford 140 lb. 100% cotton rag cold pressed paper.

Sunday's Watercolor Painting

Sunday's Bouquet - May 23, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO - ATC

A lovely little floral bouquet perfect for any Sunday. A great addition to my Painting A Day Challenge.

Painting A Day Challenge May 22nd

Dusty Plum Dew Drop - May 22, 2010

Dusty Blue Dew Drop - May 22, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

The Painting A Day Challenge continues with two more for Saturday May 22nd. These two would look great matted and framed together. I think they were meant to be a pair!

Daily Paintings for May 21st

Dew Drops on Citrine - May 21, 2010

Smokey Blue Dew Drops - May 21, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two perfect little original watercolor ACEO, ATC paintings.

ACEO = Art Cards, Editions & Originals

ATC = Artist Trading Cards

Required element is the size 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

All of my ACEOs and ATCs are original watercolor paintings.

Support Artists, Buy Original Art!

Painting A Day Challenge for May 20th

Plum Wine Dew Drop - May 20, 2010

Moss Green Dew Drops - May 20, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

It is so exciting when I list a painting for sale in my Etsy shop and it sells within a few hours! This is the case for Plum Wine Dew Drops. It sold quickly! So, if you find a dew drop you like, snatch it up right away. Sometimes they sell quickly.

Visit my Etsy Shop to find my Painting A Day Challenge Paintings for sale and lots more!

Weekend Fun

Early Sunday morning we got to ride in a hot air balloon. It was so much fun. This past week, we have celebrated our anniversary and a few family birthdays too. Over the weekend was a big family party, celebrating my father-in-law's birthday and topped off with balloon rides in the early morning hours and a longer ride in the evening.

Painting for May 18th

Terracotta Dew Drop - May 18, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.50 x 3.5 inches

Tuesday's Painting A Day Challenge. I love the orangey-brown earth tones of this piece.

Our Wedding Anniversary

Anniversary Bouquet - May 19, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Wednesday, May 19th was our wedding anniversary. We celebrated by taking a drive to Hyde Park, New York and we had lunch at the Apple Pie Bakery at the Culinary Institute. It was amazing. After we had our delicious lunch, we chose a few pastries to bring home. We also stopped in the bookstore and found a little china cream pitcher and matching tea bag holder.

The Culinary Institute has several restaurants. It's fun to walk down the hallway and see inside the kitchens and classrooms. It is on Route 9 not too far from the Vanderbilt Mansion. I cannot wait to go back again!

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Using the Grid Method

If you have trouble transferring your drawing or sketch to your watercolor paper, whether you draw first or simply paint here's a good tip. Fold your drawing in half and then in half again, in both directions, horizontally and vertically. If your drawing does not go all the way to the edge of the page, make sure your second fold in each direction lines up with the edge of the sketch and not the edge of the paper. If you don't want to fold up your sketch, make a photocopy of the sketch and fold that. When you unfold it, you now have a grid.

Tape your watercolor paper to a board. Now make tic marks on the tape. Use a ruler if you need to. First make a mark at the half way point on each side. I made the half way mark tics longer than the other tics. Then on the tape only, mark your corners and then make a tic half the distance from the corner to the half way mark. Don't draw a grid on your paper, instead visualize it using the tic marks on the tape.

Now sketch out your drawing lightly in pencil using the the folded grid and the tic mark grid as a guide. Or paint without drawing first, yet still using the grid method as a guide.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy painting!

Two More Dew Drops

Turquoise Droplet - May 17, 2010

Spring Green Dew Drop - May 16, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two more dew drops for my Painting A Day Challenge and the popular Dew Drop series. They're becoming popular around the world!

Spring Green Dew Drop was painted Sunday evening, after having toured Thomas Cole's home and Cedar Grove followed by a tour of Frederick Church's Olana.

May 15th the Watercolors are in Bloom

Forsythia in Bloom - May 15, 2010

Pink Dogwood in Bloom - May 15, 2010

Lilacs in Bloom - May 15, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

A trio of flowering trees which can also be found in my gardens. I love the blooming trees of springtime. A lovely addition to my Painting A Day Challenge.

Two Paintings for May 14th

Violet Crimson Drops - May 14, 2010

Violet Crimson Dew Drop - May 14, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.50 x 3.5 inches

I had so much fun painting these two little pieces!

Last Class

Take Flight Seagull

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 11 x 15 inches

This is the painting I came up with for my last watercolor painting class of this 8 week session. I think it came out great and my students all did a fabulous job on this project! And, no I did not take pictures of their work. I always forget to do stuff like that.

This painting was painted on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.

Watercolor on the 13th

Dew Drop in Gray - May 13, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Today's Painting A Day Challenge is a dew drop painted with three different brands of Payne's Gray paint. Even though they are all labeled Payne's gray, they definitely have different hues. I love the way this one turned out. I was inspired by one of my own Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for watercolor painting.

Dew Drops in Pink

Dusty Rose Dew Drops - May 10, 2010

Pink Dew Drop - May 11, 2010

Rosey Pink Droplet - May 12, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

For the love of all things pink!

Find these miniature works of art in my Etsy Shop!

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Popped a Dried Color?

I squeeze tube watercolor paint into my palette and allow them to dry completely before I use them. After a while, some colors tend to dry harder than other colors. The plastic palettes flex a bit, with traveling or even just moving them around the studio, it's rare but sometimes a hardened color will pop out of its well.

There's a simple solution to replacing a popped color:

1. Don't discard the popped color.

2. Clean the empty well with a wet brush and then wipe it out with a tissue or damp sea sponge.

3. Using clean water, brush across the bottom and sides of the hard paint.

4. Press firmly back into place.

Allow it to dry and you're back in business. Wetting the bottom of the dried paint will cause it to get sticky enough to stick back in place.

Mother's Day Watercolor

Golden Dew Drop - May 9, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Painted on the morning of Mother's Day, aren't all mothers golden?

Daily Painting May 7th and 8th

Round Droplet - May 8, 2010

Magical Water Drop - May 7, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two more interesting additions to the popular Dew Drop Series.

Two Paintings for May 6th

Forest Green Droplet - May 6, 2010

Golden Poppies - May 6, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Two paintings done on May 6th for my Painting A Day Challenge, a dew drop and a floral bouquet of expressive golden poppies.

May 5th Daily Watercolor Painting

Deep Blue Water Drop - May 5, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

I just love the deep blue color and the roundness of this spherical water drop. The background is amazing as well. A great addition to my Painting A Day Challenge.

I'm working hard at getting my blog caught up with my daily paintings.

May 3rd and 4th Watercolor Paintings

Lilacs - May 3, 2010

The Scent of French Lilacs - May 4, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

The beauty of lilacs are featured in these miniature works of art. I was inspired by the lilacs growing in my garden. The variety in the shades of lavender is so lovely and the scent is amazing. Come to think of it, I do not have any white lilac trees. I may have to find someone willing to give me or trade a seedling.

Painting A Day Challenge Continues in May

Dark Secret Drop - May 2, 2010

Crimson Violet Drops - May 1, 2010

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Paintings

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

ACEO Art Card, Artist Card

ATC Artist Trading Card

My Painting A Day Challenge continues through the month of May. Finding time each day to paint is beginning to become a little trickier as the weather becomes warmer and my schedule fills up more and more. I am finding the time to paint, it's finding the time to up load and show off the paintings on my blog that is even trickier! I do love to create a new painting daily.

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Payne's Gray or Payne's Grey

Not only does the color of this particular watercolor pigment vary from brand to brand but so does the spelling of the name. Some would even say it's not even a gray at all. MaimeriBlu's Payne's Grey leans more to the blue side, it's a very deep dark blue. Winsor & Newton's Payne's Gray also leans to the blue side but with a slight almost teal undertone in the right light making it a bit warmer. M. Graham's Payne's Gray is the most neutral gray of the three.

Although the hue changes, the spelling changes, Payne's Grey is definitely a color with a huge value range. It can go very dark to very light with a wide range in between.

With watercolor, it is easy to swap brands, your palette does not need to be entirely one brand. If you prefer the shade of Payne's Grey in one brand it will mix well with other brands. Just always make sure you're painting with artist quality paints.