Friday, January 31, 2014

#30 of the 30 Day challenge

Bing Cherries 5x7 watercolor


This has certainly been a challenge. I have learned a lot. One thing that despite a computer crash, using an iPad , downloading all sorts of apps to get to be able to post, getting used to a used laptop with lots of stuff on it I don't understand, has not prevented me from painting. Nor will it in the future. Although I love my oils, I will do more small watercolors to become more confident.
I am still learning and still have trouble with this post. For some reason the wireless mouse works everywhere but on this post?
Also, I didn't realize that people were commenting on this blog or I could look up statistics. My apologies to those who commented and I promise I will respond to you. I am not very tech savvy and have much to learn.
I will continue to post daily. Perhaps with a work in progress, perhaps with a completed painting.
Tomorrow I will do an online seminar with Johannes Vloothuis, (Oh, it is always so long) but think I may attempt it in watercolor as I have always painted in oil no matter what medium he chose. I am sure I will learn much.
I am grateful for the cold and snowy weather as I was able to spend more time painting and will need to schedule painting time when I go back to work in April. I always thought I had to have a block of time and the inspiration before starting a painting and now I know I need to plan ahead for what I will paint the next day and if I have an small block of time to use it. I am spending a lot of time on the business end of the art, too , as I need to mat and frame some things for the changing show on Monday.
I am hoping to post more about my process. I realize I did not do that with this last 30 days as my time was limited. Welcome new followers. I hope you find this blog instructive and interesting.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Hollyhocks and Birdhouse 8x10 Oil


Just a little inspiration after all this cold and snow. I do think I will add some birds when it is drier. this was done on a Fredrick's paint board. Very smooth and the paint does not soak in. This is #29. One more to go, but really think I will paint every day. Maybe not complete a painting but work on one everyday. The 30 day challenge has proven to me that I can accomplish a lot if I put my mind to it. I need to have some plans, some photos ready, canvases, paper ready, clean palette and JUST DO IT!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

30 Paintings in 30 days

Roses 9x5 Mixed Media


Zinnias 9x5 Mixed media

Need to rephoto the last one as it was apparently still wet. These were originally watercolors that went bad, overworked, interrupted and generally not up to par. I covered them with acrylic on top and they are not the best but I am up to date. Maybe will do two today so I am ahead of the game. I think I should try to paint every day in February as I am learning what I like as far as medium. Oil is my first choice, watercolor next,then acrylic. I do like pastels but I don't have room for them to be out and I feel I should perfect the medium of choice although it is always good to experiment with new materials.I have really liked experimenting with the negative painting in Linda Kemp's book, but am not too good at it and thus the acrylic overlay of these paintings.
Now that I have the laptop and have mostly figured it out I will be doing my newsletter and posting new paintings at my website http://www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #26

I actuallyThink that I may be two behind..Between my computer crashing and setting up a used laptop and the cold weather causing everyone to stay home and use the internet, I am spending so much time on the business side of art instead of painting . The  iPad is frustrating and hard to type on and the laptop doesn't take my pictures. It is nine below here in Mansfield Ohio! Hope everyone is keeping warm.

                                       

 Tabby Cat 9x5 watercolor



Monday, January 27, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

I can't keep track of the numbers!
                                                                                 Canyon Falls 11x14 OilThis was mostly done with e Zorn palette in a paint along with my favorite teacher! Johannes Vloothuis. Took me most of Saturday and a little of Sunday . So I am behind  one. Must get busy today

Friday, January 24, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #23

Rainbow Sail 9x12 watercolor

I think this will photograph better when I. Can do it outside. I was a little tight on this one. .too coloring book on the sailboats but I  am really enjoying the watercolors.
I hope to get a laptop tonight and then can update my website, write my newsletter . Yea!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #22

Precious the Peacock 9x12 watercolor

The Kingwood Center's blue shouldered Peacock.
What a challenge to get the colors right. I pulled out  every blue I had! Amazing how so many colors are the same with a different name. Antwerp,Peacock,Thalo,Turquoise, Manganese, Cerulean all seem to be variations on a theme. I know they have different qualities such as transparencies, or sediments, and I could not tell you what is what in  the painting as I  used all of them, clean and mixed..a very interesting experiment in blues.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #21

                                          Memories 5x7 watercolor.
It is so much harder to post on the iPad. Can't wait to get a new laptop. This painting reminds me of long ago, carefree days just swinging and dreaming.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

Everyone  knows how I love Kingwood center.
This is the entry to the greenhouse. A 9x12 watercolor. I will be so glad when I get my new computer. I miss Photoshop. 
I can't do the news letter on my iPad...and need a styles to keep from making so many typing errors!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

Yesterday", painting an acrylic 9x12  CONEFLOWER and today',s watercolors, 9x12’ Best Water there Is, and Mohican Hills
still having problems learning to do this on iPad.The computer is still in a comaAnd I am now caught up!

Saturday, January 18, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

 since the computer went into a coma I have not been able to crop paintings but am still painting one a day. so....I am learning to use the iPad better along with my iPod. This watercolor will be 11x14 matted.  LATE SUMMER Water LILIES Still learning the negative paint techniques.
This oil painting is 8x10 The Shawshank Tree in Summer? Next is an 8x10 Oil Watching the Birdfeeder. a photo of a hawk sitting on my fence.

somehow I will figure out how to crop photos on my iPad so bear with me for a while.


Friday, January 17, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

Desktop in a coma! I am painting every day but unable to post pictures of paintings as my iPad photos too large and I cannot access them or haven't figured out how

Monday, January 13, 2014

Dog on a sofa, #13 "Don't make me get down

Don't make me get down 8x10 Oil

Once this painting gets cropped it will be on my website http://www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com 
I just really like the photo of my Aussie, Tosca. She has claimed the sofa and the pillows. I blocked in the painting with Transparent Red Oxide and let it show through in some spots. I blocked in everything but the dog as I wanted to paint her as I went. I chose a different color for the pillows as the moss green pillow was a little dull.
Had to run to get printer ink this morning for class papers and get the dog licenses while I was in the area.
Must vacuum up the dog hair before my class in the morning.
Until tomorrow.........


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Island Romance ,30paintings in 30 days #11

Island Romance 8x8 Oil $125

You can buy this painting at:

This was so inspiring! I love doing sunsets and I have seen so many couples watching it at Lake Erie. I blocked in and then did the details.

I spent the day working on my website http://www,judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com
Finished this painting and have been working on my Facebook Fan page and my newsletter which should be ready to go out tomorrow. I am hoping all my links work. Now to get everything done so I can watch Downton Abbey!

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Leaves Watercolor 6x8 #10

Here is the process that I did for this watercolor of negative painting. I probably should have taken more pictures but I got involved in the painting!



This is how it ended up. I think I will do more of these. I am really having fun with this.

Angelfish watercolor

Angelfish 5x7 watercolor 

Painted this listening to Strauss's Die Flederemaus, the opera. Working on more paintings but not finished yet. So this would be #9 as I am behind, due to Life getting in the way of painting! This was a little exercise in negative painting and ended up being more of a positive painting!
 I have been looking at Linda Kemp's book SIMPLIFYING DESIGN AND COLOR FOR ARTISTS.  I will get better at it with practice.
When it quits raining , drys up and I can get some good photos I will post on my website and I will let you know. It is extremely difficult to paint a painting everyday and get it photographed and cropped and uploaded in the light of day with the days being so short so will work on two others tonight and hope to post tomorrow and get caught up. I have definitely doing too many detailed paintings for this project! 
Tomorrow..........................................................

Wednesday, January 8, 2014


                                                           #8 Almost Frozen 8x10 Oil

Well, I have made it 8 days! I plan to keep going. I did the block in and used the above photo. Wanted some warmth in it so figured the sun was coming up from the right with a space in the trees. Had to work quite a while on the river to get the effect that I wanted.
Off to teach my class but first clean up my painting area and put paints and palette away.


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #7

                                                         Going Home 5x7 watercolor.

Thought I would change my medium.Small work but it was fun. It was from a photo from Clearfork Lake. 
Classes starting tomorrow and Thursday at Henne's. I am anxious to get started again. There is a painting party on Saturday the 11th and you need to contact Henne's at 419-522-4401.
Watched an online video today on setting goals for the year so that is on the agenda. Plus another painting for tomorrow.


Monday, January 6, 2014

30 day Challenge #6






Frozen 8x10 Oil
The first picture is the photo I worked from. I decided where the sun was going to come from so I worked on the sky with a dot system of pale blue ,pink, and yellow. then I later covered it with white x's. Then I blocked in the basic colors.I kept blocking in on the third photo. Then I started working on the trees and the cattails. I feel I achieved the frozen look of the water and  I especially like the sky. The photo is a little dark but again I photographed at night, so this will have to be rephotographed.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days

Whew! Nine hours on this 11x14 LAKE MORAINE, Alberta.  It was done in a paintalong with Johannes Vloothuis.I had to quit on it last night as he wore my out. He painted from 1pm to 9:30. I quit at 7 and just watched. I learn so much. Mine is quite different from his. I used different colors and improvised this morning for another two hours. He was working on a 20x24 I believe . At any rate I am happy with it.
Now to get some other things done before the snow storm sets in! And plan tomorrow's painting which will be much smaller.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

30 Paintings in 30 days #4

#4 Sunset Swamp 5x7 Oil
I completed this last night and of course it is hard to photo at night. I wanted to get ahead as I am busy today with a 5 hour seminar with my favorite teacher, Johannes Vloothuis, http://www.improvemypaintings.com.
I chose this little canvas panel....a mistake as it had been gessoed thickly and of course I could not get the smoothness of the water. I really like  those smooth panels to work on but they are pricey. I did not do a value study as the photo already had it. I changed a few lines to be more melodic. The sun spot was in the right location and the light was already there so just went ahead and blocked in the main colors and then did the detail. This would be a fun one on a larger panel. Also I have taken to doing an acrylic wash on my canvases to prevent the paint from soaking in. I really should get some shellac like Marc Hanson uses to seal my canvas boards. Will look into that.....I am learning a lot with all this painting, such as what kind of support I like to paint on, what colors I prefer, and being prepared the previous day as to what I am going to paint and getting it all together.
I will be working on my newsletter today and hopefully the new website. I spent a good deal of time yesterday watching videos on how to set it up.
I must go to the grocery as we are to get 6-10 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow and then the temps will plunge to below zero and I am getting low on catfood, and birdseed and a few other items. Until tomorrow...remember....."No mistakes, only lessons!" and keep painting.


Friday, January 3, 2014

30 paintings in 30 days #3

Possibilities 8x10 Oil
I am having trouble photographing these paintings. The ipad does the best job. But the glare from the wet paint is a problem. These will all have to be rephotographed. This is from a photo from Johannes Vloothuis. He did the demo in pastel and gave us the video to watch. I have not had time to watch it but decided to paint the picture. Since it was -4 degrees with about 6 inches of snow, I was in the mood.  Again I blocked in the main colors. I was inspired by the warm light and the warm trees. I love the composition. The photo did not have a lot of sunlight so again I improvised and put a little mystery into it.
I still have not had time to organize my photographs on the computer or work on my website. It seems I just have time for chores and painting, photographing, uploading and Photoshoping for this challenge.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Happy Goat #2

Painting #2  Happy Goat....I just loved the way he was "smiling" The background is a little pale but it does make him stand out.  I really to pick something easier for tomorrow!
I blocked in all the colors and began to pick out the details. His left eye was the focal point for the composition. I did change the sky and background as the top of his head blended with the sky and the one treeline matched up with his brown patch. I attemped to make the background have many planes, tried to make the treeline melodic.Made the planes with varigated color. Now  to clean up my pictures, post today's paintingWatch a webinar. Right now on making my new website.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

#1 of the 30 day challenge

This is the first painting of the New Year and the first painting of the 30 day challenge. I have never completed a 30 day challenge but I will this time.

Hope you had a wonderful Holiday and Hope the New Year will find you happy, healthy, safe and prosperous!

I was intrigued by these sheep in the Malabar Farm pasture. I decided it would be a morning painting so I warmed the sky on the right and for some reason was fascinated by their little stubby tails in the morning light and that was my focal point.. I did the sky first then blocked in the grass and the dark shadows on the sheep. Then I began adding color to the pair. 3/4 of the way through when I looked in the mirror, I felt it needed something more and added a third sheep.
I will start another painting and work on my new website which seems to be difficult for me to learn. Then I must organize my photos on my computer as it is taking too long to find the pictures I want to paint.
Happy New Year.  Judy