Personal Art Blog

Sharing the lessons I teach at the Artist Guild and the personal discoveries in my art.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Sunshine Umbrella




Red Umbrella Sketch

6x6in watercolor on acid free paper  SOLD


Many of us use an umbrella for shade here in the
bright sunshine of southern New Mexico. I use one
very easily...
I was raised using one in England for a completely
different reason...RAIN!

Artist Note.
First - a huge thank you to all the 
understanding comments about my re-posting
and genuine support. WOW!
Blessings to you all.

I have chosen another post with a helpful
reminder about not being too precious with sketches.

 (re-post from 9/3/13)

My watercolor weekend was spent on doing quick
sketches like this one inspired by a photo taken at
the farmers market here in Las Cruces, NM.
I did not draw it first. I started by
placing spots of color next to each other and corrected
angles and shapes with negative painting. If you look
you can see the red of the umbrella under the green and
it doesn't bother me a bit!
The purple shoulder went out too far so I blobbed in a
small dark to indicate the lower part of the sleeve
and did not "tidy up."
These small watercolors are invaluable for me
testing what works or doesn't - what I like or don't like.
This was done on Strathmore  mixed-media #400.
I find I like the surface for a sketchy approach.


47 comments:

  1. True! Even in Italy we use umbrellas for the rain and there are no longer the beautiful white linen embroidered parasols of our great-grandmothers except in antique markets and impressionist paintings (with poppies ...).
    Your watercolor always alive and effective, as all your expressive painting!

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    1. Hi Rita - how lovely those umbrellas must have been. Monet showed them in a few of his paintings.
      I too love anemones so I found your new painting very beautiful.

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  2. Really enjoy your watercolor images... they always have a loose creative quality to them.

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    1. Thanks, Roseanne, i agree that watercolor can easily look loose.
      You have an intriguing post about painting. I really enjoyed it.

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  3. Bonjour ma chère amie,

    Une aquarelle fantastique avec ce parapluie-ombrelle !
    Aux Philippines et à l'Île Maurice j'ai beaucoup utilisé mon parapluie pour me protéger du soleil et parfois il me fut utile lorsque subitement certaines ondées arrivaient brusquement !

    Je me suis rendue compte que j'avais manqué de nombreuses publications ! aussi j'ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à contempler l'ensemble de vos oeuvre avec un petit retour en arrière.
    Mes félicitations, vous êtes très talentueuse.

    Gros bisous ❀

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    1. Here is the translation.
      Hello my dear friend, a fantastic watercolor with this umbrella-umbrella! The Philippines and Mauritius I really used my umbrella to protect myself from the sun and sometimes I found it helpful when suddenly some showers came suddenly! I realized that I had missed numerous publications! also I have a lot of fun to contemplate all of your work with a little background. Congratulations, you are very talented. Kisses on ❀

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    2. Thanks and you are also very talented. I always enjoy visiting your blog.

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  4. I think it is fabulous, Julie! I don't remember this one, but it sure is lovely and I love your thoughts on working with watercolors here. That was the attitude I tried to take when I painted my cat last weekend. And I loved the result!

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    1. I loved your cat - you did a great job.
      Sorry M is being such a turkey.

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  5. Julie, This is as fresh as a spring shower and the technique you describe is the mark of a true master.

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  6. Something about paintings with umbrellas that we all love! I love the looseness of this piece, Julie! Beautiful work.

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    1. Thanks Hilda. That is an amazingly beautiful tribute to LOVE.

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  7. I had been missing your posts and wondered if I had just had my head in the sand & legs on the gerbil wheel of late. Well, I sorta still do,,,, but am sorry youre going through this road bump icky part of life. Wishing you peace. I'm loving seeing these again- they always bring me delight & I come to them with a whole new point of view! Thanks Julie! Hugs and well wishes for peace & beauty back in your life !!! You bring that to so many with your gift of beautiful Art for us!

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    1. Thank you Roxanne, you are warm and encouraging with your support and I appreciate it. I am in the process of organizing a repair crew to repair the bumps in the road.
      Your orchid series has been a pleasure to spend time with.

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  8. Love the values! The forms are great too! There's even definition for the figure's back. It looks like slightly lighter for the shoulder blades. Like the colors too!

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    1. Values...you are the master of them so I treasure the complement.
      Your latest dog painting is extra wonderful!

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  9. I love how you addressed the shoulder correction. She is so graceful under her big beautiful red umbrella.

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    1. Thanks, Lisa.
      I was fascinated with your completed painting " What's best For Nigel"and enjoyed seeing all the steps.

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  10. The unexpected or uncontrolled is often what gives that extra life to a painting , this is just beautiful..... I love umbrella paintings.

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    1. Hi Jane - I like them too but I think the hard part of umbrella paintings is to paint them so they do not look like the wonderful work of Andre Kohn, who makes a living at painting them. Hard to resist, I know.
      Your daisy still life has the most beautiful colors in the fruit.

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  11. This sketch is the perfect size and amount to give the information you need as a preliminary. There is something so pleasing to me about these sketches; they look fresh and unhindered by extraneous information. Exciting.

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    1. Hi Carol. Thanks for this lovely comment. I agree about sketches in general look fresher than when we work at a finished painting.
      Hope your hubby is improving and you are getting some painting done. I keep checking.

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  12. The essence is beautifully captured here, so happy to see you back Julie!

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    1. Thanks so much, Celia. I enjoyed visiting your page and seeing the hydrangeas.

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  13. I agree. I love how loose this is but you captured the essence. I really like the minimum gestural work on the figure. The mind totally completes the picture.

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    1. it is true what the mind can do. A friend is going blind but "sees" me when we talk with what he remembers my face looking like.
      Your landscapes are wonderful and I am in awe of the way you painted the water in one of them.

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  14. Very beautiful paiting !!!
    Have a nice weekend, Julie !!!

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    1. Thanks, Stellos.
      You have another wonderful painting and story to go with it. I learn fascinating information when I visit your blog.

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  15. The power in this loose depiction is so freeing, beautiful Julie!

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    1. Thank you so much. I enjoyed reading your new post. We visited there when in India so it brought back lovely memories.

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  16. What every watercolor should be! Simply beautiful, Julie!

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    1. How nice of you - thanks Chris.
      That is a great post you did.
      Nice of you to be passing on the link to the videos. I discovered a couple of new artists. Thank you.

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  17. I think I missed this one first time around. Great little study, great information.I always love the freedom in this kind of a study.

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    1. Thanks Helen. When you say you love freedom it certainly shines through in your "fast" painting of the birds nest.

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  18. Dear Julie - the colors you used in this sketch are wonderful. I love the idea of just painting and not drawing first - such a fresh approach. Thanks for sharing. Hugs

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    1. Hi and thanks Debbie. I think you use a similar approach sometimes.
      Loved your new post with the boot but especially the book recommendation.

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  19. Replies
    1. Thank you Jill. Let me tell you how fabulous I think your fish are going to be when you finish. I will be following your progress with pleasure.

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  20. As always I enjoy seeing your paintings and reading about your artistic insights and problem solving techniques. Hope things are back on track for you soon. You are such a generous, encouraging and kind person, thank you for sharing on your blog!

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    1. Good to see you back and painting Bruce. ,Your beautiful comment made me tear up. Thank you so much.
      That is one happy painting you posted. Love the pink chair with sunflowers.

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  21. Just one great color shape next to another..... creates a gem!

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    1. Thanks Mary. I do go by shape next to shape. I enjoyed seeing you complete a beautiful painting from the Keyes workshop.

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  22. I like your way of sketching in watercolor! This captures a small scene so perfectly!

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    1. Pleased to hear you like it, Joan. Thank you.
      I enjoyed reading about your workshop and seeing all the work.

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I love that you are taking the time to comment and thank you for it. I am sure other readers will enjoy them too. If you cannot comment through this format then email me at juliefordoliver@gmail.com
Cheers,
Julie