Personal Art Blog

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

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Pike Place Market - Watercolor on Yupo


Flower Lady
9x12in watercolor on Yupo NFS

Pike Place Market is printed on her apron. 
I was told that it is a lottery system 
to get a space each day at the market, 
but obviously 
the fish and flowers vendors
must be permanent.

Artist Note.
Okay - I am not going to pretend that
this one was easy.
Talk about busy - even with all the editing I did.

So, how to get a design that works and at 
the same time try and capture 
all the flowers,
and a person? 
And do all this on Yupo!

It kept me totally absorbed all day.

Linking the lights.
I used the left down light
joining the strong angle of light from the 
left front flowers...across her arm 
to the back white flowers on the right.
Having her head stand out,  
and by how much was the 
difficult part. 
Until I started this series 
I had never painted
women of Asian descent. 
They were all so beautiful.

I will be trying more of these 
in watercolor - trying to simplify.
Like the gouache below... still unfinished!

I know you agree - painting is life long learning







41 comments:

  1. Ah yes Julie, art is a life long pursuit. Great job on both the flowers and the "Flower Lady" painting. I shall get my ducks in a row and back to posting. Way overdue. You are my inspiration so I study your work everyday.

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    1. You are great, Blanche - what a lovely complement. I will look forward to seeing you get back on your blog. I always check....just in case!

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  2. As soon as we pick up a brush, we're fac do with a string of choices. From the looks of thIs one, you made the right ones. Beautiful--the whole series is beautiful.

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    1. We are indeed, Linda, and the choices change as we know more or our taste changes. I have seen you go through some pretty major changes yourself (the venetian school comes to mind) and todays stunning painting style is back to when I first started following your blog. I am never bored visiting it and that is a true complement.

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  3. This absolutely takes my breath away! The composition, modulation of the face, the colors, everything appeals. With YUPO, it seems as if your fracturing technique becomes a layering of colors as opposed to a pull & push of colors. Does that make any sense?

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    1. Thats one heck of a terrific comment for me to get. Thank you so much, Dana.
      It is hard to layer with Yupo - at least I find it so. The fracturing technique pushes and pulls on the Yupo the same as with oils and acrylic. It is more difficult because i do not do it all the time and that is why it is a real challenge.
      I like your flamingo on the DPW Challenge - especially the colors of pink and orange in the feathers,

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  4. I can feel your frustration but yes, lifelong learning. What is so very special is the luminosity in the gouache painting. Lovely indeed.

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    1. I have always enjoyed mixing transparent with the opaque and gouache
      allows for that. Pleased you like it.
      Your new post has a beautiful cloud study and this is our monsoon season so clouds abound - love them all.

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  5. I so love paintings on Yupo and yet I've never had a successful and can never manage the color saturation I see so many achieve, including yourself! This is gorgeous!

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    1. I would like to try the inks on Yupo. I have seen so many beautiful pieces done with them. have you tried them, Sherry? They lend themselves to abstract as well as more traditional work,

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  6. Julie, this is utterly opulent and splendiferous!! Your market series is so amazing I am running out of superlatives! Your dedication to working things through is inspirational!

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    1. First - CONGRATULATIONS on your book being published. It sounds like it will be informative. Love the cover and you little sketches too.
      Thanks for the kudos on my painting.xox

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  7. Endless fodder for creating and thinking! Lovely results too. I would have to guess that figures on Yupo would be especially challenging!

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    1. Everything on Yupo seems challenging to me but only when painting in the impressionist way. I tried pouring and blending and liked the effect, but it seemed too "surface" for me to get my heart into. This Pike Place market series is the very opposite from the beautiful simplicity of your work but I feel we share the common goal of painting what we "feel" about our choices.

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    2. I get that "surface" thing I think. Like it is technique driven only. That's how I interpreted that anyway and I feel the same thing. i think we would both rather get out our thoughts and feelings and ideas about the subject as opposed to technique alone.

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  8. Your new direction of busy complicated scenes is inspiring. Always pushing yourself to reach new heights and do it successfully.

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    1. I am starting you yearn for a simple scene! Maybe just one.
      I simply love the way you painted the wildflowers in your new piece.
      They look so beautifully natural.

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  9. I do like the market series as well. So much detail and so much to look at. I am still in a slump but know that it will end but I know this is normal. Look forward to the next one Julie (Not slump,lol, your next painting.)

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    1. Thanks so much, Polly. Sorry you are in a slump and hope it will soon be gone and you can get back to your painting. I missing seeing them.

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  10. The gouache painting of the flowers looks finished! Great series of work?

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    1. You think it is finished? I will have to look at it again.
      Your flower in the DPW challenge is absolutely gorgeous, Kaethe. You inspire me to try one single bloom after this series is over.

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  11. This is so beautiful, Julie. You are so good at these, and in watercolor too! So daunting.

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    1. Nice to hear from you Jean. I wish we could link from your comment to your blog so everyone could see what a wonderful artist you are.

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  12. It certainly is, Julie, and you just thrive on challenges and tests of creative thinking! I'm so glad you do because you point out what needs to be solved and how to do it! A great learning opportunity for us, too. Your figure is beautiful among the flowers. This would be wonderful in a large format, also.

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    1. I value the comment and suggestion of a larger format. I am trying to paint what I actually experienced at the market and it was exciting for all my senses. The many, many colors, shapes and light, noises - amazing.

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  13. I love how she is immersed in flowers, amazing work! Beautiful light and colors on the gouache flowers! Inspiring!

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    1. Hi Celia - thanks for the neat comment. I value your opinion so it makes me feel good. I am not sure yet how I feel about either of these paintings. They are just part of the exploration of a series.

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  14. I am amazed with what you've done here on yupo! Wonderful!!! I'm really enjoying this series from the market.

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    1. Hi Joan - thanks - happy you are enjoying the series... me too, but in the process - not the looking at what I have done. Do you ever feel like that, Joan?

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  15. This whole series is fabulous! .....and the gouache is finished and beautiful - frame it!

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    1. And I am really enjoying seeing your still life paintings, Mary. The blue and white pieces are especially close to my heart but the spoon in Biscotti made me envious - so perfect!

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  16. Your works make me happy. Lovely colours and touch.I agree with you.
    I can't see the end, so it is interesting but sometime other way around.:(

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    1. Thats a lovely comment... happy - thank you Hani. I also laughed and agreed - sometimes other way around.
      You did a neat post about your painting travels. Your watercolors are really lovely.

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  17. Oh I so agree that this learning to paint is a lifelong journey. I think about that sometimes and hope I'll have enough years to develop my potential to some kind of satisfying level. I'm guessing that might not be the case, however, because I'm pretty sure I'll always keep wanting to do better.

    These two paintings are lovely and I can see how challenging that top one must've been. You really got the beauty and feeling of the place, I think. The lower painting is beautiful and that space in the background really gives a sense of calm and rest and balances the colorful flowers so nicely. I like how you put in just enough of the flower shapes to let us know what's there, without laboring over them. So refreshing.

    Thank you for all the wonderful thoughts and tips you share here at your blog. It is always a joy to "peek over your shoulder" while you work.

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    1. When I read your words - of satisfying level - I know you will always be improving, even from the excellent level you are already at.
      Congratulations on the huge honor bestowed on you by the Staedtler Company. Your drawing are amazing. Classy presentation.

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  18. The flowers on the top painting is absolutely beautiful, Julie. I love the subject ..
    You did a wonderful job on the lady as well!!!

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    1. Hi there Hilda - thanks so much for the kind words about doing well with the lady. You are the master of the figure and head so it meant a lot.

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  19. Intriguing .... What do you get when you mix a jig-saw with a painter?
    Well it all fits together, the colours harmonise, the light's perfect and the woman works comfortably amongst all that.

    Once again a pleasure to look at and read about. Thanks for sharing.

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  20. LOL - great comment and clever too. Worthy of a thinking man.
    I am waiting "patiently" for your next masterpiece.

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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