"Looking Down" ( water colour ). Dec. 17. 2010.

I am determined to get the background right.. so at it again. I was up on google watching videos.. of background washes. Starting to get the idea, but it is delicate.. how much water to how much paint.. how wet should the paper be.. how fast the stroke.. you get the idea...

Learned how to mix a rich grey too.. thanks to google.  Sometimes it is good to ask those who have been doing this for years and years.

and this is the photograph.  I saw this out my kitchen window one morning.  I  am looking down on it, and that is the road below.

'looking up to the sky' No. 2 (water colour) Dec.16, 2010.

This is Part Two.. same tree from another perspective..  I like this perspective too. Still working on the background wash....

'white flowers and orange berries' ( water colour ) Dec. 14, 2010.

I  loved  painting this tree!  I was out in the yard, and looked up, and the flowers and berries?? against the sky, were so beautiful. I had to get my camera.  This is the result of today's efforts.. no drawing.. only painting, and remembering some of  Jackie Hinkson's techniques...

I am still trying to figure out how to get a smooth and brush free background.. am working on it!  And I forgot to leave quite enough white space for the full flowers of this beautiful photograph, when I was doing the back ground 'wash'.  That is one of the drawbacks of not drawing it.. got carried away with the blue!

'lilies and shadows' Tobago. Dec. 12, 2010.

I am going to post this painting, although I think it was more an exercise in what not to do.. too many brush strokes, but.. there is something that I like about it.. I think it is the shapes and colours. I may even try to paint this again, using darker shades of green to start with!  but.. alas....

I wanted that contrast.. but.. how to get it in one step is the question.??

Tomorrow is another day!

one day later... Dec. 13, 2010.

And this is what  I did today.. better technique, but the contrast???  work continues...

I like the leaves better, but the background shapes are not as interesting.. so.. there you go... another day..!

'burgandy and orange' (water colour) Tobago. Dec.10, 2010.

photo  of  flowers in our yard

going back to painting .. no drawing.. and liked the process.. just me, the paper and the paints...

croton and bougainvillea.   Tobago.