Grange Bay at Sunset. (water colour) Feb.6, 2011.

Photograph of Grange Bay, Tobago. ( Sunset )

I am happy to have had the freedom and the time today, to paint. The last few weekends have had 'events' to go to, which were nice.. but.. no painting.  It is interesting that it takes a period of time, that you know will not be interrupted, in order to get into the frame of mind and concentration that is needed.


 (And I also have found that it is best not to try to keep up a conversation with someone, while painting..lol.. You will definitely make a major error, in one of  the many areas that errors are possible.. errors meaning doing something that you didn't want to do....)


Here is today's painting.. a few areas are still a bit murky.. but .. I was generally happy with my efforts today. I continue to experiment.

Grange Bay , Tobago. Feb. 6, 2011.

sunset at the beach.. tobago.. attempt # 2. ( water colour ). Jan. 16, 2011.

I did try the painting again today.  The scene 'in real' is so very beautiful. Some technical errors again... but learning daily, with lots of practice.  Here is today's painting.

Such subtle colours and shades.

sunset at the beach.. tobago! ( water colour ). Jan. 15, 2011.

Today I tried to use some new colours and some new techniques.. more water, letting the paint move on the paper, as it will.  It was fun.  Here is the part of the painting that I like..lol..  I will admit I cropped the paintng, to remove a major error that I made, right at the end..  Tomorrow intend to try again.  This is today's result.

The original scene in a photograph. So subtle and beautiful.

Mt. Irvine Beach, Tobago. Nightfall. Jan. 1, 2011.

Armed with new paper, more colours, some new brushes, and a nice paint box to carry my paints and brushes in, I am again ready to paint!  First painting for the new year- a painting of Mt. Irvine Beach, on New Year's Day, 2011.
  The water was too rough for a swim, and the waves were large. But so beautiful to look at!

the finished product...

a work in progress

and the final product.. as colours are added.. and changes made....

"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.

the art of batik Nov.21, 2010.

           

'snowman made of steel pans'    (batik )
Gr. 4 student



I am intrigued by batik....the plain piece of cotton...an image in your mind...some wax, some dye, some soda and salt, and gradually... with time.. a reality to behold.

'Christmas Tree'  (batik)

The real pleasure is in the textures, the washed cotton, the smooth hard block of cold wax, the melted almost dangerously  hot wax pouring from a tjanting., flowing with a plan of its own!.  The fun is that you can't control it.. it flows where it will go.You get to play with it, as it flows hardening slowly,  bound by its own rhythm and rules.. Fascinating to watch ...the free flow of hot wax, the quick movement of your hands, the creating of something unpredictable. If you fight the flow of the wax,  it all goes wrong. You have to' travel with it'!

Tjanting tools for applying the hot wax.

' Christmas with a steel pan motif         '  (batik)
Gr. 5 student

You mix your dyes...you place the waxed cotton into it....you stir. ..the fabric slowly darkens as the dye stains it deeper and deeper...  The magic is in the image created... by the chemistry  of it all...you, the wax, and the fabric.. and watching it all emerge against the pure white background of the fabric.

' flowers for Christmas'    (batik)
Gr. 5 student

You rinse, you dry, and start again. You let the wax flow..choosing where to hold on to this glorious colour that has just been created.. and where to let it go.  Again the excitement of submerging the cloth in the dye, and watching as the two colours make a third, or many variations of a third. Always unpredictable. Always thrilling. And again you stir, as the shade darkens, and you watch it as if you have never seen colour before!

'snowmen'   (batik)
done by an student in infant class

And a third.. and a fourth...lighter to darker.. and you feel the magic.. the crinkles in the hardened wax creating  webs of colour. and  surprises!

Then a hot iron to melt the wax, and newsprint  to absorb it..you watch as the wax turn to liquid , flowing again into the newsprint. Your piece is done!

' Christmas trees, candy canes and presents'
( batik )

 But is it?  more options of a fabric pen, or paint brush to add details.. but will you use them?
.
The mystery and the magic ....is in the flow!  .....feels  a lot  like living life itself!

'Snowmen, Christmas Trees and snow'   ( batik )
Gr. 1 student

It is as much fun to introduce children to this  art... to see the excitement and watch

the wonder and joy of their discovery.  I will admit though that I have to hold my hands

to not get in their way!  The temptation is high.. to get your own fingers into the dye and

the wax.   And I do have blue fingers this morning!

Merry Christmas to you all!

' ribbons and bows' ( water colour ) Nov. 20, 2010.

I spent most of today trying to decide what to paint. But, decided on these beautiful flowers that are growing in the yard. The shadows cast on the leaves were also amazing.

' ribbons and bows"  Nov. 20, 2010.

Pride of Barbados   

'boats at Speyside' ( water colour ) Nov. 6, 2010.

I am quite excited by this painting.  I like the contrast, the way the light of the day is emphasized, and I especially like the sky and water.  The boat is as majestic and powerful as it was that day, and I was determined today to get the contrast right.  I am still having some problems with the 'dark grey' areas of shadow.. but I will get there!

'tiny red bells' ( water colour ) Nov. 5, 2010.

For years I have been noticing these little red, bell-shaped flowers, that catch your eye, when you are not looking for them.  They are tiny, but so bright, and they are tucked into a green foliage that  itself forms many patterns and lovely shapes. They have always reminded me of a miniature tree.. almost resembling a pine tree in the shape of its branches. (.. a stretch I know. )

 At one time I went searching for them, just to see how they grew, and to view  them close up. I finally got a few strands to plant in our yard, and it has taken them a few years to get tall enough to be noticed.  So, now that they are visible and look so cute and significant at the same time, I decided to try to paint them.

'croton in all its glory!' ( water colour). Oct. 31, 2010.

Today I decided to tackle a painting of some flowering croton, that caught my eye in our yard the other day.
 I was just checking to see if the drain was clear.. and there were these amazing croton, with flowers!  So I went and got my camera, and took some pictures.

  I liked the many colours of red and purple and everything in between, with the light green of another plant that was a layer higher.  This is the result.  I enjoyed it, but still am looking for a way to increase the contrast, between the very dark background and the colours of the flowers and greenery.  Water colours become lighter as they dry, and so the contrast you thought you had, tends to fade a bit.

'croton in all its glory'   ( water colour )  Oct. 31, 2010.

' bell flowers'. ( water colour ) Oct. 30, 2010.

Today I was determined to paint, and not draw!  I followed methods taught to me, and just painted,  other than a few guide lines.  This was fun, because of the wild way that this tree grows.  The perspective is looking up at the leaves and flowers.

water colour  Oct. 30, 2010.

" red.. as a ruby". Oct. 23, 2010.

I will admit that I went to a flower book today, to try to find the name of this flower.  But.. for now.. I will have to call it the red flower! I have tried over the years to remember the names of the plants and flowers I encounter here in Trinidad and Tobago.. but to no avail!

At one time, as an agricultural project of the school, we put name tags on all of the flowers, and trees, we have growing in the yard.  The students learned the names, but I did not!

So, here it is, "red as a ruby"!

I am beginning to appreciate and find the subtleties of water colours. There are so many factors that come into play!

'the temple of the palm trees and oceans, and blue skies'. Speyside, Tobago. Oct. 16, 2010.

Today was a good day.  A haircut, some good music, some poems to read , cups of tea, and some painting.  I think this is what life is was meant to be like! A little piece of heaven, when you can find the space in your busy schedule. Peace!

Purple flowers.. growing in Plymouth, Tobago. ( water colour ) Oct.10, 2010.

I took most of the morning locating this photograph..as I am on a different computer!  And then I remembered Picasa Photo Albums!  A good way not to lose your photographs!

I am still working on the technique of covering large spaces of paper ( backgrounds etc.), without it showing your every stroke.  Have not got it yet, but... I  wanted to get that strong contrast of the dark blue background.  In the photograph it looks almost black, and shows the contrast so well. So I took a chance!

 If anyone out there can give me any hints as to how to handle dark colours in  large spaces,  I would be very grateful.

( can't find the picture cropping facility on this computer.. sorry!)

An Orchid. ( water colour ) Oct. 10, 2010.

It took me two tries today, to get this.  I love the photograph of the Orchid.. so intriguing a flower. 

I am working on a much slower computer today, as my fast one has stopped working.. grind. grind...

But, it worked!

Drift wood posts at Speyside, Tobago. Oct. 2, 2010.

I was lucky enough to be able to participate in a tour around Tobago, last weekend.  Since I was out for most of the weekend, I decided to try to take some pictures to work from.  This is one of them.

And this is the painting I did today. I really enjoyed doing this painting. I have been observing trees and pieces of wood and drift wood, for years. I feel a kinship with it, as I guess everyone does. So it was a pleasure to try to paint it.  This is todays 'offering'.

Drift wood posts. Speyside, Tobago.