Alan fall 25-1

Well……I can sit and paint again. So here’s a little rural sketching. 

Here’s 2 5 X 7 pen and ink sketches from around the cottage that I added watercolor washes to. 

This is the shed behind the cottage along with the clothes line  

And this is the meadow behind the cottage with my neighbors garden and new outbuilding. 

Some friends saw my paintings of my granddaughters dogs and offered to pay me to paint theirs. But I didn’t feel right taking their money and Pat said I needed more practice painting dogs so I did these 9 X 12 coldpress ones. 

Time to return to Yupo. This is the beginning of a sunset at the end of my alley. We’ll see what happens. 

 

September 13, 2025 — Elaine O.

I realized I hadn't done people in a while; so, being between paintings, I opened my sketchbook and did a quick direct watercolor sketch of the newest baby in the family.

11.5" x 8"

And I finished and waxed my Sunday morning waffle memento. I'm done with the painting, not the wafflemaker. I can definitely see more waffle experiments ahead—and maybe some of them will be worthy of a painting.

6" x 6"

Ss: Noodle was a Dream 91325

Today, I painted the pet of my niece Learose, his name is Noodle!My first time to do a full body figure of a dog with his eyes asking for perfection while he sit looking up on the grass during a church picnic last Sep 7. Since this is a first time trial with an obvious waiting audience, our niece, I decided to paint the dog like an object( I do not know the breed!); so I painted the negative space surrounding his body with ultra blu and yellow to simulate the grass. I painted the dark fur with lamp black ( from my tray of no tube colors!) and green. The creamy color came from yellow ochre and raw umber. The white fur is the white of the paper. The pink dog collar is light carmine. This project was from 10 am to 1145 Saturday morning @ Truman!I am hesitant to retouch, I might overflow my energy. Learose wanted to buy it! Ah ah! Love is free! 

9"x12"

My Little Workout Book is Back

 Have never come close to mastering washes so will try to do it on my next project from a great FB photo via Pictures of Chicago. Looking at Ellen Hutson videos for guidance. 

 It's all about the texture.  Have to admit that even I got a little tired of the dit dit dit towards the end.

September 6, 2025 — Elaine O.

I made an impulse purchase from a clearance endcap and I've already recouped my $10 investment in fun—and waffles! To document my latest obsession (and my first waffle!), I started this small painting on Aquaboard. It's not finished yet, but it's a celebration of quiet Sunday morning fun.

6" x 6"

A ramshackle tree and even more ramshackle flowers.

 I lost the tenderness of the first time I posted it.  Did different treatments for different parts of the tree but I like to think that the ramshackle has some charm.

 Kind of an experiment to see what I could do with just two of my favorite go to paints, indigo and burnt yellow.  Needs a little mop up work, but I think I am on the right track.  Eager to try another two paints only painting.

August 30, 2025 — Elaine O.

Finally! It's taken a while, hasn't it? There are things I like and things that frustrate me—like the ripped paper from leaving the mask on too long. It was an experiment; I masked a couple of highlights, painted around others, and tried to lift others. From now on, I'll stick with the "paint around." Best results (for me) and no ripped paper!

14" x 11"

A Little of This and That

 Facebook knowing everything about me, sends watercolor reels to my feed. Short without color or equipment tips and usually accompanied by music, they play over and over so you can keep up. Took out a sketchbook never used and doing the ones that appeal to me.  Very instructive to watch the brush strokes. Great way to keep going when I don’t know what to paint. 

A couple more trees

This is a reworking of that tree that had a couple branches hanging down from the lowest branch which I could never do so I yupoed them out and worked on the tree and on that verdant meadow.

 A tree on that lagoon on the north side of Graceland not far from Ernie Bank's tombstone.  I think it looks promising at this stage.