Sunbather

Another painting on the reverse side of a watercolour sheet. Sunbather, loose and impressionistic, with no hard edges. 7x11 ins on Fabriano artistico 300lbs paper.

josephmahon.faso.com

All is not lost

Sometimes, no a lot of times in watercolour, a work just does not work. An expensive watercolour sheet wasted? Not me, I have second go on the reverse side of the paper, so at least I can console myself that all is not lost. The results can be liberating, in that, one is no longer worried about ruining an expensive sheet of paper, but can relax and let go as it does not matter now, the sheet was heading for the recycle bin anyway. I currently use heavy 300lbs paper, so this is possible.

The figures below were painted on the reverse side of a failed watercolour, so it's now a keeper.

josephmahon.faso.com

Wrangler

 This little painting is another study in acrylics using a limited palette. Some subjects suit this type of approach. The colours used ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre and titanium white. I kept it pretty loose, almost watercolour like, adding a few dark accents with thicker paint near the completion of the work. Acrylic on board 6x6 ins.

josephmahon.faso.com

A study in acrylics

A limited palette of ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and titanium white, using acrylic paints. As an experiment, I wanted to try out this combination, to see what range of tones I could achieve and if the result was satisfactory? 

Two figures walking in surf on the beach. 6x8 ins acrylic on board. I will try this with cad red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre and white. The so called Zorn palette, uses cad red, Ivory black, yellow ochre and titanium white, where blues and grays are achieved from the black, and a whole range of tones from white to the Ivory black.

Daily Paint Works Spotlight artist.

I am pleased to say that I have been chosen as the Daily Paint Works spotlight artist for the week. 

http://dpwnews.blogspot.ie/

Country cottage

I am terrible for not posting regularly... I have been oil painting mostly, trying to progress with themes, with varying results. Yesterday, I had one of those rare moments when I did some watercolours in conjunction with oil painting. Most unusual for me. It's perhaps frustration with oil painting, that drove me to try and rescue some good watercolours, to be even better. I am sure everyone has those paintings that are in a folder, that are not quiet there, but one is unsure how to finish, leave, or just reject? I will post more on this subject at a later stage.

The painting below is not one of those, but a watercolour painted in one go, wet in wet to give harmony and looseness all in one. A rural cottage 7x 11 ins Hahnemuhle 140 lbs paper.


josephmahon.faso.com

Cat on a ledge

A watercolour from a good few years ago. More than I care to remember, lol. A cat called Toosey, on a ledge. Waterford Saunders 140lbs paper. 7x6 ins.

josephmahon.faso.com