This final painting of the Challenge is also done with my webbing and spraying technique.  I almost made two paintings out of the under painting but decided to try to develop an underwater ocean scene with the shapes which had been created.  I'm happy that I decided to go with one because I could put in a few fish which I had promised my Grandson Will that I would add the next time I did one with the fishing theme.  I did a little research on the "Brown Algae" that grows from the ocean floor upwards.  That was my education lesson for the day.  I've only been snorkeling once but think I need to go to warm waters and check it out again.

I'm one of the luckiest people to have such awesome friends and family! Thanks to each one of you who have commented and kept up my enthusiasm and creative juices flowing.  I couldn't have done it without you! I learned more about myself and my emotions when deciding on a subject and design to enhance what is already there in the first layer. I love to paint even more and plan on continuing to commit to being in my studio each day.

Now to the marketing phase which isn't as much fun and obviously lots of work.  If you are interested in purchasing any of these paintings, please let me know.  Keep checking back on my website and blogs to see what I'm up to next......

Today I came to terms with this underpainting.  I just couldn't decide what to do with it since the webbing didn't come through as much as I intended.  I just went for what I wanted to see in this 3rd in the series of Fishing nets and floats.  It is very colorful and you all know how much I love that in any painting.  I'll have to see if I end up doing more of the nets but I like the space alotted to the floats without being overshadowed by the nets.  I probably will do one more in this series on the 12x36 AquaBord.

/store/p255/Nets_Ropes_and_Floats.html

It is hard to believe that I started this painting with my webbing and spraying technique using yellows and reds.  I thought of my favorite French rooster as a good subject with those colors.  Before today I had completed the two hens and the rooster, except for the tail feathers.  After critique there were several suggestions on making the background enhance the rooster by darkening around him.  When we were chasing them all over the property at Maison Blanche in France there were wonderful shadows from the chestnut and hazelnut trees so I decided to add the tree shadow colors and the chicken coop to the background.  It definitely is darker now and the he does "pop" more.  I had to change the design to the diagonal with the horizon line obscured. I might need to rename the painting "le coq gaulois" the unofficial symbol of France.  He also has a look that says, "Don't mess with my hens!"


This is a full sheet painting and he makes quite a statement when hanging in a room.

This is a sneak peak at a painting I had started awhile back and had been waiting for a "quiet" time to be able to concentrate on the detail work which remained.  This really isn't that "quiet" time but I wanted to get this painting finished to complete my series on the Fishing Nets and Floats.  I painted yesterday and early this morning on this part of the painting.  I still have a third of the painting left to finish so that is the "sneak" part of this.  Look for the finished painting on this blog after the 30 Day Challenge is finished.

The dock at the Port at Saint Jean de Luz in France is one of those places which you always want to return to.  We have been there twice now.  It has the quaint resort town with a small port. The combined cultures of architecture, food, and art of both the French and the Basque communities is unique. Finally it has an historical attraction since King Louis XIV of France married the King of Spain’s daughter, Maria Theresa, in Saint Jean de Luz in June 1660. This royal wedding is one of the most important political marriages in France's history. 

This was a fun collaboration using an image from a cycling friend of my husband.  It was fun to know what I was going to paint before placing the webbing and spraying the concentrated watercolor pigments for a change. There was a lot more detail work to get this the way I wanted it to look.  I extended the painting out as you can see from the background image to 11 x 14 but decided to crop it for the Challenge.  I like both but the smaller image definitely puts the focus on the red boot.  I liked the larger painting because it didn't place the boot in the center.  What do you think?

From the first time I looked at this underpainting I saw a figure and it seemed like more fun that a bird to do today.  It is a simple painting and that is what I needed to do today.  I'm also working on a second painting which is more complex so you'll see that one tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to summer when the dragonflies dart around the yard and pool.  They seldom stop to rest.  They are so fun to watch and hard to photograph.  I just had to paint one before the 30 days Challenge ends.  Hope you like it.

Since one of my dear artist friends suggested I might consider doing a series of shoes I found myself inspired after watching the Republican Rebuttal Speech following President Obama's State of the Union Address.  They flashed the shoes which Joni Ernst was wearing and so once again I went shopping to find just the right pair to paint.  Since she is a Veteran who has seen combat and chose to wear the shoes, I wanted to honor her service and other women in our military by painting a camouflage pump.  A Valentino Garavani Camouflage pump for those of you in the market.

I started two larger paintings today with the idea that they both would probably take several days to finish.  I struggled with which way to hang this painting.  I like this way best.  I might still want to do some finish work in defining some of the figures I see in the painting -- each doing something different.  I've posted the same painting turned to both vertical positions for you to see as well.  Sometimes letting the buyer choose is the best way.

When studying this underpainting I saw several constellations and many interesting small patterns.  There were brilliant stars as well.  I was thinking of the constellation Virgo but then thought it would be too hard to deliver that design.  I spent several hours this morning researching Huron, Itasca, and Cherokee symbols, textiles, and art.  I was amazed at the beautiful art and wealth of information available for anyone who wants to find information on Native Americans.   I went for the figure in a robe and brought in a landscape since we drove up to Government Camp at Mt. Hood yesterday for a family event.  The contrast of the dark trees is still with me today.  I painted them more in the style of the symbolism I saw online.  At the end I had to add the Big Dipper since it is usually visible in our NW skies.  A little tribute here to my father-in-law who taught all of us about the stars and to my son, Eric, whose interest in studying keeps us all informed of the latest in our constellation.  Maybe she is a medicine woman releasing the stars into the night sky........  I've never been short on imagination!

When I was looking for inspiration in this underpainting I saw horses (can you find two or more)?  I also was thinking of roses.  I did a commission painting when Rachel Alexander, the first filly to run in the Kentucky Derby and win.  I knew ahead of time so I could watch and photograph the race. I studied many photos and videos to complete the commission.  I wanted to pay tribute to her this morning once again.  

Claybord is a smoother surface, like Yupo, but I never seem to get the feel for how the paints mix.  I changed this one a lot so you can hardly find the original webbing.  I saw the boat images immediately and built on that.  I went back to an old of painting for me -- something about boats and me.  I've had boats on my mind for a couple of months so maybe this will satisfy that "itch."

I turned this underpainting around and around and soon saw the eye and nose of an animal.  There are several animals that would have been good for this design but I haven't done a zebra in almost 10 years.  The yupo surface combined with the Dr. Ph Martin Hydrus watercolors makes for interesting layering.  They are staining and it is more difficult to lift back to the white (even with alcohol).  I did have to be careful with using very little water when painting over the existing colors an then lifting back.  I almost gave up a couple of times today but am happy now that it is done for today.

Again this group that I prepared together had such great colors for the background that it made the floats and ropes stand out even more than usual.  This will be added to my series of paintings on Fishing Nets.

This painting is probably my favorite so far.  The intricacy of the webbing and the patterns created by the color palette turned out very promising.  I don't think I can add anything to this one to make it a better painting.  I hope you can find some of the neat aspects to this little gem.

After spraying and removing the webbing from this surface, which is Yupo, I saw the body of the peacock.  Once you see a subject it is difficult to see other things.  So I decided to have a little fun and experiment with not only how to add to or intensify the colors on the surface.  It took a few tries but it was definitely fun.  The male peacock certainly knows how to strut his stuff!  

Day 11 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I decided to change my palette slightly and to change to Yupo for the next several days.  The colors are always vibrant but the intensity was enough muted with the color choices that it lent itself to more mystery.  The colors are slightly off since I did a quick camera shot.  The blues are much more intense, especially against the white of the surface.  I might decide to do a little more work on this one at some point.  

I had a hard time finishing a painting yesterday because of all the sadness I felt from the violence and death around the world.  From our visits to France I feel a closeness and my heart and prayers go out to the families who have suffered from these latest murders.  I thought about painting a flamingo or ostrich with its head in the sand to depict how many people react to these unthinkable violent attacks but did this instead.

I have wanted to paint this scene ever since we returned from Majorca last April.  We were so lucky to be able to view this scene of the trees, sunshine, and Mediterranean sea.  It was a wonderful trip and we got to know the country and its people the second week of our trip.  

More paintings to come this year.  I was totally fascinated with the old Olive trees and the mountain scenery and rocks against the shoreline were so beautiful.  The artists use slightly different colors in their paintings and the sky plays a dominant role in the scenery.  A little different from what I had learned. 

I participated in Leslie Saeta's Challenge last year for the first time and had been looking forward to this year's challenge.  I learned a lot about myself as a person and an artist last time.  I almost decided to not participate until I read Leslie's statement.  So here goes a 30 day commitment.  Hope you will check on my paintings each day.  If you want to see the background before I added the focal point. Please go to my other blog  (click on this page under my photo so you don't leave this website or go to:
 www. dianagnadal.blogspot.com) because my computer crashed and I don't have access to those images right now.