KOI 3

11"x 15"

Watercolor

not done but close

This on is getting close. I must develop the rock on the left. I want more light in the upper left corner, as an entrance to the painting. The yellow green is confusing in the upper right corner. Do I want to deepen the darks a bit? Can I?

I don't know why is seems hard for me to finish koi paintings. Maybe I just don't have a clear direction I want them to go. They are a result of several layers and moods as I work.

The next koi painting I start, I should vow to finish in a week. They sell fast enough. I do have to get creative with names too. I may have to keep a cheat sheet on which painting is which. It is nice to name paintings so I know which on is which in the database

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Never Done

Reflection Pool (D.C)

This painting has not quite been there. Recently I pull this out of the frame to work on. I have put it back in the frame and will probably pull it again. It does not go far enough.

There is a mood I am after. A private morning stroll, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, at sunrise, is the goal.

Laying on the couch, sick, I decided this painting is to mid-tonal. I want more light. I started scratching out light behind the trees and darkened the upper sky. Liking this, I photographed the painting with new changes and put it back in the frame. The light hitting it on the wall is poor, but I want my paintings to look good in the dark. I need more light in the painting. Perhaps light on the ground behind the front hill is essential. I am also toying with adding the hint of yellow to warm the light. Orange? Dangerous. Hmmmmm

I know that I have not posted anything lately. Back to blogging. This painting has missed several deadlines. The main deadline is Watercolor USA. That date is sometime in March. I think that it will be ready by then.
Much of the painting is finished. Now to make the different parts work together. I still have a lot of honing to do on the lens to the right. I want more green in that lens also.

I just read Tom Lynch stating that you can always tighten up a loose painting, but you cannot move the other way around. Unfortunately that is exaction the way I operate. If a painting is too tight. I start subtracting paint and adding fresher passages. Often that is the last hour I work on a painting. I call the process, "Pulling it together."

Taking a break with this one until mid November. Tomorrow. I will post what is going on with the k0i painting.