Water Lilies at Night

 

This is what is on my painting table today.  The Starbucks iced coffee is a new find from Sam's, but that is not what I am here to talk about.  I am trying to finish two paintings by next Thursday.  Then I am off to seek out a few new galleries.  Updating my bio, artist statement and résumé is keeping me busy.  I am also cataloguing stock and working over a price increase.

 This image of water lilies comes from photos taken at night.  The light provided is from lights under the water.  This creates the glow of the lily pads and moodiness of the piece.  Of course I am fusing several photos together to get what I want.  The question is, can I use this unique light situation and not confuse the viewer.

The bottom half of this painting is developed enough for now.  It is time to flip the painting to work on the top half.  I like having what I am working on closer to me.  Rotating work always helps with a new perspective.  I must remember to also get this up on an easel and look at it from afar.  What looks good on my painting table may completely fall apart when it is upright and 12 feet away.  I am never happy until the painting looks great close up and the same from the across the room.

today I finished laying in the fish.  I chose to cover these in Misket to save them as I am doing the background.  The little red Dr. Pepper cap holds the masking fluid needed so I am not painting out of the jar.

The rest of the painting session was spent feeling my way into a new lily pad.  Undersea green is just the right temperature for this leaf.  This color is one of the 7 new colors I ordered from Daniel Smith.  I am very please with this one. 

To be honest I love them all.  I do a lot of color mixing on the paper, but in watercolor it is great to be able to start with just the right base pigment.  Green can be tough.  The trick is to start with one that is the right temperature.  Should it be warmer or cooler, muted, clear or grainy.  I love all these different pigments.  How they suspend in the water and then dry on the different papers, is all the fun.