Art Nouveau Madonna

I did the sketch for this little gouache painting in my Moleskine 5x8 sketchbook weeks ago. Today I finally took the time to finish painting an collage. It is another in my art nouveau series which is based on Gustav Klimt's Hope II. My purpose in studying and the artists from this period is to take ideas and techniques of these artists and add what I really like to my own work. The background is gold acrylic; the clothing is pieces of my gel plate prints cut up and collage onto the figure; the face and hair are painted in gouache. The hand was much better until I started fiddling with it to make it better but who hasn't destroyed something trying to fix it? Still, I relearned something I have known for years––always mix up more paint than you think you would ever use. Not sure if I am ready to move on to a new project yet are just move this series to the back burner for a bit.

 

Celtic Knots Lesson 4

This was the most difficult lesson so far in Valerie Sjodin's class on teachable (https://valeriesjodin-courses.teachable.com/). It reminded me of high school geometry which was the first math class I have ever taken that I really enjoyed.

 

This is my attempt at the third lesson in Valerie Sjodin's class on Celtic Knots and Illumination. The shading around the 3x3 knot patterns is made using a graphite pencil. I was concern about the transfer of graphite from this page to the facing one so I added a velum tip-in to protect the second page (lesson 4).

 

Pointed intertwining ribbons

More playing with the ribbons intertwining. I also added a diagram on the opposite page to help me remember how I made the design.

 

more play with twining ribbons

I decided to play a bit more with the intertwining ribbons and letters. Still working on trying different patterns added to the ribbons. But so far not really liking the addition of patterns to the ribbons.

 

Stone Bridge

Another mini gouache landscape. This one is 2.5 x 3 inches. I only have 3-4 pages left in this Fabriano sketchbook to fill before I can place it on the bookshelf.

 

Hail Mary

 

Trying my own designs using Celtic knots. Coloring with Derwent Inkintense ink sticks. 

Small Waterfall

Truly enjoying playing with gouache. This 3x3.5" mini landscape is done in the Fabriano sketchbook I have been using. This paper doesn't work for me when I am using transparent watercolor but it is fine for gouache paints. May just fill the rest of the pages with these mini gouache paintings.

 

red poppy sketch

In my effort to fill the last pages of this Fabriano sketchbook, I did a quick watercolor of a poppy photo. Not the best illustration but the goal is to paint every day and fill all my partially completed sketchbooks on my shelves. Really don't like the paper in this sketchbook even though it has been highly rated by some artists and the price is a bit high for the quality of the paper. Plus it doesn't lay anywhere near flat when opened.

 

Bind Weed Flower

A quick sketch in a sketchbook which I hope to completely fill in April. I have always liked this little flower. It reminds me of white morning glory. I believe that the difference between flowers/plants and weeds is the amount of effort it takes to grow them. If they grow easily without human intervention, they are weeds. This sketch is 5x5 inches on less than prime watercolor paper which means the pigments aren't as bright and you can't layer or work back into the paint. People who aren't used to working in watercolor will often skimp on paper, buy a cheap one, thinking it doesn't matter. But I think the paper is even more important to a good finished product than pigments. Of course, I like to use the best of both but most sketchbooks are just that, for sketches not paintings.