#2 Bird Watercolor Painting

Inspiration- Google.com images/ watercolor birds 

I really enjoy painting in the medium of watercolor & wanted to get back to that with painting little nature-inspired scenes. 

Process

For this project, I decided to retry my skills at painting birds, similar to that of my first bird painting. I really enjoyed working with watercolor pencils, so I went with a light color to lay down the details and figures (branch and the little bird). I then chose interesting colors and shades that I believe complement each other (lime greens, grays, raspberry, browns, and peach). After layering the colored pencils, I then added water to each part I colored. I tried keeping certain areas of the branch light and other places dark to help display the light source. After spending lots of time getting the shades even with adding water, I then used a black ink pen to draw the eye of the bird.

 

Judgment

I really am satisfied wit the choice of colors I went with for the branch and the bird especially. I think that for another project like this, I would try to blow up the size of the bird, or give a different, more unusual perspective.

                                 References...

                              Starting Point

                                          Final Piece

Watercolor Bird Project

Inspiration- Google.com images/ watercolor birds- I really wanted to begin working with watercolors again, because the majority of this year I've been working with the following: charcoal, colored pencils, and acrylics. I really like the flexibility of watercolors, with the way you can take them outside the lines. 

 

Process

For this project, I decided to venture back into the medium of watercolor paints. I then looked online at various studies of fruit and birds in watercolor. I really was interested in the little birds and decided to make a branch and a small bird holding onto one of the branches. I decided to go with using watercolor pencils to begin my sketch and add the first layers of color. I then began shading in the dark areas, and added water to the parts I completed. I then went with complementary colors and shades for the bird, which include: dark yellows, oranges, blues, and green. After layering the colors for the bird with watercolor pencils, I then added the water to the bird. After this step was complete and the colors were even, I then used black ink pens to color in the black area of the bird's eye. I decided to leave the background white to really make the colors pop.

Judgment

I am very happy with the final product, and like the colors I chose. I am also glad about leaving the background white, due to the fact that it really brought out the foreground's complementary colors.

                                                         References

     Starting Point (watercolor pencils)

           Final Piece (watercolor pencil with water)

Mixed Medium Drawing/ Painting

Inspiration- Georgia O'Keefe abstract flowers

Process

For this drawing, I decided to try a different kind of flower that I found in Georgia O'Keefe's book found in the classroom bookshelf. I then decided to go with a black matte board and white and white charcoal colored pencils. Later on in the process of my drawing, I decided to add a splash of color to the flowers with deep red acrylic paint. I first thought of how many flowers I wanted to draw and, as well as the placement of each. I then sketched out four flowers, each placed in the corners of the board. I then added the different lines within each flower and mixed up the media of white charcoal and white colored pencil. The top left flower was more colored pencil, so the flower below that I gave more white charcoal accents to. The same went for the two flowers on the right. I then went back over each flower and chose a specific spot to paint over with the red acrylic.

Judgment

 I really enjoyed layering on the paint and using it for this mixed medium drawing. I really like the way this piece turned out, although I really wish the pigments and values of the charcoal and colored pencil were more precise. I began working on this piece at different times and had to use different colored pencils and charcoal, so not all of the flowers match in value.

                                                               Reference Picture

                                                                       Final Piece

                                                                 

Skull Drawing

Inspiration- Google.com images/ skull drawings

Process

For this drawing, I wanted to work on my proportion skills. Also, I've really enjoyed my final pieces of drawing animal skulls, so I wanted to expand on that and try a different kind. I first went on google.com and found a few references with different angles and views to help me have a better understanding. I then used a black paper and white colored pencils and a colorless blender to create my skull. I began to erase one of the sides of the nose and it caused a discoloration in the white, so I began going over that place with the blender to smooth out the color. This worked, but it caused a change with the color and shading on the skull as a whole, so I blended the entirety of the skull.

Judgment

 I really wish I had used a black matte board because I think it would've handled a higher level of shading and erasing; on the contrary, I am happy with the proportions and shape I achieved for this piece.

                                                                Reference Pictures

 

 

                                                                        Final Piece

 Flower Project

Inspiration- Georgia O'Keefe's abstract flowers- I looked at pictures of Georgia O'Keefe's artwork from books in the classroom and really liked her positioning and shapes she captures in her flower paintings. 

Process

For this Project, I wanted to try a black and white rose, using a black matte board and white colored pencil. I really have enjoyed this medium and want to push my talents in drawing flowers, so I chose to draw a abstract & fun rose. I then used my white colored pencil to sketch out the basic shapes of the flower, as well as its' petals. After this, I began shading in and blending with my white colored pencil. I then spent a lot of time trying to capture a light source facing the flower, by laying heavy layers of white in certain areas, and leaving other places very dark. After making these details to help the flower contrast with the negative background, the project was complete.

Judgment

I really like the way this flower turned out, but wish I had better results with the colored pencils I used; they didn't react the way I had hoped with the shading and smudging on certain areas of the flower. Other than that minor setback, I really like the way my piece turned out.

                                                   Reference Pictures

    

  Starting Point (Adding the white colored pencil and creating contrast)

      

                            

                                                Final Piece

2nd Deer Skull Project

Inspiration- Georgia O'Keefe deer skulls

Process

For this project, I wanted to attempt my try at deer skulls that I have achieved before. My first drawing was majorly influenced by my recreation of Georgia O'Keefe's skulls and desert landscapes. I decided to go with the black matte board and the white colored pencils like I did with my previous project. I wanted to shade this skull differently than the one before, and place an emphasis on certain parts with shading. I decided to keep the background blank or negative space, in order to keep the viewer's interest on the skull in the foreground.

Judgment

I really enjoy the way this project turned out & want to venture further into this interesting theme. I like the way I captured the light source effectively, as well.

                    

                                                               Reference Pictures

                                                                       Final Piece

Georgia O'Keefe Inspired Watercolor Flower

       For this project, I decided to venture back into my usual habit of painting with watercolors. Being that I am inspired by O'Keefe's abstract flowers and have already created a black and white flower project, I decided to add some colors to this new piece. I referenced from pictures of roses off of Google images and traced the main outlines of my flower very lightly with watercolor pencils. I then began adding very light amounts of water and light pink watercolor to each of the petals. I then went over some of the parts of the flower with more of a similar pink watercolor pencil to give a little more depth and contrast. After completing the paint work on the flower, I then chose a bigger paint brush and two different shades of green to blotch and dab into the background. I really like the texturized look my brush strokes gave to the piece, and like the choice of colors I used. If I could go back and change anything I did during my process would be giving more room for the matte board, and condensing my flower to a smaller space.

Below are pictures of my references and of my finished piece......

 

 

 

 

Bird Project

~For this project, I decided to try and draw a parrot. I tried a bird project in acrylic and white colored pencils, but wanted to try to make a more colorful, realistic bird. I decided to go with a white matte board and colored pencils for my medium. I began with using some of my references and then sketched out the basic shape of the parrot. I then began with using my light colors to start the texture of the bird's feathers, with light orange and shades of yellow. Then I began the dark colors with the beak and the wings. I then mixed the darker shades of orange and reddish orange to the body. I tried to keep the common colors of the wing, being dark orange, green, and then blue. I decided to keep the background white, to really contrast with the colors of the bird. I really like the way that this project turned out, with the colors and textures, although I would've liked to maybe get a little bit darker shades throughout the body region of the bird. I really like the way the beak came out, but think I could've done a better job on the head region.

Below are pictures of my project and some of my references of parrots....