Beginning again

Hi Everyone,

No  I didn't fall of the planet.  I did however get the flu and so did my husband.  Both my sons were down too, one had a double ear infection and the other pneumonia.  So it de-railed my painting every day for 30 days attempt.  But I did paint, I just didn't have time to post.

"Banned" 18" x 24" watercolor by Carrie Waller

After I finished Banned.  I decided to take a break from the bulbs and switch to another painting I'm planning on doing with my workshop coming up in February 7 &8.  Visit Louisiana Watercolor Society for details.  I want to complete the large painting  and then demo on an 8x10 size.

"Vintage Appeal" 21" x 18" work in progress watercolor by Carrie Waller

So I started this one called "Vintage Appeal".  But I just wasn't finished with the lightbulbs and kept thinking about them and I have a deadline for a competition that I is knocking on my door so I decided to stop and start "Incandescent.

"Incandescent" 18" x 24" watercolor work in progress by Carrie Waller

This is the beginning stage of "Incandescent" I've spent 2 days so far. One day on the drawing and another on the painting.  I need to paint with the speed of light to pull this off by my deadline so wish me luck.

And just my luck when you have deadlines and need to get images resized for competitions my computer decided to do some weird update that screwed everything up.  So after a very helpful conversation with Apple support my computer issue was resolved and after installing my latest Adobe update I think my photoshop problems are in the past.  Phew!!!  Technology is the best and worst:)

Carrie

Emerald Waters

"Emerald Waters" 6" x 9" original watercolor by Carrie Waller

This is the 5th painting in my rainbow bottle series.  "Emerald Waters" is a favorite of mine, I really liked the cropped in compositions.  I just love these colors and could look at them all day.  I thought this was kind of beachy.  You have sunny yellow, the green "Emerald Waters" and the blue skies.  Pretty tropical.  Maybe I'm longing for the beach:)

Carrie

Work In Progress Wednesday: Bottles Series work in progress

Carrie

Friday Feature: Watercolor Wrap Up

Last weekend I held my 3 day watercolor workshop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois at the Shrode Art Center.  I had a fabulous group of students and just like every workshop and any time you get a group of artists together ideas were flowing.  I always think I learn just as much as my workshop participants.

We started on day 1 painting pears.  First in sepia and then in color.  This exercise gets everyone playing in their paint and working on getting strong values.  I also begin the day with a presentation.

Me demoing the green pears.  I paint from my ipad now.  I think I  have a couple converts in the class now:)

On day 2 we began the day talking about my process and how I set up my till life set ups.  I showed a step by step demo of the painting we were going to be working on.  We painted "Spin the Bottle".  Everyone did a fabulous job painting glass, getting their values established and creating the 3 dimensional bottle.

My demo.  Love painting from my Ipad.

Close up of me painting the bottom of my bottle.  Thank you Tracy for taking pictures:)

Me painting "Spin the Bottle".  

Day 3 I talked about my favorite tools and websites, talked a little marketing and favorite books.  We worked on painting ball jars.

Everyone watching me work on Ball Jars:)  Such a great group of students!!

Work in Progress Wednesday: Emerald City

Work In Progress photos of "Emerald City"11" x 14" watercolor by Carrie Waller

Hi Everyone,

No it's not de ja vu, I'm working on another green glass painting.  I took a ton of photos the day I set up the still life so I have a plethora of references to work from.  This photo is from a different angle and captures some very interesting patterns and shapes that were enhanced with the dramatic sunlight pouring through them.  I titled this painting Emerald City because  all the bottles remind me of the skyline in The Wizard of Oz.

Carrie

Going Green original watercolor 18" x 30"

"Going Green"18" x 30" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller

Hi Everyone,

I can finally share my completed painting:)  I had so much fun with these glorious greens.  I just love incorporating dramatic natural light in my compositions and this painting was a great vehicle to do just that.  The inspiration for this painting came when we were trying to find a bottle of red in our collection that didn't go bad during our move this summer in 116 degree temperatures.  So even if the wine was a loss at least the bottles were put to good use. 

Getting wine labels off bottles is no easy feat.  After a warm bubble bath they were still stubborn so I had to bust out the goo gone.  It worked like a charm.  Among the wine bottles there are also some small Perrier bottles and a Tabasco bottle as a nod to my Louisiana crew.

This painting is the beginning of a new series I am going to be doing.  I really want a cohesive body of work with some continuity in my subject matter, so expect some more glass bottle paintings.  I've already been scoping out the flea markets for bottles.  I hit the jackpot on amber glass the other day, and my in-laws are looking for cobalt bottles:)  My father-in-law found several cobalt bottles of Riesling and Vodka,

I do have a few commissions coming down the pike and a couple smaller projects intermixed. 

Come back Wednesday for the work in progress pictures of "Going Green".

Sam graciously offered to be my model.  Thought you could get a better sense of the scale.

Carrie

Work in Progress Wednesday

Hi Everyone,

Work in Progress, watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie waller 18" x 30"

Here is a look at my next painting.  I'm just in love with the greens, it's so fun to play in paint, especially when it's a gorgeous palette.

We had ice and freezing rain yesterday, boooo hissss!   Fortunately it has all melted today, which is a good thing because it is really hilly, like mountainous hilly around here and people have no clue how to drive in ice and snow.  I'm glad I've had a lot of practice between living in Illinois and Ohio, but I sure don't enjoy it!

Hope you are staying warm:)

Carrie

Summer Kaleidoscope 11 x 14

Hi Everyone,

"Summer Kaleidoscope" 11" x 14" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller

Here is my latest painting, "Summer Kaleidoscope".  I have painted this before in a 6x6 format.  I really like the bird's eye view of this composition.  I photographed the reference pics in all different angles but in order to get the bottles, glasses and grapes in a 6x6 format I had to get my trusty ladder out and photograph from above.  I love taking pictures from all angles and this composition is the reason why.  The cut crystal glasses are showcased beautifully from this angle.  I just love all the colors from the grapes that were picked up in the glass and with the light coming through the cut crystal there is some beautiful refracted light on the grapes.

Wednesday I'll have all of work in progress pictures posted showing you the step by step progress.

Carrie

Summer Kaleidoscope

Hi Everyone,

"Summer Kaleidoscope" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller

I'm sharing my latest 6x6 "Summer Kaleidoscope" with you today.  On this drizzly, cold day this painting certainly looks inviting.  The challenge for me on this painting was to get wine glasses and bottles into a square format.  I took LOTS of photos, and I have to say it was a very successful photo shoot, so I'm sure there will be more paintings coming out of the series.  In order to get the square format I wanted I went for the bird's eye view which ended up beautifully capturing the cut crystal of the wine glasses.

I also wanted to share that I am now in a gallery in Little Rock , AR, Local Colour.  They have a big Fall show coming up this week so I had to scramble to get things together to hang for the show.  So if anyone is in the area please stop by Thursday, November 8 from 5:30 - 8:00.  5811 Kavanaugh Blvd, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Carrie

San Pellegrino WIP and Winner Announced

San Pellegrino WIP full sheet, watercolor

Shows the scale of the painting.  And that is a large bottle of Perrier, not the small guy:)

Hi Everyone,

Here is my progress so far.  This painting is a beast so I included a picture with a bottle to show you the scale.  And, yes I realize that it is a Perrier bottle that snuck into the picture but the size is comparable.   I will post my progress on Wednesday, lets hope it's finished by then:) 

The winner of my 2nd Blogiversary give away is--drum roll please--Sarah from Monaco Interiors:)  Congratulations Sarah! (I used random.org to generate a winner)

See you Wednesday!

Carrie