More From The Watercolor Workshop on Saturday

Towards the end of the day I had some paper and paint left over so I quickly sketched David Peterson (our artist instructor for the day) and painted him painting a picture himself. I just used the colors I had on my brush and liked his green skin tones! Not sure what he thought of them. I think he said something like "Am I really that tan?" He did tell me that my other art teacher at the community college had drawn a portrait of him looking quite surprised, and that he liked mine better! (that was fun to hear!) I learned this style of drawing from that other teacher! ;-) A few more shots of David doing a quick sketch on his watercolor paper from his smaller sketch using a dry erase marker...for which he told us all the benefits...I remember that it does not bleed through the watercolor paper as a regular Sharpie might.

And then he adds his paints...telling us about the Elements and Principles of design: shape, value, color, line, space, edge, texture; and variety, exaggeration (which can mean making windows smaller than they are); alternation, repetition, scale, gradation, unity and movement.

Not sure I actually thought of much of this while I was making my paintings.

Two more participants in our art class. This guy who was a walking work of art himself gave me permission to photograph and blog him. He is a talented tattoo artist in town.

One more of my larger pieces...I just kept going when I finished the first two. When I am painting I sort of go "into a zone" so I have no memory

of THINKING about what I am doing, should be doing, etc.

I just DO IT.

Does anyone else paint like this?

I think if I were to think my way through I'd freak myself out with fear and self doubt and not put anything down on paper. Let me know if you see any of those Elements and/or Principles having snuck in here.

The painting on the easel is one of David Peterson's.

David's art has won many awards. Reading from his newsletter I see

Merit Award, 2nd and 3rd places.

He also got the City of Vacaville Purchase Award, and at our recent juried art show

he was awarded "Jurors Award" for the same painting. ("The Sound of Brushes II").

(inside the gallery)

This is my first original sketch which I later painted.

4" X 6"

And this my second sketch design also painted quickly

4" X 6" The sun umbrellas are actually white, but I enjoyed making them more colorful.

And one more shot of the whole of the painting I did of David.

He very cleverly made an easel for himself using an old photo tripod

and a ruler holding laminated foam board for the board to hold his paper

using two large clips.

As the legs on the tripod extend and contract its good for table or

standing up on the ground. I am so glad I went to that workshop.

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Happy Cactus Monday

(photos taken by me a few Saturdays ago of local cacti!)

HCM