Using Leftover Paint

White Lillies – Acrylic on Canvas Board – 7×10 inches

I had some leftover paint and decided to have another go at painting white lillies in acrylic.  This was done totally freehand and no drawing.  I just used my previous painting and reference photo as a guide.  My palette was very limited: Titanium White, Phthalo Blue (green shade)(makes a lovely turquoise mixed with Titanium White), Green Gold and Cadmium Red.  The greens were made with the blue and green gold, and a bit of white.  I was looking to paint an impression of lillies, rather than going for too much detail.  I also painted most of the background first – which I find easier to do with acrylics.  As a quick study, I’m very happy with it.

As much as I hate wasting paper, I hate wasting Acrylic Paint. 🙂

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When a Watercolor Painting Fails

I hate throwing paper away no matter how many times I hear artists say ‘it’s only paper’!

I have been saving everything.  On my last post where I painted a stormy sky, it was on the back of one that failed.  There might be something good that I can cut out and use in a collage or a card – so I don’t throw paper out.  If it is really bad, I might use the scraps to try new things out or test colors.  I should have done that on my most recent painting.  All was going well until I added Alizarin Crimson to Daniel Smith’s Iridescent Electric Blue in my background.  The blue doesn’t like the red.  The red didn’t go anywhere, and it was wet on wet.  Here it is:

Unfortunately my phone didn’t capture the background colors well, or you would see how iridescent the blue is and that the red really stands out.  Lesson: try out your colors on paper first to see how they react to each other.  This blue works best when added on top of other colors.

So, since I was quite despondent over this attempt at painting white lillies, I thought I just might give up painting in watercolor for a while and go back to painting in acrylics – because it is easier for me.  So I did this:

I painted over my watercolor painting in acrylics.  I feel better now.  I am not giving up on watercolor painting, but I will be going back to acrylic painting (I really missed it) – it has been more than a year!

Stormy Sky

Here is my second attempt at a stormy sky, which I think is better than my first attempt.  However, I still had trouble with the mountain, so I ground some sea salt on it.  Not sure what to make of it, but it is interesting.  7×10 inches watercolor on Bockingford 140 Not.

Not having much time to paint lately with nice weather, work, 2 dogs, husband, life, etc.  Hey ho! 🙂