For the Newlyweds

Now that it's finished, here's wishing you guys a happy marriage! Congrats. I hope you like it. Painting water is so my favorite thing to do with watercolors. Watching reflections in person is so mesmerizing, and it so looks like a constantly changing painting across the water. Like God's finger is just playing with the colors. And reflections do the most fascinating things. For example, those small little lights reflected nearly across the whole river. And made a rather so-so painting into something more lively and exciting. It was way fun to paint and I'm pretty happy with the result. Especially because I think it evokes that "there's no place like home" feeling, and a love for home that I was hoping for.

There's No Place Like Home

So I've been having this little argument in my head over whether or not I should post this picture since it's a gift for somebody who, when not too busy, tends to look at this blog. I knew she'd knew it was for her immediately, since it's what she asked for. I probably should have just waited and left it to be a surprise, but the other side of the argument won. For three reasons. Good ones I think. First, if my sister hates it, she can tell me and I'll stop wasting time and go back to packing. Which is what I should have been doing in the first place but I REALLY needed a break. Second, to prove to my brother-in-law that I am actually going to come through on my promise of painting them a picture for their wedding. I don't think he believed it anymore ... 11 months later. And thirdly, in an effort to remind them (every time they look at the painting) where home is (that would be Portland, Oregon) so they don't fall too in love with New York and stay there forever. It's way too far away. Basically the other side of the world. So there you go. Good decision?

Wouldn't it be nice ...

if the painting just told me it was done when it was finished? It could set off a nice little ding, or a THE END sign could pop up. That way I could know it was done and couldn't be made better with more working. I'd put it out of my mind and stop tinkering with it, especially knowing that doing more would for sure make it worse. That would be cool. Since it won't happen, what do you think. Is it finished? Any suggestions? I do know that it makes me want to be there, so  that makes me feel good about it. I say with about 85% assurance that it is done.

Moving on

I promised my husband I'd stop painting at 10 tonight. I'm only 45 minutes late, so I'd say that's pretty good :) I'm liking some things about it. I do like the lighting on the greenery. Sadly though, the "oil spill" is still looking rather like an oil spill. Unfortunate. I tried to keep it fluid and simple, rather than painting each ripple. I'm not certain I've nailed the perspective. More like clumsily hammered all the wood around the nail. But the building with the greenery is lovely. And yes, I know that I should've either been packing up my house (since we're moving in less than two weeks) or sleeping but it just felt so good to paint. Doesn't even matter that I'm not being swept off my feet with the results. It just feels good. And also exciting, the house that we're going to be renting, has this incredible, unfinished room that used to be a car port, but was converted into an air-conditioned odd "waste of space." Or that's what the agent said when she showed it to us. To me, it is going to be our playroom/office/STUDIO! I'm so excited. It has so much space for my stuff! I won't be painting on the kitchen table and picking it up every night just to get it back out the next day. I'll just leave it there. That's my kind of wasted space!

I love water!

Okay so currently it looks like there's been an unfortunate oil spill. But I just love what water does. The reflections. The ripples. The fluidity. It's fantastic. It's mesmerizing to watch. And it would be really, really refreshing right now to get to jump into a pool or river or anything. It's been way too hot for me all day long. In place of the real thing, I guess painting will have to do.

"Of Ruins and Shadows"

I was intrigued by the designs of the lovely shadows in this photo and thought it had potential for a painting if I could fill the shadows with color. Again, I'm almost pleased with the result. It's so very close. Perhaps it just lacks it's "muchness" (we're watching Alice in Wonderland while I ponder if there's anything left to be done with the painting. Johnny Depp is phenomenal). I don't know. If I did more, I think I would probably ruin it by overpainting. Dilemma indeed. Any thoughts?

Hmmmm ...

So I didn't post pictures of it in the in-between stages because, honestly, it looked so dreadful. I made myself finish it though, and I think it has recovered slightly? Or maybe it has just improved on closer acquaintance. I still don't like it though. I made the sky quite a bit darker/brighter so it didn't all blend together and I think that helped a bit even if it does seem a tad overdressed for the party. But I still don't like it much. Is it the composition? Or the fact that I couldn't quite figure out the dome? I tried to keep it less detailed so it could recede into the background a little. That and because the photo wasn't much help and I was lazy. What do you think?  Please don't hesitate to be honest in telling me what you think is wrong. Even if it's unfixable.

Hmm ... I noticed now that I see it next to the photo that the domes could use some light on the top. Maybe that would help their shape. What do you think?