Stripes

I was delighted to read (once again, in Vogue magazine's May issue) that Breton fisherman's shirts (striped shirts) are "in" again. Years ago, I bought a nautical styled tee which I will enjoy wearing this summer.

The illustration (above) features several design principles -- harmony, repetition, contrast. My aim was to achieve repetition with variation, which, according to Maitland Graves (dec.) is called harmonic repetition and "used in all art forms to produce unity with interest."

Red Hair - portrait color sketch - start to finish

I like to draw and paint people -- women, men, old and young; children. Yesterday I flipped over an unsuccessful painting (yes, there are many!) and sketched the outline of a woman with red hair. I applied initial light-valued washes.

Next, I applied mid-light washes, using same colors.

Finally added mid-value color, more detail. Is the painting finished? Stephen Quiller says that it's better to stop at 95 percent completion -- five percent BEFORE you think it's done rather than five percent after.

Spring Patterns

Reading Vogue Magazine, inspired by silhouettes of the 60s and large floral patterns.

Tulips III

"The Tulip was originally a wild flower, growing in Central Asia. It was first cultivated by the Turks as early as 1000 AD, The flower was introduced in Western Europe and the Netherlands in the 17th century by Carolus Clusius, a famous biologist from Vienna...In the beginning of the 17th century, the tulip was starting to be used as a garden decoration in addition to its medicinal use." Read more. Visit http://www.holland.nl/uk/holland/sights/tulips-history.html

Mug I

Just downloaded Painter 11 along updated drivers for my Wacom drawing tablet. Decided to draw the coffee mug that sits on my drawing table and is never far from reach. Saved the Painter file as a "Gif" to see what would happen. I like the division of color shapes behind the mug. Using Painter 11 ... I feel like (the proverbial) kid in a candy store!

Sauna Girl

Watercolor painting titled "Sauna Girl," was inspired by our granddaughter Francie, after she had taken a sauna. She wore a fluffy towel on her head and had donned her Aunt Riitta's plush robe which matched her eyes. Her cheeks were like apples.

This is the painting that was accepted into the 2010 Arizona Aqueous Exhibition at the Tubac Center of the Arts in Tubac Arizona, exhibit juried by Harley Brown.

From infancy to adolescence great changes take place in the upper as well as the lower portion of the face. Above, the face lengthens; the nose and cheek bones become more prominent. The teeth add width and depth at the lower part of the face. Jaw bones become more angular and pointed, the masseter muscles are more in evidence, and a squareness of the chin is noticeable. ~ George B. Bridgman