9/13/10

Sunflowers

Color Mixing
Last week's classes painted sunflowers, paying special attention to color mixing.  We used quinacridone red, ultramarine blue, and new gamboge (yellow). For the top row of blossoms, we mixed the brown for the centers by first mixing the primaries on the palette and then dropping in a little purple after the brown center had been painted . The next one was brown mixed on the palette, and the third was mixed on the paper.  As always, we found the color mixed on the paper to be much more interesting and less muddy.  Mixing on the paper gives you less control, but the results are more pleasing. Well, that's my opinion.  The centers of the flowers in the small painting, bottom right, were done by letting the colors mix on the paper.

This week I am doing a bookbinding workshop  -  "team teaching" with my friend Cathy.  The sketchbooks were finished today in record time, and they are all absolutely beautiful!  Tomorrow we will unveil them (they are under heavy weight over night) and begin to paint. I LOVE MY JOB!

13 comments:

Carol Blackburn said...

Thanks for the tips, Catherine. Love your sunflowers. Enjoy your day.

Catherine said...

Thanks Carol - wishing you a nice one too.

Unknown said...

Found your blog through Shirley, at Paper and Threads. I love it here, and when I have a little more time I'm going to read as much as I can! Thank you for all the wonderful tips!

Marj said...

It was a great Bookbinding class! When Cliff picked me up, he couldn't believe how "professional" my book looked.
Enjoyed doing those Sunflowers too.
I think you will have a full class with the next one you do. It's very exciting to see a book emerge. Wish I lived closer :-)

Marpia said...

Hello from Michigan's upper peninsula. The sunflower mini-lesson was wonderful, with great examples to show the results.
Your blog is the best!
Marlene

Catherine said...

Thanks raena! Love you blog too - beautiful!

It was a great group wasn't it Marj? And some fabulous books. So nice to spend a couple of days with you.

Thanks Marpia! Are you sketching? Painting? Try to stay warm up there in the U.P.

plaid petunia said...

I agree your blog is the BEST! I also agree with everything else.

I am so lucky to be your friend! Cathy

Catherine said...

Cathy - thank you so much. I am so lucky to be YOUR friend!

Carol C said...

Beautiful sunflowers! I love them all! And how I would love to take your bookbinding journal class! One day.....

Anonymous said...

Love your sunflowers. And mixing on the paper is my favorite too. excited about finding your blog. what is your JOB? I'm looking for a different avenue for bringing in money without working for others, so I'm very curious lately
peace n abundance,
CheyAnne
http://cheyannesexton.etsy.com

Catherine said...

Thanks Carol C! Someday Cathy (we teach the bookbinding together) will have to take it on the road. Doesn't that sound fun?

Catherine said...

Cheyanne - apparently I never answered your comment. My "JOB" is painting and teaching watercolor, watercolor journaling, bookbinding, and drawing. I am not getting rich and famous, but I am doing what I love and getting paid for it!

By the way - you have a beautiful blog!

Vicky L. Williamson said...

Great illustration of how the technique used really makes a difference --- thanks!