Playing around with unusual backgrounds

 I like the combination of hard geometric edges up against the soft flowing lines of a flower. This was painted today as I celebrated another new  year ahead.   If I do it again I will change the center which is too symetrical.

Visit my other new blog-- veggiefoodie.blogspot.com . This is a blog I am writing with my sister Susan. We are both vegetarians. I am a gluten free vegetarian leaning Vegan. My sister is the real cook. I would rather paint!     Happy New Year!!!!   Jane

White Roses on an acrylic Underpainting

This is a fun way to paint but takes a little practice I covered the surface of my paper with  the three primary colors - Red, Yellow and Blue. I let the colors blend together. Once the under painting was dry I used a template in the shape of the roses and lifted up the color to reveal the white flower.  After lifting color off the surface of the paper,  I added the shadows to define the petals. It was a technique demonstrated at the Annapolis Watercolor Club by Susan Herron. Take a look at her work to see a professional rendition  of the technique.

Connecting Color and Shape

This painting is called Connemara. This is one of my favorite places in County Mayo, Ireland. Sometimes I refer to this painting style as a collage because different images are woven into a cohesive single painting. It is not easy. Color, shape, and negative painting  are the glue that holds it together. In May I will be including this type of design in  workshop at Maryland Hall For the Arts in Annapolis . The workshop is in May and is all about design and negative painting.

Blue Moon Fritillaria

I really Love this plant. It was painted  by breaking borders and letting some of the plant's leaves and roots run into the white background.   I also love playing complementary colors against each-other-- in this case blue and orange.

 This is only one of the designs I will feature in a class on design coming up at Maryland Hall in the Spring.

I actually had as much fun with the bulb as the flowers!   This is not a plant that is painted very often. Give it a try!



Getting Ready for Floral Watercolor #2 in the winter term

Registration has begun for  Floral Watercolors. This class builds on the first semester inwhich we focused strictly on painting a single flower.    Now the flowers will be included in a complete composition.   Here is an example of a challenging composition featuring yellow orchids.  The class meets Thursday nights from 6-9 in Edgewater, Maryland. Go to http://www.paintpencil/ for all the details!

Painting Vegtables and Eating them too!!!

I painted these radishes today as one of the projects for my beginner class next spring.  If you look carefully you'll see hints of pink shining through a dark, glossy black background.  This adds interest to a background that can end up flat. I'll teach you how to do it. 

I love vegetables and am a vegetarian of many years. I recently  turned vegan. I have traveled all over the United States teaching, and on my travels met many women with health problems. I am concerned that they do not know how to eat. In the United States we have become dependent on packaged foods.  If you read the label there are many words you can't pronounce. If you can't say them, please do not put them into your body. 

 There is a myth that eating meat is the only way to get protein when many vegetable's have more!

Some women believe that calcium builds bones but recent research has shown that this is not true.

Food is medicine......choose whole, plant based foods.  Dieting is totally unnecessary if you eat a plant based diet.

 Read-- "Forks Over Knives."  This is a new book and movie about a plant-based diet. You can click on Amazon Books  on the right and buy it now. It could save your life.

Color Family #4 ready to go!

Showing the Color Clock and how easy it is to use. If you missed this class at Maryland Hall For the Arts keep your eyes on http://www.paintpencil.com