Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Hide and Seek III (I'm Back!!!......)

Hi everyone! I am finally back from China... It's been a long absence and I've done a bunch of landscape sketches that I am going to share on this blog in the coming days, but for now, I am stressed over two coming deadlines -- one for this Friday and the other one for the coming Saturday, both 11" x 14" bird of paradise paintings (large ones for me). I will post the progress shots along the way, I promise.

I have not been able to manage to paint much during my absence, and when I tried to get back at it -- it's almost like learning everything from start again! (The deadlines surely did not help either...) I found that I am having problems gauging the wetness of the brush, the exact mixture to use for a glaze, and the timing for large, wet-in-wet applications... I've messed up a couple of starts and finally decided to get back into my grooves by redoing "Hide and Seek" as an exercise -- and I do need some pieces for some art fairs and a gallery jurying process coming up in October (again, more details later). I made numerous mistakes painting this one, and was fortunate to be able to catch and correct most of them, and end up with the result that I am quite happy with:


Hide and Seek III
Watercolor on Winsor Netwon140# Cold Press Paper, 10"h x 14"w, 2012 #48

Sold!

I did this version on Winsor & Newton #140 Cold Press Watercolor Paper, and it is a good test for unfamiliar paper as well. I've found the Winsor & Newton paper has a handling quality close to that of the Arches', but slightly easier for lifting, although repeated glazing for too many times may cause paint to bleed on the edge of wet area more easily than Arches as well. The final resulted color on this paper seem to dull down quite a bit, even for high saturation transparent colors like Permanent Rose, which may present a challenge for flower paintings in particular. I will experiment with it more and report it here.

From the juried exhibition front, my painting, "Petal Light #1" was accepted into the Hawaii Watercolor Society's 2012 Open Exhibition. A Fellow DPW painter and blogger, Colleen Sanchez, has selflessly contributed her time and effort helping organizing this fabulous exhibition. Colleen paints amazing watercolor flowers and lately has taken the adventure of oil painting. If you haven't already, be sure to stop by her blog, and I promise you won't be disappointed!


Petal Light #1, Watercolor on Arches 140# Cold Press Paper, 10"h x 8"w, 2012 #40

I am trying to paint as fast as I can to catch up, and in the same time -- trying to catch up with all the fabulous works you have done during the time I have no access to blogger or facebook. Everyone seems to be really productive -- lots to catch up with...

7 comments:

  1. Hide & Seek III looks like a photograph! It is stunning; I'd say you've lost none of your expertise while away Arena.

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  2. Mistakes?? Where? I think Hide and Seek is amazingly beautiful! Better than a photograph because it has all your expression too. :)) Welcome back my friend!

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  3. Welcome back and thanks for sharing all that you do. Everyone needs to get re-acclimated after being away from home, especially a lengthy absence like yours. Congratulations on the acceptance, and the best of luck going forward.

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  4. "Hide and Seek" is utterly fantastic, Arena!!! It's good to have you back. :)

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  5. Love this rose Arena. Also, congratulations on your piece getting into our HWS Open Show. Can't wait to see it in the flesh, so to speak. Thanks for the pat on the back too. Hopefully we'll touch base again soon. I hope we'll see some interesting things from your trip inspirations.

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  6. Hello Arena:) Welcome back healthy and well! Your rose painting is so beautiful. It has a "body". The red is wonderful.
    Congratulations your Petal Light #1 has been accepted. Some how I'm not really surprised :)

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  7. Congratulations on all your shows! I love your assessment of the Winsor & Newton cold pressed paper. Interesting. I also must say that in no way did that paper compromise your painting's transparent and luminescent qualities. Amazing work as usual! And mistakes -- I think not! Good to have you back. :)

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Thank you so much for taking time visiting and commenting on my blog! Your feedback and encouragements are things that keep me going with I am feeling down or frustrated... I will try my best to reply to every comment ASAP but sometimes life gets in the way and I am a bit slow in my response. I would like to apologize if that happens...

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