Marcia's Blog

I have added some rice fields in the background to give more perspective to the scene. The ducks will have more layers of glaze to make them darker. The masking is still on the light colored grass in the foreground and will be peeled off after the ducks in front are done.

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I am preparing my 2017 wall calendar. If all goes well, they will be available for ordering on my website in early August. People like the hard pages which don't flop over when hung. You can check out last year's calendar on this website.

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Well, the eyes are in as well as the first layer of paint for the Bali ducks. This is fun actually!

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I added some color to the ducks so that I could tell one from the other. I also masked in more grass in the upper background so that the ducks would not look as tall as people. You won't see it until I darken the background.

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Have started a 16x20" painting from some photos I took while in Bali.  These are long neck ducks called 'runner' ducks because they can run quickly.  They also like to move in groups. In Bali, I saw them mostly on land in the rice fields. I poured some paint up top to start and have masked portions of the ducks as well as the grass at the bottom. For those who don't paint, the mask saves the white of the paper and will be pulled off later.

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My 'Phalaenopsis' painting is done and I am liking this style of large blossoms with muted background.

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Backgrounds are always tricky especially a dark one. You don't want your subject matter to look like bullseyes. I have added some pink of the orchid color into the background to tie the whole painting together. Now for more work on the orchids before finishing off the background.



 

 

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I find myself resisting going blackish dark with the background so we shall see what happens after more of the orchid details are in. None of my paintings has an all black background although 'Tomlinson Pink' comes closest. Light and airy is more my style.

 

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First layers are in.

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This new orchid painting will have light flowers with a very dark background. I blocked in the background to help me see where the flowers are rather than drawing them with dark pencil lines. This is called negative painting where you paint around the subject matter. I am not sure if I will keep the bud at the bottom. At this point, you can barely make out the two orchids. I thought it might be interesting for those who are following the progress to see the painting at the very beginning.

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I have seen where this variety of yellow hibiscus is also called "Hula Girl." In any case, I am calling this painting "Double Yellow Hibiscuses."  I use simple and descriptive names for my paintings. I tried using a Hawaiian name for a plumeria painting once and kept forgetting what it meant. I have also stopped numbering my paintings like the White Plumerias and White Plumerias II paintings I had in the gallery.  The second one sold and there was confusion in pricing with the first because of similar names.

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I think we are on the home stretch with these cheerful yellow hibiscuses. I will probably keep the background light with a little blue here and there.  Am working on the hibiscus up top. I had another leaf over the bottom petal which needs to be scrubbed out more.

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Making good progress with the main flower and starting the other behind it. Also made the leaves greener with another glaze of color.

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I have started with the background leaves and have the first layer of the red center of the main hibiscus. I was able to lift out some yellow to form highlights on the ridges of the blossom and will work more on the flower later.


 
 

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I have started these yellow hibiscuses which will have red centers.The hybrid is called 'thunderball" probably because of the red at the throat of the blossoms which looks like a bull's eye. They are common on Kauai and come in different colors.

 

 

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Still keeping the flowers light, I defined the tops of the torch gingers a little more and added just a little color to the bud to bring it forward. Also added a little pink to the two reflections on top of the lower leaves. This watercolor painting is 17 x 21-1/2."



 

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This is an unfinished painting that only needs the two torch gingers to be more defined with color. People seem to like the background so I won't be doing anything more there.

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The painting is 22x27-1/2" and is being photographed for prints which will be on this website next week and ready for the April 9 fair at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville.

  

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Good progress on the 22x28" torch ginger watercolor.

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I have been struggling with this one, wanting to keep things light. I will need to go a little darker behind the main ginger to make it move forward and still need to go darker at the bottom left half. Notice the ocean area on the right. I don't want the whole painting to be a forest scene.

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