After working with canvas and watercolor on the last project I felt it would be interesting to do another work with it. The Sand Dunes down by Alamosa is the focus of this study. I thought the isolated feeling of the Sand Dunes would make a good muted color painting series. The fun thing about this medium on the canvas is it gives almost a printmaking feeling which I love.. almost a ink straight on fabric feeling too. The low clouds added some drama to what would otherwise be a boring image.

"Low Clouds over Sand Dunes 1"
6" by 8"
Watercolor on canvas board
Click on image for a closer look


"Low Clouds over Sand Dunes 2"
6" by 8"
Watercolor on canvas board
Click on image for a closer look

First Day, First Post, First Painting

I started this blog basically to have a place to post some of my work. Not that I need reassurance necessarly, but I am just at the infancy stage of getting my name out there a bit more. I love the idea of blogs having viewers that are vocal and can give feedback and criticize when my work needs to be knocked.

I have a list of a few things I would like to do in the next year, including...
1. Create enough good work to be able to approach a gallery about joining a group exhibit or solo exhibit in 2010.
2. Enjoy what I do, all while remaining to work 40hrs a week as a graphic designer, and some weekends as a freelance designer.

3. stretch my work to areas I haven't reached before. I want to learn new techniques and keep my style growing."3 Trees"

7.5" x 7.5"
watercolor on canvas board

"3 Trees" detail
Click on image to see larger image

I thought I would start out posting a painting I recently worked on. On this work, I used Daniel Smith watercolors. I know most water color painters don't use canvas, or if they do, they use water color canvas. Well, I went against the norm and tried this on a regular old canvas board. I thought I would give it a try, and I ended up really liking it. You have to give it a bit extra time to dry sense the canvas soaks up the water a bit, but if you let it soak up the water, it holds color quite well. I think if the work was very vibrant then the colors might have to be painted on very thick, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. Painting watercolor on canvas, you can also see the texture a bit more then some would like. The last thing I really loved is that you can re-wet spots very easily and lift color still.