Smartie's Bar & Grill #74

My native bluegill in my 40 gallon. I have a "fish shed" just for my hobby. It gives me an escape. he won't let me get a good pic of him.

 

I enjoy watercolour and ink work, but I mainly work in just watercolour. Here's a couple of recent ones I've done

 

Its very relaxing. I often sketch if we are sat watching tv, its good practice. Here's one I did of a recent walk we did showing where the river had burst its banks.

 

I am impressed. You are great.

 

You have a great talent Tigger.

 

My water hardness is never checked. Just PH.

 

I like the bottom picture the best. It has a certain quality.

 

I really like your drawing and watercolors. You should put up a virtual gallery of your work over in the creative corner subforum. Work that good should be seen.

 

I think this is the only surviving drawing of mine. College days. Haven’t drawn for 20 years. Don’t think I have patience for it anymore.

 

Thank you very much.(All of you) I have been painting on and off for 15 years and had a lot of lessons. What people don't realise about art is how much of it is learned rather than some innate talent.

 

Yes that's my wife's favourite. I like the other one because I know how difficult it is to do mist in watercolour. You can't paint light over dark in WC so you have to paint everything around the mist to create the effect.

 

That's pretty good! I see the patience you put into the individual spines on the fir tree, creates a good effect.
Here's one I painted especially for you cowboy

 

@Tigger2

I'm impressed! You've got a lot of talent. Do you ever do craft fairs?

 

Thank you. No I don't, I've been asked a few times but I don't think I'm good enough. I've sold a few and done a couple of commissions. I tell the buyer to pay the money to their favourite charity.
I have a friend who paints for a art shop in Cambridge, but she's sucked into a merry-go-round of painting endless Kings College Chapel's because that's what people want.

 

I’ve seen three of your watercolors now. My favorite part is how you include so much great detail, but use light in a way that allows the viewer’s imagination room to “personalize” the painting for their best personal enjoyment.

I don’t like art that’s too abstract and I’m not big on art that tries to limit interpretation either. Your watercolors are right there in the sweet spot for me.

The above reminds me. On one of your US excursions, make sure to see quaking aspens in the mountains in the fall sometime if you haven’t already. They would give you a lot of inspiration for your painting. Of course I’m partial to Colorado, but most Western US states and Canadian provinces have stunning fall presentations. Quaking aspen are the largest living organism as far as we know!
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Quaking-Aspen

 

So this happened.

 

Well thank you very much. You hit the nail on the head. I try in my paintings to create and emotion rather than photographic accuracy.
In my "Cowboys" painting I made each cowboy a character. The first guy is a loner interested in the trail, the second one is looking back to make sure his mum and dad are keeping up. Mum is hanging back for Dad who's older and carrying a bit of weight.

Just had a look at Quaking Aspens, what stunning colours. Do you know why they are called "Quaking" Aspens.

 

What a lovely clear duck pond

 

The quaking refers to the leaf attachment that allows a lot of leaf movement even when there is very little wind.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be noticeable in a deciduous forest, but when all the surrounding trees are pines and firs the leaf movement with slight breezes really stands out.

 

That clear condition will be temporary with such a creature swimming laps.

 

Just look at this mate. Been looking at Colorado rocky mountains in the fall, now I gotta go there to. The list gets longer and longer.
Might try and paint this one.

 

That is REALLY good, I can't do portraits, they are so difficult. Well done!

 

And again !!