Alex's Painting - work in progress 2

Here is an update on the painting I am working on for Alex. Been busy with day-job work, but I managed to find a few stolen moments to spend with this today.

Commission for Alex

Here is either a color study or the beginning of a commission painting for a young couple who I met through ArtBeat. So far I have experimented with watercolors, inktense water-soluble pencils and india ink. I think I am going to continue on with the painting and see what happens... these zentangle inspired artworks have a mind of their own, we will have to see what happens.

Mixed Mediums

I was playing around with some pastels, wet them, and then painting over that with watercolors, the flowers on the right are watercolor only. Which do you like better?

ArtBeat 2014

If you found my blog from my business card at ArtBeat, My Facebook artist page is located at:

www.facebook.com/DebAmmermanFineArt

Andi & Deb at ArtBeat

Here is my booth/canopy at ArtBeat today. I sold three greeting cards... If I do this show again next year, I would have a lot more inexpensive items to sell, and not bring so many expensive things. I would also put some kind of lighting inside the tent... it was too dark in there. Oh well, you live and learn I guess. Big thanks to my friend Andi for keeping me company and helping out at the event!

ArtBeat - Saturday Aug. 16

Well, the big day is offically here, it's 1:30 am and I can't sleep! I have to stop at the store in the morning and pick up a couple of last minute things for my booth, but my artwork is ready to go, canopy/tent is ready, art display ready, posters, and new art has been matted and is ready to go. I'm really excited! There are going to be over 200 local artisans at this event. And if the weather is good, I think there will be a good turnout. They are predicting rain, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will stay south of us. Jeff helped me mat 7 more artworks I have gotten done for the show. I've shared them all here as I've worked on them. The beach scenes, the abstract poppies etc...  I will take photos at the event to share with you. It's going to be a very long day, my set up time is 9am, and the "show" starts at noon until 8pm.  I guess I should go and try to get some sleep... I feel like a kid who's first day of school is tomorrow! I don't know why I am so nervious LOL.

Getting ready for ArtBeat.

Here is the finished painting. I worked the background a little bit more, and I really think the "roses" pop now. I am much happier with it now. Time to get it matted up to sell at ArtBeat in downtown South Bend Indiana on Saturday. I'm getting nervous now! There will be over 200 artists displaying work this weekend. I'm really excited to meet some of them, and to try and sell some of my work. I will let you know how it goes.

New work in progress

Here is a new watercolor/ink painting I have been working on. I think it has a bit of a "stained-glass" feel to it, so I am going to go back into the background and work with that blue a little bit more.

RIP - Robin Williams

I saw the announcement on Facebook, at first I thought it was some idiot on Facebook passing on a hoax story, I had seen them before, but then I checked several major news channels, waiting for that "ok, you got me..." feel the fool moment, but I was deeply disappointed to find CNN was confirming the sad news... Robin Williams took his life yesterday.

My heart goes out to his family and friends... heartbroken fans posting on Facebook and all over the web. What an outpouring of emotion.  It's really sad, as you look at the photos of him popping up all over the place, that he didn't know how much he was loved and admired. Depression and mental illness are horrible... sad... so sad... RIP.

More work in progress...

Here is the progress I have made on this abstract watercolor/india ink painting. I have more ink work to do in the middle, hopefully I will have time to work on it again later today. I do like the way this is coming along. :)

and it's finished. :)

Started another painting, but then yucko! Didn't like it, so I got my frustrations out before it went to the trash! :)

Abstract Watercolor Painting - Work In Progress

Here is the abstract watercolor I started last night after the other paper ripped. This time, I removed the masking fluid as soon as the watercolor paint was dry. I had used up all the masking fluid I had on hand, and I read somewhere that rubber cement works as well, so I tried that... yes, it does work, but even with a rubber cement remover "cake", it was really a chore to get it off... Next time I will wait until I can pick up a new bottle of masking fluid. The next step I am going to take with this is some painting with ink.

Live and Learn...

Playing with watercolors and masking fluid,  This started out great, but then in the third photo, as I was taking off the masking fluid some of the paper came up with it... so it's a do-over in the works.

But I really think I want to make some changes anyway. I left the masking fluid on painted, added more masking fluid, painted, then took all the masking off...

this time I am going to paint and take off the masking fluid, paint again, and then add masking fluid again, each time, taking off the masking before I add more,.

I am going to make sure the paper is completely dry before I add any more fluid, that might have been why the paper broke down. Live and Learn.

Abstract Poppies

Here is another watercolor painting I started last night. It's looking like poppies to me... we will see how it goes... work in progress...

And Finished painting.

I beg your pardon - Abstract Watercolor Painting

This watercolor painting started out completely abstract with no intentions.  I was playing around with "negative painting" techniques. I had read somewhere that if you use a white crayon on the paper, the watercolor will not adhere to it, so I got my scribble on and then painted over the whole thing with some golden yellow, then I moved the wet paint around with an old credit card. I had some fun finding and defining shapes... next thing I know, there are roses again! I am letting this sit for a while, not sure if it's done or not, or if it will make the cut for ArtBeat in two weeks.  :)