Thursday, October 20, 2011

One for the price of two!

Since I didn't have the opportunity to do a 20 minute sketch for the last couple days, today I did a painting that took me approximately 40 minutes. That's double the time of my normal sketches, and I can really see a difference. More detail in the background, mainly - it's fun to have the freedom to add those bits of detail that often go lacking in a quick sketch. I am looking forward to the artwork to be created without a time limit in the upcoming year, though what challenge I will pursue then is still up in the air! Any suggestions?

Incidentally, this painting will be part of a charity raffle, and I hope the winner of the raffle will enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed creating it. Pencil and watercolor, 5 1/2" x 8".

Monday, October 17, 2011

Red Pear and Books

These books add a nice element to this simple still life with a red pear. I know now that the more involved my composition is, the less likely I am to complete it in 20 minutes, but I do keep trying. The contrasting colors of the pear and the book cover balance nicely I think. Watercolor, 5 1/2" x 7".

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fraktur Gift

Made for a special gift, I enjoyed designing and painting this fraktur-inspired piece WITHOUT the constraint of the 20 minute timeframe. Not only is it larger than I usually work in 20 minutes, I was able to add the details and color saturation I feel this style of artwork really needs. I love how it came out, and most importantly, the gift was very well received. Pencil, pen, and watercolor, 5" x 12".