I have always loved painting with Ultra marine blue and Alizarin Crimson. I find they compliment each other, allowing for a myriad of purple hues. Neither of these colors is a staining pigment therefore it is easy to move the color around the paper as well as lift it off  easily when working wet-in-wet. Since I have been working in triad combinations this week, adding raw sienna, which a soft and subtle orange-yellow,  has given me the ability to create a beautiful array of soft grays as seen in the two 5 x 7 watercolor studies below.

I am still doing small studies in color with watercolors. I am finding this experience very freeing because I have no expectations and therefore the results can not be a disappointment. Working with only three primary colors (triads), there is no worries about colors not working together. All secondary and tertiary  colors are created from the 3 chosen primary colors. At first you may think that this would be a bit limiting, but I am quickly realizing this not to be the case. Below are two 5 x 7 quick studies of a rose cluster. Both paintings are done with the same triad [cobalt blue, rose madder, and new gamboge], on the same paper, wet-in-wet,  yet the outcomes are very different as you can see.

This was another exploration with wet-in wet composition using triads.  Below are two 5 x 7 watercolors. The triad is listed below the painting.

Triad: Indigo, Alizarin, Lemon Yellow

Triad: Ultra Marine, Alizarin, Lemon Yellow

These small 5 x 7 watercolor pieces were a study in color inspired by an article found in water color magazine. Using Triads of color each one was painted wet-in-wet, allowing the colors to interact, and then lifting  color using dry brush and paper toweling. The triad used in each study is listed below the painting.

Triad: Phthalo blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cadium Yellow Pale

Ultramarine Blue, Cadium Red Light

Manganese Blue Nova, True Red, Cadium Yellow Dark

Cobalt Blue, Rose Madder, Lemon Yellow

Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Raw Sienna

I was given some mixed media paints as a birthday gift last year. Inspired by a good friend, I have finally taken the plunge to try them out. I love how these paints take on a life of their own. I have created the 3 pieces below; each on a 5" x 5" canvas board. I hope to incorporate these paints into some mixed media projects that are currently in the works.

This 8 x 10 watercolor was painted for donation to the Sound Park Heights Civic Association. It will be raffled at a silent auction to be held during their annual cocktail party. This whimsical scene was inspired by the 6th hole at the Reeves Park Sandy Pond Golf Outing. 

This 8 x 10 watercolor was inspired by the beautiful Westbury Gardens. I just loved the Japanese lanterns that hung from this tree. This plein-air painting was done during an outing with the Art League of Nassau County in June.