Rainbow Animal Watercolor Painting Series

I've been so excited with my new rainbow animal watercolor paintings that I forgot to give you updates along the way! I'll try to make up for that. Once I finished painting the Rainbow Zebra Fantasy, I started right away on a giraffe. It was so much fun letting the colors beautifully mingle one right into the other in each patch on the giraffe's body! ...and I just loved its eyelashes!!

Rainbow Zebra Fantasy

 

Rainbow Giraffe Fantasy

 

After completing the zebra and giraffe watercolors, I thought that creating an elephant would be a neat challenge. There would be no specific, realistic body patterns to work from this time. Once I had my drawing, I decided to just go for it letting one color blend into the next. The trick here is to avoid making mud, so between laying down each color, I cleaned my brush. What do you think of this magical creation?

Rainbow Elephant Fantasy

 



 

With so much in the news lately about pandas, I thought that it was about time that I created my own! This was a bit different from the other animals since it had long, thick dark fur with some large patches of almost white. To give this panda volume and shape, I used subtle shading of color along the ridge of the back and between its eyes.

Rainbow Panda Bear Fantasy

 

 



The latest in my new series is the hippo. I can't believe how much fun this journey is! Hope that you're enjoying it, too!

Rainbow Hippo Fantasy

 

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

 

Beach Boy and Girl, Painting in Progress

I just love painting children on the beach! I guess that there's so much nostalgia involved that it keeps me young, if only in my mind.

Here's a bit of insight into my painting process. For this one, I decided to start with the figures instead of the background. I'll try to capture the warmth of their relationship in this painting.

 

Below, I've started to rough in the water, surf, and sand. I've used lots of earth tones in the sand to give it character, as well as dragged my almost-dry brush sideways across the paper to take advantage of the heavily textured 300 lb Arches cold press paper. 



 

In order to give more interest to the horizon, I've added a distant shore and, since I want to give the water greater depth, I've painted over some of the surf.

 

 

I didn't like the way the water was looking, so I decided to remove it. This is not an easy trick with watercolors, but I'll share some secrets with you. First, wet the brush, then lift and blot as much paint as will come up. Next, use a special short, stiff-bristled brush called a Fabric Dye Brush by Loew Cornell, to lightly scrape the color off. If all else fails because the paint is a staining color, use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!

Now that I improved the colors in the water, I started to define the waves at the near shore.



 

Painting completed! I finished the water by making small, close strokes at the horizon and created longer waves nearer the shore. I also worked on the water and boy's beautiful blond curls, added more bright white foam to the surf, lightened the boy's shirt so that it would move more to the foreground in front of the blue water, and defined the feet.

I hope that you enjoy my new watercolor painting!

Beach Boy and Girl Original Watercolor Painting

Art Prints Available

 

 

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday 

Beach Conch Seashell Watercolor Painting

Fighting Conch Seashell Watercolor Painting

 

 

For all of the years I've walked the beaches of Florida and the Caribbean collecting seashells, I never found one with chevron stripes like this one. I had to paint it and share it with you!

 

Have you ever seen a shell like this Fighting Conch? I'm told that they were once plentiful, but if you found one like this, please let me know where.

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Alstroemeria Pink Flower Watercolor Painting in Progress

 

I just can't help myself! I've put it off for as long as I can, but I can no longer delay painting these fabulous flowers!

 

When I first saw Alstroemeria, I thought that they were "fake" silk flowers. It wasn't until I actually touched them that I realized they were indeed real! I have been buying fresh cut Alstroemeria for quite some time now because not only are they beautiful, but they last weeks!

 

Here is the beginning of my painting of a bouquet of salmon-pink flowers. After I penciled them in, I started to lay in the colors to get the general shapes and experiment with the background.

 



After weeks, it's finally starting to look like something. I'm trying to get that luminous quality that these flowers are known for.

 

 

I still have a long way to go, but I will keep working at it. It's the tiny details that make all the difference! I hope that you enjoy getting a glimpse at my painting in progress. When I finish, I'll post the completed Alstroemeria!

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Season of Giving ART

SAVE THE DATES – December 3 and 4, 2014!

It's that time of year again – Main Street Boutique is back! Please join me for one of the most highly anticipated shopping events of the season to support Abington Health and the healthcare of our local community.  

This is a great day out at the lovely Huntingdon Valley Country Club for ONE STOP HOLIDAY SHOPPING! (2295 Country Club Drive, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006)  

I’ll be exhibiting my Original Watercolors and affordable Matted Fine Art Prints, along with more than 35 others showing their jewelry, clothing, art, skin care products, and much more! Visit my website here to get a preview of my work. I’m looking forward to seeing you at this very special event.

• Stop by my exhibit to enter my free raffle for a Fine Art Print. 
• Can’t make the event? Order online directly from my Etsy Shop.

Please forward and share this with your family and friends to help spread the word about this unique opportunity to benefit our community and have a wonderful holiday shopping experience, too!

Tickets can be purchased at http://give.abingtonhealth.org/MSB

"Poinsettia"

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Beach Girl with Red Shovel and White Hat Watercolor Painting in Progress

"Beach Girl with Red Shovel and White Hat"

 

As soon as I saw this little girl on the beach, I knew that I wanted to paint her! I was struck by the child's activity, methodically and purposefully digging the sand, plopping it into piles, and gazing periodically at the ocean.

 

She was wearing a yellow striped bathing suit and surrounded by nothing but sand from my vantage point. I started to paint her that way, but quickly wanted a more vibrant bathing suit and a rich cobalt blue sky. I love painting shadows on something white. As you may know from my earlier blog posts, I'm using the mingling technique for her hat with mingled permanent rose, verditer blue, and mineral violet watercolor paints.

 

 

Once finished the bathing suit, I worked on the flesh tones, facial features, clouds, richer sky colors, along with texture and color to the sand.

 

 

At first, I was going to leave the ocean as a distant shore, planning on having the painting focus mainly on the child. But the more I looked at it, the more it seemed like she was sitting in a desert! I really missed showing the ocean, especially with lots of waves!

 

"Beach Girl with Red Shovel and White Hat"

 

Once the ocean was painted, I concentrated on refining the rest of the painting, lightening the sand piles where the sun hits them, toning down the sand a bit, and deepening the color of the water at the horizon to give it added depth.

 

I haven't shown all of the steps that it took to get to the finished painting which took me three weeks to complete. I just wanted to give you a bit of insight into my watercolor painting process.

 

I hope that you enjoyed this little taste of my decision-making process with this painting!

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

 

 

Nursery Art Beach Children Paintings

 

  "Boy into the Surf"         

 

  

                                                            "Beach Girl with Big Hat"

My paintings "Boy into the Surf" and "Beach Girl with Big Hat" (unofficially, I call her "Beach Girl with Cheeks of Tan!") fine art matted prints, have gone to a new home in California!

Recently, I have found that many of my paintings of children have been used to decorate the nursery or used in a seashore-themed home. Since I do love the beach, I find myself noticing children anywhere I travel and then painting them in a beach setting.

That's how I did the painting below. This adorable little boy was at a festival with lots of booths, fun, grass, and trees. After getting permission from his mom, I painted them at the beach instead!

"Beach Boy & Mom"

 

I hope that you enjoy these paintings! Please let me know what you think.

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Beach Adirondack Chairs...And the Winner is...

"Beach Adirondack Chairs"

 

Thanks to all of you who entered my Mother's Day Contest! You shared wonderful memories of your moms, based on my paintings that reminded you of her. ...And the Winner is Lou Anne P! Congratulations! The prize is a $52 gift certificate from my shop for a large matted 16x20 fine art print of her choice.

 

"We didn't sit on the beach but in the back yard almost every summer evening chatting, laughing, telling stories, playing. My mom and whomever had time to enjoy the moment would choose a spot from her eclectic, colorful supply of outdoor furniture. These precious evenings continued her whole life and I often ponder the memories today as I sit in my own colorful eclectic supply of furnishings on the patio."  Lou Anne

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Beach Boy with Red Shovel Painting

Beach Boy with Red Shovel

 

A perfect day for the beach, so grab your shovel and head to the surf! I just love seeing children on the beach and this little fellah is no exception.

 

When I created this watercolor painting, I wanted to capture the wonderful reflections and shadows in the watery sand, the foamy surf, and a beautiful sun-filled sky.

 

Do you remember when you were a child and strutted unafraid toward the ocean? Do you recollect the thrill of a beach adventure? Do you recall the unique feelings of joy you felt there? I do and still relive them every time I walk the beach!

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Ming Vase Orange Lily Painting in Progress

 

I absolutely love mixing my Ming Vase with things orange! Last year I created a composition of a blue and white vase with two orange segments. Although it took a very long time to get the oranges just right and give the illusion that they were on a mirror, I  was happy with the final result.

 

"Ming Vase with Oranges"

 

Now is my chance to create another painting with one of my favorite vases. I found a lovely lily that has fabulous color, structures, and texture. Placed on the mirror along with the vase, I sketched the composition.

 

Next, I painted the dark background of blues and purples to create depth. Then came the vase details.

 

 

Below, you can see the painting of the tops of the stamens (the anthers), the top of the central pistil (the sticky stigma), and a few of the petals. [I know, I just can't help myself. I taught biology for close to 40 years!]

 

 

There's still a lot more to be done here. This is just the start. So, what do you think? Does this painting look like it may create the illusion of the vase and flower reflected on a mirror?

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Pink Lily Watercolor Painting Art

"Alstroemeria Lily Flower" 

 

I absolutely love this flower! When I first saw the Alstroemeria, I thought that it was an artificial silk flower. This South American Peruvian Lily, or Lily of the Incas, seems to be available at most markets and lasts up to three weeks. What more could I want from such a stunning cut flower for brightening my kitchen.

After planning for a long time, I decided not to paint the entire bouquet, but focus on one beautiful blossom of the Alstroemeria Lily. Although I favor realism in my art, especially in creating flowers, I prefer to make the backgrounds impressionistic. If you look carefully, you can see hints of buds just starting to open.

I hope that you enjoy this Fine Art Print of my Original Watercolor Painting which will last even longer than the real thing! It will give you many years of pleasure!

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday

Beach Adirondack Chairs Painting, Watercolor Art Print

Beach Adirondack Chairs

Barbara Rosenzweig

Watercolor Painting

 

Where do you find the best place to relax? My spot is on the beach! Here, colorful chairs look out to the ocean to create a relaxing, peaceful seashore spot for you to dream.

 

To give you a bit of insight into my painting process for this one, here are a few of the stages this new watercolor went through. Early on, I decided to have four colorful Adirondack chairs looking out at the beach and ocean. I roughed in where I wanted the clouds and chairs.

 

 

Next, I started to add vegetation and darken the backs of the chairs and shadows under them. This is a much longer process than you see here. My purpose is to give depth and drama to the painting.

 

 

 

Creating dramatic clouds turned out to be the most difficult part of this painting. I didn't want them to look like a big white blob, but wanted them to be light and airy, letting a cobalt blue sky shine through. At this point, though, it still wasn't right. The blue was too deep in spots. I also added low and tall grasses in the foreground for depth and further darkened the backs of the Adirondack chairs. 

 

 

Finally, I lightened the blue in the clouds and blended more of the clouds to give a softer effect, as well as added a third tall grass on the right.

 

Beach Adirondack Chairs

Barbara Rosenzweig

Watercolor Painting

 

I'd love your opinion on my new watercolor painting!

 

Linked to Watercolors by Barbara Etsy Shop, Watercolors By Barbara Website, Fine Art America, Make it Pretty Monday, IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, BoogieboardCottage, Alphabe-Thursday, Join the Party {Linky}  Fall into Fall, and Pink Saturday, Five Days Five Ways, Friday Favs, Fancy These Friday’s, Friday Link Party, Saturday Show & Tell, The DIY'ers, Anything Blue & Pink Friday