Demo from the weekend

This past Friday I had my Studio open for
Porchwalk.  I was demonstrating and talking
and finished the basket in my larger painting.

The Basket:
First I must be aware of the light areas where the sun
is hitting the basket and where the darker shadowy
areas are.   As always I am starting with my warm
underwashes of cad. yellow.  Drying between each layer
of color.  I am working from the right side, dark to light.
Building up with yellow ochre and cad yellow slowly
on each weave.  My goal is to keep it warm. 

Next is the definition of the weaves.  In the
horizontal rungs I used burnt umber and a dash of
red. Saving my light areas.  On the top weaving
I used paynes grey and a spot of india ink for the darker
lines.  This is all a slow process of building color and
texture.

I actually finished the painting on Saturday
and will share it tomorrow!  I can say it turned
out unbelievable...

Porchwalk starts Friday

Untitled...  (Titles welcome!)
17"x 21" Original Watercolor
Another great painting I am saving for my
November Open House.

13th Annual Artisans' PorchwalkIn Historic Lititz, PA  starts Friday

10 to 5       FREE! 
Start at my house...
 4 North Spruce Street, Lititz, PAAndy Smith ~ Watercolors & Prints  - I am demonstrating

 

Also featuring at my house:
Lydia L. Dierwechter ~ Felted Wool HandbagsLeslie Howland & Mary Anderson ~ Functional Stoneware Pottery
Beth Rosenberg & Brooke Graybill ~ Unique Beaded Jewelry
Raymond Becker ~ Black & White Photography
Doug Shaw ~ Wood Carver

There is 6 stops and great selection of artisans.

I am back from a wet weekend in Rhinebeck, NY.
We did manage a little fun.  On Thursday we took
a tour of CIA, which made Linda dream of taking
classes!  On Monday on the way home we stopped
in New Paltz to tour Huguenot Street.  We realized
we had another connection, when in France, at
Meschers, we visited caves where Hugenots hid before
escaping...  I took a lot of great photos.  I don't know
how Linda finds these places but they always give me
great inspiration.  Back home to paint.  This weekend is
PORCHWALK, I am home for a change and will

be demonstrating.   Porchwalk is held at 6 locations
in Historic Lititz, PA
Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-5
FREE ~ rain or shine (You will need to drive your car)
My studio is stop #6 and I have 6 fantastic craftsman
for you to see!!

Back to my painting Demo...
I am moving to the floor.  Again... starting
with a few warm washes of Yellow Orchre
(A favorite of mine!) Darker in the back and
working them lighter in the front.  Use a mixture
of Raw Umber and  blue with a touch of red
to add the lines.

Next is to go darker and add texture.
A mixture of Burnt Sienna, Perm. Rose and
a drop of India Ink.  Notice the shaping of
wood grain, and I am saving some warm light
spots.

Thursday... demo: The lid

I added some character to the copper by
adding scratch and dents.  A mixture of Paynes
Gray and Burnt Sienna in a drybrush method
meaning little water.  Also finished the lines going
around the boiler with Cobalt Blue in the back part
and another mixture of Cad Yellow and Cad Orange
around the lines.
The most important thing is to keep some of the areas
warm and light, this is what creates the copper feel.

Now I am ready for the lid.  Again, I am starting with
underwashes of Yellow Ochre but saving the negative
areas.  This is what makes watercolors so hard.  You
really need to understand where you are going.  You
never use white paint so you save the negative parts.

I am slowly building color by adding more and

more Burnt Umber and Cad Orange.  Notice

the wedge of reflected light that is created with
Thalo Blue and around these edges is Perm. Rose.
Next I needed to create the shadow areas.  Going
over the darker areas with Paynes Gray and blue.
I simply keep repeating these color mixtures and
drying them until I reach the intensity I want. 

I think you can click over the painting several
times to enlarge it so you can really see what I am doing.



Wednesday demo update

Demo Update:
I worked till 11pm last night, just adding layers
And again most of today, inbetween teaching.

The goal is to make this look like copper by mixing paint.
Not by buying a copper tube of paint.
Notice I am still saving the light areas.  I divided the boiler
into three parts.  Mixing Paynes Gray and Perm. Rose
I washed the two ends and the very center, saving the the
warm areas.  Across the middle is a raised pattern, to create
this, I used a blend of cad orange and Perm Rose. Next,
soften the edges around the highlights with water, lightly
blending. 

I must give a shout out to my student Eileen who took some
awards from the Lampeter Fair... Congrats!!  I am always
proud when my students do well.

September classes are over and October class starts next week.
Email if you are interested, more details on my website.

Packed and leaving in the morning for a show in
Rhinebeck, NY.  I love this area, I packed the tandem in
hopes of nice weather for a little ride.  Our favorite diner is
there... The Eveready.   We are using the pop-up and it is very
quiet at the camp area, hopefully Linda will get a little rest before
all the work of Porchwalk and my Open House.
The show is indoors so doesn't matter if it rains... I am all set

Tuesday...

Great class this morning.  This is the last
set of September classes, I cannot believe
how fast September went by.  Linda and I
went to get our pumpkins in the afternoon.
Linda looks at the stems and I like the funky
odd ones. We need them to decorate for
Porchwalk.  Back to my painting...

Demo: (click over painting to enlarge)

Underpainting... that is what I am focusing on, thin layers
of paint.  Color that will give the wood a fine patina and
the copper boiler a glow.  I am saving the areas that will be
lighter by simply taking my time and painting around them.
Basically, I am using mixture of Cad Orange and Cad Yellow.
You can see where it is painted in darker and lighter hues.
Next was a bit of paynes gray with a dab of red over the
table top.  Patience...It looks nothing like it will when I am
finished... this is a slow build of color.  I learned to enjoy
the journey of a painting not just the end result.  There is a
joy in my knowing where I am taking a painting and a
patience in getting there.

My words of wisdom to painters... slow down, study your
subject, draw it to get familiar and form a plan in your mind
all before picking up the brush!
My words of wisdom to my collectors... slow down, study
my paintings.  Notice the subtle use of colors.  Notice that
there is not just a brown table, but a wonderful build of
values to create the brown.

Monday...

We returned from the show in New Hope at
10pm last night.  I had high hopes for this show
and it did not live up to my hopes.  It is unfortunate
because I really like the area.   I was able to work
on my commission which has turned out nicely.
I want to spend about two more hours on it and
its finished.  Linda is looking ahead to getting the
garden cleaned up for Porchwalk which is Oct.7-8.
I am actually going to be home this year, I will
be demonstrating so plan on stopping at the studio!
It is also time to start thinking Open House. Nov. 18-20
Linda has her "to do schedule" printed and taped up
in the office so I know I need to paint, paint, paint!

Below is my next large painting.  A wonderful still life
with strong shadows.  I think you will enjoy watching
the progress on this one.  Feel free to send questions or
comments.   Remember I hand draw my pieces.  I like
that it is not perfect, there is a human quality to my work.
I get enjoyment from the drawing process.  Ii gives me
an extra connection to my painting.  Drawing requires me
to really look, to see all the intricate details.  I have 5 hours
into just the drawing.  I also started the backgrounds first washes.
First yellow Ochre ~ dried hard.  Then Payne's grey around...
dried it, and where it needs to be warm, I added a touch of
Cad. Red.

Latest 14x18 painting
Untitled ~ It was from a trip to Harpers Ferry, WV
Linda thought it had a French feel, I just liked
the shadows.

I was not able to blog all week.  I try really hard
not to give a lot of excuses but some weeks...
Monday:  Home late afternoon from my Bedminster show.
Finally a good show!  Put up the camper and unpacked the van. 
Our last cat "Whiskers" who was 20 years old, died over the weekend
so we had a little funeral in the back yard and Linda
planted a Rose of Sharon in her honor. Takes a while to
dig a grave and plant a bush!  I am guessing we will be kitty
hunting in a week or two...
Tuesday: I had a class to teach and worked on the painting
above.
Wednesday: I had two classes to teach
Today: I had a class in the morning, packed the van and
had a  private class with a great lady who is in
her 80's. Her daughter brought her here from Pittsburgh
just to have a 2-day class with me.
In the middle of this I am working on a commission and started
another painting ~ I am in Open House painting mode.
Linda is having email issues, I have a leaking hot water heater,
and a leaking faucet in my in laws apartment.
Plus it is to rain for my weekend show!

The show:
New Hope Arts & Craft Festival
Held in Union Square on West Bridge St
New Hope, PA
Sat. 10-8 & Sun. 10-6
FREE!  Rain or Shine
Space #100

Untitled... yes you may offer suggestions, yours
cannot be any worse than mine... except for a few
of you and you know who you are!
Image: 23x19"  Original watercolor
This is almost a full sheet watercolor!

It is time to start painting for my Annual Open House.
All new larger paintings will be held at the studio
until November.  Gives you plenty of time to save up!!

This is week 2 of my classes, one of my students
had questions about painting sunsets so I did a study
in my sketchbook as a demonstration.  Your sketchbook
does not need to be drawings only... I often add watercolor
washes to them as color reference.  A sketchbook is
the perfect place to work out problems.  Painting problems.
Although occasionally I will empty my heart of other
problems there also!

Tuesday

4"x 6" Original Miniature Watercolor
A Painting A Day

I sat at my kitchen table and this is my view out the
window.  Just wanted a change of pace.
$100.00 unframed available till Thursday 9/15 ~ SOLD

I have to adjust my booth to fit in a hallway for
my next show.  Working on an overhead brace so
my panels can be flat against a wall... a trip to
Lowes is necessary!
Traditional Artisan Show in Bedminster PA
(Perkasie on mapquest)   The quality here is top
rate.