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Sunday, July 21, 2024

Sea of Fog (20 July 2024)

The magic of the coast on a hot day... Views upon entering Djerassi's property. Classic Northern California.

First Yellow Moth (17 july 2024)

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Saturday, I compared my new set of Schminke Horadam 9 'exceptional' colors (top) to my standard set of 12 (second down, with sepia omitted - the sets are subtly different in this photo, but more clearly different in person. I'll be able to mix all kinds of colors, now!). I have a few colors from other brands (the four on the left), since SH half pans used to lack local distributors, and I wanted my favorite pigments for mixing. I combined my favorites from both SH sets into one tin, but will adjust it as needed for my subjects.

Today (Sunday), I played with the Finetec metallics (bottom image), to get a feel for whether their streakiness can be either utilized or overcome. Laying down broad washes was challenging (perhaps because this paper is so absorbent), and makes me wonder if I should be using acrylics for these effects instead. (Metallics go down so smoothly in acrylic form.) I may need to save these paints for line work or limit them to highlights or small areas. (I also need to decide if I'll add black or silver metallic acrylic ink to these to "finish" them, or if they finished enough. Hmmmm....)

Summary: I had FUN with colors.

Saturday, July 13, 2024

New Moth

The orchid that my office sent when my father died is blooming again: this is the first flower to open on either of its two healthy stalks.

So now I know: my orchids really like the new skylight in my dining room. Three plants are in bloom, and the one downstairs is getting closer and closer...

Showing in the Historic Despicable Me 4 (Alameda Theater)(10 July 2024)

How do I not have a collection of photos of this well-maintained old theater? There are so many details to enjoy: the neon, the perforated corners, the marquee... I don't spend much time on the main island of Alameda, but took my team to lunch, and got to see this in passing. I hope to return to have a better look in similar lighting.

Coffee foam (tropical plant)

Even I am shocked at my restraint about posting these. I mean, I photograph them constantly, but I'm holding back...

Saturday, July 6, 2024

China Basin Park

It was fenced off for nearly a year, but this space on the south side of McCovey Cove certainly has been transformed. (Also, the public bathroom is SUPERB.)

Summer pink at Mission Creek

I was standing in a way that could have had me fall into the swale, but I didn't. And even if I had, it was for ART.

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Watercolor study

Have I mentioned that painting is hard? It's only fun when it is working, and I am very much out of practice. Practice is what will fix me, though, so I am working on it...

Proud beads

Yes, I was wearing these all day Sunday after the parade, as if it was the most fun and normal thing in the world. No regrets!

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Iridescent paints

I wrote about my semi-opaque Japanese watercolor tests today on my other blog, but here I'll just note that my iridescent paints show the brush strokes even on this paper (Clairefontaine mixed media black), so I think I understand how heavily to lay it on now to show fewer strokes. Also, the colors look very gray and brown on white paper UNLESS you view them at an angle, so I better understand how to use them there, too.

It's nice to take time to test these things out, rather than suffer disappointment on some drawing I've spent ages on...