Finishing Watercolors

I am finishing up some watercolors that have been on my table for a few days. The Mason jar with Tootsie Pops is done, I think. Painting a jar, or anything glass, has its set of problems- but a jar with something inside is a whole new problem. Hopefully, I got the highlights right so it looks like glass and just enough of the aqua color without too much! Sometimes I just like a white background on my still life paintings. Also, if I keep working at it- I will just overdo it and not like it. I am also finishing up a watercolor for my mom. Her house was broken into last summer, and one of the things they took was her set of sterling- and her mom's set that was the same pattern. She had a few cocktail forks that weren't put away in the box, so she still has them. She isn't replacing the silver since it is ridiculously expensive now, but I wanted her to have something to remember it by. I started drawing the fork, and knew it wasn't enough - that is where the strawberry comes in. Her silver pattern is beautiful- Towle Old Colonial- and you will be able to see the whole piece when I post it.

I should be done with that one in the next day or so- next time I sit down to paint. Today is stained glass and tomorrow is oil painting day. Hopefully I should be able to post it soon.

Thanks for looking!

Sheryl

Tootsie Pops and Painting Ideas

This week, I was having trouble coming up with new painting ideas. That is when I start looking around my studio at things on my shelves. I have a supply of Tootsie Pops- a sand pail full and a mason jar full, to be exact. They are great little sugar fixes while painting- no hands required after unwrapping and only 2 points on WW (used to be only 1 point, but I will deal with it). So, I decided to do a 20 minute challenge with a Tootsie Pop. I kept painting for longer than the 20 minutes because I got caught up in the little wrapper details, but it was fun. Next, I am working on a watercolor of the Mason jar with Tootsie Pops inside- plenty of interest for me with the colorful wrappers and the shininess of the jar surface.

I came up with a lot of new still life ideas also, so hope to get some reference photos taken this weekend for at least a few. I spend so much time trying to think of what to paint- even though I have lists of ideas. So much painting time gets wasted. I hope if I have some good still life ideas ready to go, I will just sit down and paint. Then, I think I will paint at least some of these still life paintings two ways- in oils AND in watercolors. One of my other problems is deciding which medium to go with. I really enjoy both and some paintings are an easy decision. Beaches, and garden types are watercolors to me- but I love still life and there my decision can go either way. If I plan to paint a still life both ways, I won't waste the time choosing a medium PLUS I will have 2 paintings and I am bound to like at least one of them! I know, I know- most of this dilemma could be solved by just being a more decisive person, but that will never happen to me.

Any other of my artist friends have these problems in their studios?