Soap Bubbles in watercolours

The lightest, airiest soap bubbles by - Ilse

A big group of Aquarellistas got together in the Hangar last week, to paint 'soap bubbles! It is a truly difficult subject - we painted from photos because the still life doesn't last long enough for us 😜. The results are surprisingly good and we learned so much from it! The great thing about working from photo's, is that you start recognizing the basic 'rules' so with a bit of practice we will be able to do this more spontaneous. But here are some stunning examples to start with!

Liz's truly soapy foamy bubbles

Very strong light in this impressionist bubble work by Michele C

 Interesting bubble with refelcting highlight from Hélène 

 And another set of bubbles by Ilse

 Judith finished her broken plate and just started with these bubbles. You can already imagine how good they will look with highlights and a slightly darker background!

Luckily I already told Sylvie D. that exceptionally, the photo somehow doesn't show how good the painting is! The real thing shines and shimmers and has a beautiful mystery... more next time!

Diana painted this amazing set of bubbles! People were asking, is this a watercolour? YES it is. With lots of Payne's grey and Indigo... Diana then started a next one, with a more transparent approach. Needs some highlights here and there and then it will be very convincing as well!

 

This O-so transparent soap-bubble painting by Jutta was the inspiration for Di and she is right, this painting will be awesome when it is finished!

If Celina pulls this one off it will be legendary!!! I look so forward to the next step & finished painting! Love the little girl - somehow reminds me of aquarellista Bibi.

As always there was other artwork produced next to the 'sujet du jour'! Last week's lonely buildings were finished:

 Glen's 'birds view' on a Tuscan lonely farmhouse - great stuff!

Hélène let the sunshine in! Lots of stories imaginable here too...

And last but not least, Jutta's lonely little building - it is so cute!!

 

 Remote aquarellista Sandra has made real progress with her tangle of leaves, painted on heavy, paint-absorbing handmade paper. Exciting developments - I wonder what this will look like when it is finished!

 Liz also tweaked her silver beads - and they are ready to be picked up! (Maybe as a logo for a jewelry maker?)

The broken plate - now finished. Judith did a good job on the contrast, and I see a story here as well, because brokenn as it is, it looks so complete...

 

Maud a fait un travail formidable sur cette photo de vieille Grasse. Note qu'elle a utilisé du gesso pour lui donner plus de texture, aspect un peu 'antique' reussi!

And last but not least, Marie-Claire put her own beautiful cat in the misty flowy background. It will be refined and detailed next time - but it already looks like a good start!

5 Aquarellistas, 5 Subjects

It was not crowded last session - almost all Aquarellistas were elsewhere! But we had a fantastic, creative and energetic afternoon with Helene, Cathie, Sandra, Bev and myself.

We discussed all kinds of interesting art-related subjects and each of us painted different subjects - with so much pleasure!

Hélène worked on this amazing sunset through a glass...

...Cathie painted more on the cup and saucer watercolour...

 ...Sandra painted this small and colourful graphical composition...

 ... While Bev started an enormous challenge with the Piazza Ducale in Vigevano (we went there during the hangar Springtrip) as subject...

...and I painted hands....

 

Escargots en Aquarelle - Snails in Watercolour

 From our Breton correspondent Michele C - a very cute and well-painted snail

The latest Aquarellista Session was dedicated to 'Snails'. They are beautiful in many ways, there are many many different species and their shapes and colours leave room for imagination. Above and below you can see a good variety of possibilities!

 Snail shell by Hélène, very wel done - the volume is great and the patterns enhance the shape!

 Celina created this Snail-Leaf composition, true to her style. You would think this comes from her imagination, with the bright red and the perfect shape - but it is based on an existing snail! 

 Lovely watercolour with reflection by Glenn. I think it is a young snail, it somehow has a vibrant feeling to it.

 Almost abstract snail by Vanessa. points for warm colours and nice contrast. 

I hope she likes it better when she sees this picture! 

 Elia B. painted a mother-of-pearl shell on this beauty - and nailed it!

 Brenda used a photo of a simple shell to create a big painting in her loose and transparant style - and so did Bev. On first sight the two look similar  - but that is because of the colours. In fact they are very different... (click to enlarge)

After this Bev was interested to go a step further, so she took the box with real shells and built a still life with them. Below the first brush strokes - more next week!

NB - there are paintings missing. my bad - I didn't take pics of everything I am ashamed to admit. I have to pack'n prepare for the Hangar Spring Trip and am scheduling this post. So have a look for them next week, in the 'other projects' 

And here are the other, finished, started and ongoing projects - very worth looking at also! Earth, Water and Fire by Carol, Liz and Sandra...

 Carol's Awesome horizon-painting, inspired by the city she grew up in

Two amazing water splashes, by Liz. Both look as if they are really happening, great stuff!!! 

 

And to finish, here's one great work of art by Sandra. I am over the moon with this one because it tells one hell (literally) of a story that 'deepens the mystery'. I interpret it as the downfall of the Maya culture - but there are many ways of looking at it. Breathtaking if you see it for real - also interesting technique-wise. The structure in the arch was achieved by using gouache. If you want to see more by Sandra visit her website

Watercolour Horizons...

 Very abstract -and interesting interpretation bij Isabelle. With visual texture, created with gauze and paint...(click on te picture to see more detail)

Last time the Aquarellistas got together, we chose 'Horizons' as our subject. An inspiring one - with so many possibilities for interpreting... Above and below a couple of examples - there were more but I did not take pictures of everything... my bad!

Very exiting version-to be finished, with a serious red  background and a mysterious arcade rising up... By Sandra -who else!

 A next interesting version, created by Patience. Incredible colours and a fantastic composition.

How about Bev's interpretation! So well done, so much view!

Or the horizon Vanessa painted... almost from another planet, I absolutely adore the light!

Another interpretation -not finished but amazing and so zen - by Glen!

And finally the awesome Northern lights - by Celina. She sees them regularly and told me that they actually move when you whistle at them...

And as always there were other subjects too!

These fine pears with strong shadows, by Carol

 A belated lilie of the Valley - so lovely and fragile, by Vanessa

An awesome radiant bouquet by Bev

 And Cathie has taken up a new challenge! She is currently experimenting to paint the moment the brush hits the water and a cloud of paint spreads...

Watercolours of Lilies of the Valley

 Patience is back! She was afraid she had forgotten all about painting but, luckily (and not quite unexpected) she remembers how it's done, and look at her first this year!!

Last time the Aquarellistas got together, it was the first of May, the Day of the Workers, symbolized in France with the 'Muguet' or Lily of the Valley.  Guess what our inspiration was....

 

Marvellous modern interpretation by Annabel Clarke

A perfect Lillie of the Valley, with strong background, by Celina  

Marie-Claire's subtle version, the thick green background actually works well!!

Jane painted this awesome, free impression of the muguet

Michele F created two versions - based on the same example, but so different

Vanessa is back - and she has not forgotten how to paint. This amazing bunch already works!

Sylvie D. worked along with us from home - and created her version in her usual free style. Love it!

And last but by no means least, Sandra's 2 minute muguet-painting. Amazing use of wet-in-wet and negative space...

Of course there were also other projects going on:

 Brigitte fiished her poivron from the complementary colours-project

 Liz started with not one, but two water paintings! They still have some masking fluid on them but you can already see that she nailed it!

Michèle C - our Breton correspondent works with us - And How! Here's her water-project. One word: Fab!!

 Bev is back! She landed in Nice, came straight to the Hangar - and started this wonderful flower composition with peonies, gerberas and irises. A super painting!

 Sandra's beautiful Berber man is now officially finished. He is mild and wise. Very well done!