Alan's Watercolor Journals

More Sketches

2007-05-01T10:39:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more of the value sketches in this project. These are not perfect. There are flaws in them that I will hopefully correct as I redo them for the painting but, they are adequate for the purpose I drew them. They are very helpful guides in the painting process.

Value Sketch III-The Children of SE Asia

2007-04-30T11:12:00.000-05:00

Here again is the origional photo and the value sketch. This piece may actually include the other two figures in the photo. I do like the composition of the figures just like they are in the photo.
I will likely do one piece with just this child as well. those of you familiar with my work will see right away my intent to present a soft entry from the bottom of the canvas and the movement from two dimensional space to three dimensional space as I move upward. The areas of greatest contrast (where I will tell the story) are identified in this sketch. I will attempt to resolve the painting with lost edges at the top of her head and hope to use the locks of hair as the transition from positive to negative space. No I will not be drawing the top of her head. I will attempt to lose it into light washes.
the look of wonder on this tiny face is amazing. I hope to capture that wonder. Students: Give me some feedback on this blog as to whether this teaching approach is helpful to you.
This is the final painting. I used considerable lisence in the finish. In the end we are aiming at art not portraits. There is always a point where the inspiration must give way to the art. A portrait is only successful if it is first of all good art. What do you think?

Value Sketch II-"The Children of Southeast Asia"

2007-04-24T08:15:00.001-05:00

This is another recent sketch for the upcoming show this fall. I am posting these primarily for the use of my students so that you might see the source material and perhaps gain some insight into my creative process.
Value studies like these help me to establish familiarity with the subject and their story. Intimacy with the subject is important to my process. I simply cannot paint what I am not passionate about. More later.

Value Sketch for the "Children of Cambodia"

2007-04-23T17:28:00.000-05:00

This is a value study for a painting that will be part of my upcoming show called "the Children of Southeast Asia".
This little one lives in a refugee camp on the Thailand/Cambodia border. She was born there and at this rate, she will live her whole life in the camp.
This sketch was done on a piece of 90# rag with a 6B pencil mostly. Value sketching can be an important part of the creative process. They are quickly done. This one took 20 minutes or so. This piece will be an important reference for me when I begin the painting. Already I have established lost and found edges, paper doll and sillouettes, lights, darks and middle values are addressed. The details that are significant to the story I want to tell with this piece are in place.
It seems to me that it may be helpful to you students out there to see the photo from which this sketch was done. Perhaps it will give some insight into my creative process. The values have been changed and the origional photo has been cropped in Photo Shop. Beautiful isn't she.
Well, here is the finished piece. As you can see, I invented a background in order to serve my purposes. On the right side my interest was in a lost edge into darker values. On the Left side a sillouette shape. Darks imposed over light backgrtound. I created a window shape above and to the Left in order to lose the upper Left into the light as a lost edge.
the child aged a couple of years in the process but, I think it is a successful piece anyway.

Born a Refugee

2007-03-30T13:57:00.000-05:00

This beautiful little girl lives in one of the refugee camps in Thailand along Cambodia's North border. These refugees fled the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia of 30+ years ago and have never returned to Cambodia for fear of the Khmer Rouge who still live in Cambodia. With the exception of Pol Pot himself, none of the criminals responsible for the genocide were ever brought to justice.
This painting was done on a 9x12", 140# block of Kilimanjaro Cold Press watercolor paper. It was painted with a #10 round sable brush. I have finally become a fan of the sable brush. When I began to paint seriously I didn't have much money and satisfied myself for years with synthetic brushes. I used a good synthetic. Mostly I used the "Golden Fleece" brushes available from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff. I still don't have much money but, enough that I can justify the little more that it takes to enjoy a medium grade sable. Sables hold more paint and I really enjoy a good rich brush full when I am working.
For you students, I have posted a close up of the work so that you can see the how to. the rich deep color in this piece was done with Cobalt, Ultramarine and Burnt Umber mostly. Still no black. with this painting I have just about given up on trying to use Raw Umber to achieve vibrant darks. It just seems to go dead for me.
technically, this piece is a success. the entry from the bottom is soft and moves well from two dimensional space to three dimensional space. It is well balanced between two and three dimensional space. It represents an effective use of lost and found edges and lines, paper doll and sillouette objects. It is a good value painting in my judgement. The Deep rich darks effectively set up the lights. I also like the movement between abstract forms and the limited ammount of realism. There is just enough realism in this piece to be convincing enough to tell the story and no more. I like that.
The subject is a beautiful little girl. There was a defenite pathos in the subject that was first captured by the photo. I am satisfied that I was able to capture on canvas what I see in her well enough to draw the viewer in to the emotion I feel around her. As I have often told my students, don't paint for your own sake but, respect the integrity of your subject and then paint for the viewer.

The Snail Seller

2007-03-29T09:31:00.000-05:00

There are a variety of vendors on foot pushing carts on the streets of Phnom Penh. This particular vendor was selling snails that are harvested from the many suspicious smelling drainage ditches and ponds in and around the city. the cart that they are sold from has a sheet metal top onto which the snails are scattered. Apparently it is the sun on the sheet metal that cooks this delicacy as the vendor is walking along. This vendor is wearing a straw hat, somewhat unusual, under which is the traditional Ghrama being used in this case as a head covering. The Ghrama is an article of clothing that is owned by every Cambodian man, woman and child. They are worn as everything from a skirt by men and women to head covering to baby wraps.
This painting was done on a 9x12 block of Kilimanjaro, 140# cold press watercolor paper. I painted the entire piece with a #10 sable. I used some liquid mask on this piece (which is unusual for me) to maintain the light on the hat string and on the edges of the straw hat. I included the enlarged image so that students can see more clearly the how of this piece. The light that I took this pic in was rather flat so I needed to take some license with the treatment of the light. There is actually far less contrast in the subject than I have portrayed in the final painting. This is the first of many that I will be doing from the wealth of pics we brought back from our recent visit to Cambodia and Thailand.

Bubba

2007-01-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

This is the first pet portrait I have ever done. Bubba lived across the street from us. He died just before Christmas this year and his heartbroken owner asked me to paint a portrait of him to give as a gift to his wife.

Scarf and Beads at Kitchario

2006-08-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

I started this painting as a class demonstration when I was teaching at the "Ocean Sands Watercolor Workshop" this spring. I finally have returned to it. this lady is a Battwa pygmy. April and I stayed with the Battwa in 2004 and with the Dr. Scott and Carol Kellerman who are medical missionaries. Scott and Carol are the main source of medical assistance to the Battwa.

This woman was at a clinic that Dr. Scott did at Kitchario. Kitchario is in the Western mountains of Uganda, on the border with Congo. The plight of the Battwa is dire since they have been thrown out of their traditional homeland to make a "peace" park for the mountain gorilla. They have become an endangered species in their own right. The world community, in it's efforts to protect the mountain gorilla, is trying to train them to be farmers. They are a people of hunting and gathering with no apparent future tense in their language. Planting for a future harvest is a concept quite foreign to them.
This painting is 15"x22"on a half sheet of 200# Waterford, St. Cuthbert's mill, Cold Press, my favorite sheet paper.

Child at Takeo

2006-08-22T14:37:00.000-05:00

This painting is from a photograph taken by Colin and Julie in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This photo was taken at Tak Meo. April and I were in Phnom Penh in January and February of this(2007)year .
This painting is 12x18 and is painted on a 140# Kilimanjaro watercolor block. Kilimanjaro blocks come in a variety of sizes that are interesting to work on. As far as I know the paper does not come in a Hot(not) press. Cold press is of course much easier to work as the texture does a lot of the work for the painter.

Empty Bowl III

2006-07-13T13:52:00.000-05:00

This is the third time that I have painted this. I will keep trying until I get it right I guess. This piece is on a half sheet, 15x22, of 200# Waterford.

Market Lady

2006-07-13T13:34:00.000-05:00

Colin and Julie in Cambodia (www.colinandjulie.net) are beginning to send some very nice photos. This portrait piece was done from a photo they took while in the market near thier home. The Cambodians have rather fine features. Reminds me of the paintings I have done of the Native Americans.
As I understand it, this lady is on her way to provide breakfast to the local vendors in the market. The basket with the aluminum pot in it actually has a fire built in it. The coals keep the water hot that steams the contents of the Red basket. The other basket contains the condiments for breakfast. Kind of like, fast food on foot.

In the Allegheny

2006-05-31T10:13:00.000-05:00

As April and I travelled back from our son's wedding in Connecticut last fall we took our time to some sightseeing. We travelled West along the North edge of Pennsylvania on Highway 6 and then dropped down through the Allegheny mountains. The wedding was in October and the color in Northern PA was much more advanced than our hills in the Southwest corner of Pennsylvania where we were headed. the air was crisp and cool and while the color was not at it's peak, it was all we could have asked. This piece is painted on a half sheet of 200# CP paper.

Dogwood Blossoms

2006-05-04T08:05:00.000-05:00

Well, as you can see from my recent posts, spring has arrived in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. I have been taking my classes out side in the gardens that surround my studio here at the Christy house. This painting was another class demonstration. the piece is 9x18 and painted on a 140# "Kilimanjaro" CP block that I got from Cheap Joe's.
The tempretures have been in the upper 50s at night and in the upper 60s during the day. I painted this from a photo that I took of a tree in the garden. The blossoms are actually quite small perhaps 1" across. I shot the photo with the micro setting. The challenge of this painting for me was to capture the delicate nature of these blossoms. It would be very easy to be too heavy handed and lose the peace and quiet that these wonders inspire me to. I approached the blossoms themselves with some caution, feeling what I wanted them to be. I painted them last of all when my courage was up to paint them. My hope was to achieve a balance of cool and warm colors. I think that I came down more on the cool side than I initially thought I might but, I think in the end that it worked.

Dr. Showalter

2006-04-19T15:46:00.000-05:00

This is a portrait piece that I did some time ago. It is still one of my favorites. This is April's brother. Ken is a professor of chemistry at the University of West Virginia. This piece was done on a half sheet of Hot Press paper. I like to work on HP often. It is somewhat more challenging than working on a paper with a texture.

Battwa Mother and Child

2006-04-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

This Battwa mother was waiting in line at a medical clinic in the Western mountains of Uganda very near the border with Congo. In the painting is a distant volcano of which there are several in the Renzori mountains between the two countries. This was painted from one of the many photos that we took on our last trip to Uganda. We stayed with Dr. Scott and Carol Kellerman for three weeks or so. They are at this point the main medical resource the Battwa people have.

This piece is 9"x18". I painted it as a class demo recently. It is painted on dry, 140lb, "Kilimanjaro" CP paper.

Black Eyed Susans II

2006-04-19T15:07:00.000-05:00

I love to paint these Susans. I did these as a class demo last week. I don't remember which class they were done in. This piece is 12"x12". I painted them on dry paper with a fairly dry paint with lots of pigment. I developed the background first, Cobalt blue into which I dropped Ultramarine and Cad light Red. the petals are Cad light Yellow into which I dropped Cad Orange and Cad Lt Red. the centers are Ultramarine, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber and Cad lt Red. I finished as I usually do with linework, working my way to the bottom of the page and finishing in two dimensional space.

Tulips at the Christy House

2006-04-19T15:01:00.000-05:00

I painted these as a class demo yesterday. Someone had brought some nice tulips and planted them in the planters near the front door of the Christy house. My studio and gallery are in the house. It is a wonderful setting to paint in. Often in the warmer months we will paint outside in the gardens. It was about 75 degrees and it was a wonderful day to take class outside. Everyone did really well. This was my version. This piece is 9"x18".

At the Window

2006-02-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

The Children are everywhere in Uganda. They are wonderful. They are very curious about us and want to be as close as they can get. This little one was at the window where we were meeting. I selected his face to paint out of the many who were also pressing thier faces to the window to get a peek at the visitors. White people are held in very high regard in Uganda.
This painting is 6x13 and is painted on a 140# cold press paper. If you are interested in this piece or in any of my other work please contact me at alan@missionarywatercolors.com.

High Country

2006-02-10T10:56:00.000-05:00

This painting could be of many places that we have been in the high country of the Colorado rockies. This is Elk country. It is Dense forests made practically impenetrable by undergrowth and fallen timber. Rock outcroppings pepper the landscape with dead end sheer drops that insure a very circuitious or vertically rigorous route to get anywhere. In this country, it is easy to grossly underestimate the distances.

I did this painting yesterday afternoon as a class demonstration. This sketch is representitive of several of the painting techniques that I use consistantly in my paintings regardless of the subject matter. the piece is approximately 10"x14". I am offering this piece as a "Sunrise Painting". As such the price is $100.00 plus shipping and handling.

The Teacher, Oliva

2006-02-06T15:52:00.000-05:00

I finished this painting this afternoon. I started in last Friday Afternoon as a demonstration for the Advanced Watercolor Class. The work was done to demonstrate value painting, how to lose edge into shadow and the simplification of shapes by combining shapes of similar value and my theory of painting design.
April and I met Oliva three years ago in Mbale town on the East side of Uganda. She is a joy. the photo for this painting was taken by me as we sat waiting out an intense thunderstorm in a small mud and wattle hut with a dirt floor North of Mbale town. It was very dark in the hut as there were no windows. This was the home of seven boys orphaned by aids that we had gone to visit.

Oliva works with an NGO called Womens Concern Ministry. They minister primarily to the orphans and widows of aids. They assist them in getting on thier feet by teaching them survival skills and providing them the most practical of material assistance. For instance they teach them to plant and to nurture thier own crops for food. They give them seeds for thier first crop and hoes to work the soil with. Women's Concern Ministry has been recognized by the UN for their work.

Class Demonstration

2006-02-06T15:32:00.000-05:00

I did this sketch in an advanced watercolor class that I was teaching last week. It is a simple piece but effective I think. I did it on the spur of the moment actually in order to demonstrate the techniques I use in my paintings. It began as a single line drawn from left to right. Much of my theory of painting design and technique is contained in this little sketch. The trees were added at the very last when the class began to ask what it was. It is representitive of many places that I have been high in the Colorado rockies. Very fun. It is painted on a quarter sheet of St. Cuthberts Mill, 200#, CP.

Empty Bowl II

2006-02-02T10:57:00.000-05:00

This is a painting that I did on Friday last, the 27th of January as a demonstration for an advanced painting class. I have painted this little girl before. I think that the origional for that other painting may be posted elsewhere in my blog or on my website. It is painted with a very limited palette of Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue and Cadmium Light Red. the line work is a 6B pencil. Most of the painting was done with a 2" flat brush. The paper that I used for this one is my all time favorite, Saunders Waterford, 200# CP from St. Cuthberts Mill. The paper is available from Cheap Joe's if you're interested in that kind of thing.
April and I met this little girl in Kampala, Uganda on our last visist there. The empty bowl expresses the condition of the children in much of Sub-Saharan Africa.
This piece is done on a half sheet. the asking price is $650.00. If you are interested in this piece please contact me at alan@missionarywatercolors.com.

The Hunt-limited edition print

2006-01-18T19:20:00.000-05:00

April's oldest boy was born at 10,000' in Leadville, Colorado. Most years that I can remember he has taken time to hunt for Elk in the Colorado high country. He brought back the photos of the hunt that this painting was done from. There are no roads into this area. Equipment and supplies are packed in using mules. This painting is available as a limited edition print. The painting size is 9x12 approx. The print is $100.00 plus shipping and handling. enjoy.

Road to the Wanale-a'Sunrise' Painting

2006-01-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

The Wanale is a mountainous area between Uganda and Kenya overlooking the plain stretching all the way to lake Victoria. Below the Wanale to the West is Mbale Town where April and I have spent considerable time and also a place where we have a number of friends. The population of the Wanale is largely Muslim. North of Mbale is a new Muslim university. There is considerable tension in the area between the Christians and the Muslims. April and I have on two separate trips been participants in evangelism campaigns in the Wanale. The Wanale is a magnificent plateau with towering cliffs and during the rainy season a place with many waterfalls. On our last rip into the Wanale we were to preach at a church on top. Our vehicle broke down about half way up and we had to walk in the last straight up three miles or so. It was very hot on the way in and we walked out in a downpour.

Moraine State Park-a 'Sunrise' Painting

2006-01-18T18:48:00.000-05:00

North of my studio in Sewickley, Pennsylvania is a State Park called Moraine State Park. the park is built around a recreational resivior called Jackson Lake. April and me and bones spend some evenings here in the summer during the week. During the week there is seldom anyone else here. Pennsylvania has many fine state parks that are for the most part under used. This is a 'Sunrise ' Painting. As with all sunrise paintings the price is $100.00 plus shipping and handling. Enjoy.

Immanuel Banner

2005-12-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

Well, as promised, here is the completed Immanuel banner. This banner is, this Christmas eve, hanging in the sanctuary of Saint Stephens church, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. If you have seen my previous post on the Immanuel project you may notice certain differences in the features of Jesus. The Jesus in the first post is well, hairier. That is because the first post is not actually the first painting. The model for the painting was my dear friend Patrick who was at the time a pastor at St. Stephens. Patrick was much loved at St. Stephens and the banner looks like Patrick. I took Patrick's suggestion and added beard and hair to the origional painting. Patrick reasoned that while the good people at St. Stephen's might be happy with a six foot tall Patrick/Jesus since they know and love him, if our intent is to make banners for other churches perhaps it may not do to have more banners in which Jesus looks exactly like himself. Patrick is a very humble guy as you can see.
This banner is the first of several that we will be making available for purchase to churches over the course of this next year.

The Mill

2005-12-22T15:39:00.000-05:00

This is a painting in progress. It is probably not particularly interesting to see a painting that is not quite finished unless you are a student of watercolor. This painting is moving along quite well I think but, is lacking in composition. I have decided to bring some foreground foilage into play in order to complete the piece. I am happy with the background work. the sky is working for me. I have been able to achieve I think the sense of the humidity of the scene. I like the stone work. It is a result of reglazing. I am not happy with the unbroken lines of the mill on both sides. the foreground foilage should take care of the problem. I need to spend more time with the drawing in the foreground. No, I will not be painting to the bottom of the sheet. I will post my finished piece shortly. The finished painting will be $900.00 plus shipping and handling.

Secluded Pond in the Game Lands

2005-12-22T15:26:00.000-05:00

What a lovely spot. This painting was done among others as a result of a photography and a plein aire day in the game lands about 30 miles North of my studio in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The air was still most of the day so the reflections were pleasing if not quite mirrior quality and there were not too many bugs to contend with with the cooler days. It was a warm, late fall day. The peak color was off of the trees which in many ways makes for a much more interesting paint. I like the variety of textures that I get when some of the foilage has dropped so that I can see. As a painter, the eye candy of the full fall color is always tempting but, can also be a little boring I find.

The Immanuel Project

2005-12-22T14:51:00.000-05:00

This painting represents the first in a series of paintings that I am doing for the purpose of making church banners. This one has already been produced as a banner and is currently in the sanctuary of St. Stephens church in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Each banner will have a scripture associated with it. The banners are intended to be seasonal according to the church calendar.
The paintings are being scanned at 400 dpi which produces a very large digital file so that the artwork can be enlarged as needed. This one is printed on artists canvas which I think will prove to be the material of choice. the canvas hangs very nicely and is very durable. the ink is light fast so my hope is that fading should not be significant. Using this process custom banners can also be done without a lot of brain damage.

My hope over the next (2006) year to produce a banner for each season. This completed banner is for the Christmas season. I should be able to post the completed banner in the next couple of days but thought you might enjoy seeing the project as it develops.

A Small Farm-a Sunrise Painting.

2005-10-05T04:53:00.000-05:00

The people here have a wonderful sense of pride in these jewels. The countryside in this area is a 'plein-aire' painters paradise. This is a lovely little farm north of where we live in Western Pennsylavnia. It is one of many. The landscape is rolling hills, winding country roads with small lakes and streams everywhere. The country is heavily wooded and conceals much of the sign of civilization. There are few long vistas due to the abundance of trees and the hills. The few overlooks that there are reveal little but rolling heavily wooded hills punctuated by little farms just like this one. This is a sunrise painting. All of them are $100.00 plus shipping. It is approx. 7"x10".

Khmer Girls

2005-10-04T18:48:00.000-05:00

Colin and Julie-April's son and his wife- will be leaving to be permanent missionaries in Cambodia around the end of the year. They have made several trips to the region over the last year. The photo that this painting was painted from is from one of thier trips. God seems to be moving in the area drawing the people to relationship with Jesus. This move of the Holy Spirit is among the youth. The average age in Cambodia is 18. The Khmer rouge under Pol Pot murdered a significant portion of the previous generation in the infamous "killing fields". At the time that Pol Pot began his murder spree the Church in Cambodia was in revival. Ninety percent of that church was tortured and killed. If you are interested in knowing more about the history of the Church in Cambodia, you might read, "Killing Fields, Living Fields" written by Don Cormack. Colin and Julie will be assisting the local church in the raising up and equipping of the next generation of native leadership. To learn more about Colin and Julie and the work that they have been called to do in Cambodia, please visit thier website by using the link on this home page or at www. colinandjulie.net.

Praying at Gulu

2005-10-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

Prayin at Gulu

The young woman who was the model for this painting lives in Gulu, Uganda, E.A. She is around 17 years old. She has never known anything but war. The war that she lives with has been going on in Northern Uganda for over 20 years. Currently there are over 1 million internally displaced persons living in camps with horrible conditions in the area. The Gulu region is bordered on the North by the Southern Sudan. While it is not the same war, the causes are the same. It is a very dangerous place to grow up. the war is primarily being waged against children. The young boys are abducted and brainwashed into being soldiers for the LRA. The young girls are taken as sex slaves. Many are sold as sex slaves to merchants from the North of Sudan. The leader of the LRA, a monster named Kony believes that he is the Holy Spirit apparently and that his terrorist practices are therefore acts of God.

April and I were able to be in Gulu because of the kind assistance of The Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, the most reverend Henry Luke Orembi. We were able to travel with him and others to Gulu in February, 2004 as he was traveling with military escort. The photo from which I painted this was taken by me at a joint prayer service where we prayed for peace in the region. the service was conducted jointly by the Catholic and the Anglican Archbishops of Uganda.

The origional of this painting is in a private collection. Prints are available. The origional is about 15"x 22". Please mail me: alan@missionarywatercolors.com.

At the Window

2005-10-04T18:28:00.000-05:00

A big part of our missionary journeys to Uganda are the children. We haven't planned it that way it just happens. The children are everywhere. They are at the window and they are waiting at the door. They are in your lap and they go with you everywhere. To be in the villages and visiting the Christians of Uganda is to be up to your armpits in children. When you return from there you of course bring them with you in your heart. Many of them are children alone. There are over one million aids orphans in Uganda alone. Sadly, aids is once more on the rise in Uganda. This is largly due to the war in the North of the country where rape of children is practiced by the LRA as a form of terrorism. These are hard realities. I would of course prefer to report from the mission field good news. There certainly is plenty of good news to tell as well. I will get to that on other posts. But, evil cannot tolerate the light of publicity. Publicity of terrorism is the tool that we have to use against it and so, as much as we may not be edified by the truth, we in good conscience must share. Please pray for peace and political stability for Uganda.

Our Friend Peter

2005-10-03T14:27:00.000-05:00

Peter is a good friend of our family and is the retired dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry. April and I and two of our six sons are graduates or are students there now and that is how we came to know Peter. This portrait seems to capture Peter pretty well. He is a very thoughtful, loyal and warm person who is a devoted follower of Jesus and is quick to see the humor in this sometimes crazy life. This pose is classic Peter. In preparation for this portrait I snapped over 50 digital shots while April engaged him in conversation about family and friends. Most of my paintings are of people but, I don't do a lot of portraits. I don't have a problem doing them other than I am very hard on myself when I do them. I may invest too much time in doing them. The preparation for this work included several pencil sketches and two watercolor sketches in order to finally arrive at this piece. I prefer to freehand sketch the portrait rather than mechanically project the image on to the canvas and then trace it as some professional portrait artists prefer. I am by no means a purist in this. If I did more portraits I might find projecting more efficient but I am pursuing more than an accurate likeness when I do a portrait. My hope is to capture the person in a deeper way. Doing the sketches and the other prep work that I do helps me to discover what it is about a person that makes the subject obviously them to the viewers that know them best. I would enjoy comments from those of you who know our friend Peter.