Moonscape

Moonscape, watercolor, 9x12" 

Drove to Venice in the dark to meet artist friend, Sally Christiansen just before sunrise.  We painted the entrance to a trail that leads to the beach from the back of our cars in the parking lot.  A full moon was setting in the tree branches.

At just the right time, a man walked his dog into my painting!  I love how figures give the landscape a sense of scale.  And his red shirt was just the shock of color needed to balance the greens.

Tinkered with this watercolor later to strengthen the contrast.  Although a bit overworked, I like the way the light and atmospheric effect turned out.  Sometimes watercolor works its own magic without much help from me.  That's why I love it!

 

Field Sketch

CHADWICK BOAT, 6x8" watercolor, plein air

Painted in Chadwick Park, Englewood, FL with the Englewood Plein Air Posse.  A few artists were scattered around the area keeping their distance, but plenty of air hugs. 

 

Lovely breeze… remnants of Hurricane Laura that missed us.  Our hearts go out to people and animals caught in this nightmare storm!  We dodged another one but season’s not over yet.

 

I was attracted to the large boat docked across the canal and the overall light effect.  Did a quick monochromatic sketch before diving into the painting.

 

There’s magic that’s captured by painting on location that can never be caught by painting from a photo.   I enjoy setting myself up in front of a scene and responding.  Letting go of past methods, training and just focusing.  Letting the brush go free.  It’s visual meditation. 

 

Thunderheads

THUNDERHEADS, watercolor, 5x7"

Drove before dawn to meet an artist friend in Venice, Florida.  The sky flickered with lightning, wished I had checked the weather.  Set up in a shelter at the edge of the shore in case of rain.

Looming thunderheads swept across the Gulf glowing from the rising sun.  Magnificent!  Fortunately, they sailed away from us.

It's never easy deciding what to paint in this location... at least a hundred possibilities.  But this time, the clouds were the superstars.  And for the grand finale, a synchronized flock of pelicans winged overhead!

 

Field Painting

FISHING, watercolor, 6x8"

There's a pond five minutes away from my house that's also a good place to paint from the rolling studio and walk the dog... multitasking perfection.  

Sometimes a painting buddy joins me and we set up easels under the shade of the hatchbacks on our Hondas.  It's never long, an hour and a half at most, starting as early as possible to avoid the Floridian summer heat.

One morning a man was fishing, "catch and release," he said.  His yellow shirt was a perfect painting accent!  Figures add dimension and scale to landscape paintings.  

Another morning, a few monochomatic sketches to study composition and value ideas:

And recently, this same location came in handy for testing a new painting gadget (yes, I'm an art supply junkie).  The Portable Painter Micro is 2x3", plastic, lightweight and inexpensive.  Perfect for small sketchbook work and to keep handy for emergency painting opportunities when time is limited (like waiting in the car for your husband to come out of Homedepot).

Filled the six half-pans with my most basic palette of colors:

Lemon yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre.

Taped a nifty color chart to the bottom of the micro palette!

Clipped one wing of the micro palette to the sketchbook, clip also worked as brush holder!

And finished 30 minute sketch!

My watercolor, Fishing is available in my Etsy Shop.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DMannionArt

The Portable Painter Micro Palette can be found here:

https://www.portablepainter.com/

HAPPY PAINTING!

 

Little Bear Sanctuary

Blind Pig, watercolor, 6.25x8.50"

A percentage of the sale of these paintings will go towards feeding this pig and her friends who are lucky enough to live in the Little Bear Sanctuary, Punta Gorda, FL.  

Available: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DMannionArt

 

Portrait of Ms Piggy     SOLD

Dancing Goats, watercolor, 6.25x8.50. 

Dancing Goats!

 Dancing Goats!  watercolor on Arches140lb  6.5x8.75"

These goats are celebrating the opening of my Etsy Shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/DMannionArt

A percentage of the proceeds from this sketch and others in my shop will help feed these hungry critters at the Little Bear Sanctuary in Punta Gorda, FL!

The goats do an excellent job of keeping the lawns trimmed and especially enjoy eating the leaves of the live oak trees.

Please visit my new shop and let me know what you think!  Thanks!

Watercolor News

 Have posted on my website blog,  DIANEMANNION.COM but after so many years here... and so much neglect to this site... cannot and will not abandon it completely.  It's difficult to keep up with everything online!  For now, I'll copy the text from the my website to this site.  

Just posted on my website blog about my watercolor obsession. Please visit my website, DIANEMANNION.COM