Category Archives: Fruit

Leslie Saeta’s September 2013 30 Paintings In 30 Days, Day 30

And now, the end is here…

Regrets, I’ve had a few,

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew,

I’ve had my fill, my share of losing.

I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way!

That song has been in my head today. And not just for me. I think each of the artists participating can relate. Great paintings were created, and also some mediocre. A few too, that will be ripped up, thrown out, or painted over.

I want to thank everyone who visited my blog and gave me your opinion of my work. It really means a lot to me, you kept me going even when I thought my work was only fit for Oscar and his trash can.

I want to send out a “Thank You!” to Leslie as well. She said today that she does not think she played much of a part in so many people painting every day. But there are over 300 artists who would tell you different. She will be hosting another challenge in January, and I will be there to take part. I have a friend who is just getting started with painting and she wants to join as well.

For today, a painting I will be sending to my best friend from 5th and 6th grade. Helena. We were friends for about two years, and then each left the state. Letters kept us in touch for a few more years, and then we sort of, lost each other. I found her on Facebook earlier this year. Not sure why I had never thought to look before that.

Eucalyptus Leaf, front and back. Watercolor on 140 lb. cold press paper. © 2013 Sheila Delgado

I mentioned in a post I think last Tuesday or Wednesday, that I had taken a trip down memory lane. I went to my old neighborhood. Well, that gave me the idea for this, and about ten other paintings.

These are eucalyptus. The neighborhood I spent part of my childhood in was Scripps Ranch. Just east of Miramar, and if you have watched Top Gun, you have seen parts of Scripps Ranch, and all of the eucalyptus trees. It was a little sad going back. One of the houses I had lived was burned in the Cedar fire. There were a lot of brand new homes, dotted in between older ones.

Scripps is an area I have fond memories of, and I even have dreams of it. Sometimes in the rain, trees all shiny and everything smelling so clean and fresh. That is when you can really smell the eucalyptus. ( I remember most of my dreams so that is not very unusual for me.)

I thought about using pen with this, adding a few crags and cracks and outline definition. the veins are really so tiny and so numerous, adding them would destroy the piece. I really like them like this. What do you think? (remember how the sunflower looked?) I will think on it for a day or two. If I do it, I will still have this version saved in the computer.

Here are all of the paintings I worked on this month. Which ones did you like the best? Can you tell me why? Sorry, I did not have time to include links with each of them. To revisit them you can go to my Home page, and then scroll down to see the original posts.

Have a great evening everyone! I hope you had as much fun looking at these, as I had creating them!

God Bless!

Sheila

30 Days of Art, September 2013

30 In 30, Day 25

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One last pear. Well not forever, they are too much fun.

I started a series of three postcards, which I will be submitting for an art exhibition and swap. I had planned to use those abstracts, but then decided to carefully re-read the instructions. There is a theme. Don’t know how I spaced that out. I was going to use the first card as my painting for today, but I used salt, and the drying time squashed that idea.

Leslie (the host of this challenge) mentioned the other day, that she hoped we had learned a lot from this daily exercise. And at that time, I was a little unsure about what I could say I have learned. But with this one rustic little pear, I realize I have learned quite a lot. That is not to say that I have perfected any of it. But I have made progress.

This is not a pretty pear. But there are some pear varieties that are not really “pretty”. I was going to find a photo to show you. What I found is that I actually painted a perfect version of a Forelle (for-ELL-ee) pear.

Spotted Pear. 4 x 6 postcard. Watercolor on 140 lb. cold press paper. © Sheila Delgado 2013

Serendipity doodle do! I Googled for pear facts before, but this never came up… bizarro!

(Oh and did you know that ungoogleable is a real word?)

I know there is a Chinese proverb that says something about finding what we need when we need it. Or what we need finds us when we need it. Sorry, it is 2 am and I might be a zombie right now. I will have to search for that later, but I am sure you know what I am talking about. And if you do, and you leave a comment with the proper saying, I would be eternally grateful. One of those things that will gnaw at me until I find it.

Now that I found a photo of a Forelle, I feel good about showing you my rustic little pear.

Get to the point zombie.

What I have learned:

I learned the way to hold my brush to tap spots of color, almost exactly where I want them. ( yeah I went a little nuts with that one. I was having fun)
I learned what size brush to use to get the spot size I need.
I learned more about water pigment ratios.
I learned how to correct a mistake. I had too much dark reflection on the base of the pear, it went too far up and was a solid thick band… but I went back in with just water a few times, and voilà!
I learned that pears are easy for me. Holy revelation Batman! I chose to do a pear because I knew it would be quick, and I could get to bed. Where I should be right now.

I know I am tired because I have turned into a jabber-jaw!

I did not have time to visit my artist friends today, I will have to catch up tomorrow. I hate missing all the amazing art you have created! Thanks to all who visit my site, thank you for taking the time to comment and chat with me too.

Be well and enjoy!

30 In 30, Day Thirteen

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We are nearing the halfway point in Leslie Saeta’s 30 day challenge. The internet has been out most of the day, so I have yet see what my friends and fellow artist have worked on. I have a dinner date tonight, with my cousin and her four adorable daughters. The painting I started for today will have to be for tomorrow, it isn’t quite finished.

This lemon is one of the paintings I was able to save. Actually, it was done, it just was still drying and it look ruined. But when I looked the next morning, it looked pretty great. I am happy with it. I will be able to use it for an illustrated recipe.

Do you want to know a bit more about why lemons are so good? The link will lead you to an article I wrote last year.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. Don’t forget to visit Leslie’s site!