"Cloudy with a Chance of Apples" watercolor $99 class demo sale

Today's feature in 99 bucks class demo sale.  Watercolor. 8-1/2 x 11"  Unframed. Unmatted.
 http://dianemorganpaints.com/works/1455801/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-apples    Free shipping.  See the entire collection at  http://dianemorganpaints.com/collections/13769

"Just Delicious" watercolor apples in bowl

Watercolor on Arches 300# cold press 9" x 11"  

Demo from Saturday's class at Venus Studios Art Supply.

www.dianemorganpaints.com

"Green Apples and Pears" watercolor class demo

"Green Apples and Pears"  watercolor 10" x 13"  demo from Saturday's class at Venus Studios Art Center.
www.dianemorganpaints.com

Three Big Macs

Three Big Macs.  11"x 13" watercolor on paper.  Demo from Friday's Grand Opening at Venus Studios Art Supply.   I varnished this.  It really makes the colors pop.  I had used this as a demo for a class last winter. One of the ladies from that class attended Friday's demo and got inspired to go home and finish her apples from last year :-} Another group of gals took photos and used it for their group painting session the next day.  Available for purchase http://dianemorganpaints.com/works/282360/three-big-macs

Caution Wet Paint. Today's class demo

Today's lesson for my class was to attempt a simple plain wash for a background, use frisket to create spots on the apples,  blend colors wet-in-wet right on the paper, and let the background (shadow) and object meld together rather than having a cut-out look of an apple just separate from the background.  Work-in-progress. Watercolor on Arches 300# cold press  15" x 11"  Oh, and how fortuitous.  It's red!  Tomorrow is plumeria. Saturday is pears.

"Drawn and Quartered" watercolor

Another piece worked from a real model rather than a photo.  I'm really enjoying the process. Watercolor on Arches 300# hot press paper.  I usually work on cold press paper which has more texture. Trying a new paper. Whoa!  It's a slick as ice.  Almost like working on Yupo. Colors lift very easily, but they really slide around...almost as if the paper is coated.  Maybe there is a slight coating. Watercolor 8" x 6"  Available at www.dailypainters.com

Simple Pleasures Apple 1 watercolor from life

To stir things up a bit I threw an apple on my work table and painted it from life.  Felt good to work from a three-dimensional model rather than a photo. This is more an exercise in trying to quickly capture the essence of something rather than worrying about creating a masterpiece.  Feels good!   Hope to do more of this, maybe even some plein air.  You never know what the new year might bring. Watercolor 6" x 7"  Available at www.DailyPainters.com

"Sky Apples" 30" x 40" oil on canvas

"Sky Apples"  30" x 40" oil on gallery wrap canvas.  Last of 5 new larges pieces for Danskin Galleries unveiling reception Thursday, December 1st.  Many smaller pieces available also.

Chocolate Apples

This is a companion piece to "In Line for Pie." It's another one that I had painted awhile ago and decided to redo. I enlarged the apple and punched up the color. It's nice to know that even after painting for so many years you can still improve. I think I'm seeing color and composition better. It sure helps to paint every day. Amazing....practice actually does lead to better work :-} "Chocolate Apples" 6"x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas. Available at Daily Paintworks.

In Line for Pie daily painting

This was one of the first mini oils I ever did. Originally, it was done very quickly with very crude, noticeable brush strokes, and the apples were smaller. I never really liked it and decided to rework it. I enlarged the apples and smoothed the brushwork to a much more refined treatment. I'm happy with it now. "In Line for Pie" oil on gallery-wrap canvas, 8"x 6" Available at Daily Paintworks SOLD

PaintAmerica Top 100 winners now on view

My two watercolors "Autumn Delights" and "Heaven is a '57" were chosen for exhibition in this year's PaintAmerica Top 100. It's a great honor to be in this select group. My paintings may be seen on page 8 of the website http://www.paintamerica.org/2009PATOP100html/09top100Page8.html

OMG I just got two watercolors accepted in Paint America Top 100

"Heaven is a '57" and "Autumn Delights" have BOTH been accepted into Paint America top 100 Exhibition. I'm on the floor. Somebody come pick me up! The letter arrived this afternoon and in it they warn that I should expect media focus and interviews and I should be prepared. Oh my goodness. I'm in shock. You can read about the Exhibition at their website

Facebook Autumn Painting Competition

This is my submission for the Facebook Autumn Painting Challenge. "Autumn Delights" 11" x 14" watercolor on 300# Arches cold press. The painting had to be finished in October. Since most entries were Fall related I decided to go back to my old apple theme.You can see more entries here

Varnishing Watercolors

A new trend is to varnish a watercolor painting so it can be framed without glass. It protects the painting from dust and makes it water-resistant. It's nice to be able to view the art directly without glass or plexi covering it. I have had success with this method and like the look. This current piece "Three Big Macs" is varnished and really pops in the frame without the glare of glass. I had a disaster when I originally coated the apples because I was in a hurry and sprayed too much varnish at one time. It actually diluted the color and washed it out. I thought it was ruined. BUT......I discovered that you can paint over the varnish and I was able to correct it back to its original color. Hurray! This piece is available with a striking black frame and linen mat for $1200 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Green Apples and Chocolate

This 6" x 8" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website http://www.dianemorganpaints.com/

Heavenly Pommes

This 8" x 5-3/4" oil on gallery-wrap canvas is available for $150 on my website www.DianeMorganPaints.com

In preparation for my paintings I shoot hundreds of photographs. I recently began submitting the photos to competitions and have started winning awards. I thought viewers might like to see the sources for my paintings so I have added a new section to my website for my photographs. You can see them at DianeMorganShoots.com Just click on “photography” to see the images.

I am currently exhibiting in the on-line photography competition called EXPOSURE at ArtistWanted.org. Please visit the site and vote for me (5 stars I hope!) if you like what you see. http://www.artistwanted.org/DianeMorganFineArt

Chocolate Apples

The apples aren't really chocolate but the carved wood they were sitting on reminded me of chocolate. This is another "sunset" lighting effect. These are green apples. Notice, though, that I hardly used any green to paint them. Mostly they are Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange and Alizarin Crimson.