New Beginnings

Probably every artist in Florida has painted a palm tree, so I am taking on the challenge yet again. This is a recent drawing I worked on for a painting I have in mind. I plan to use the wet-in-wet technique that I have been employing lately. I thoroughly enjoyed drawing this one. Once drawn, as show, I trace the image outlines, and then scrub in three or four different values from black to white to plan out the applications of paint. More to come on this one....

To see more of my artwork, please visit my website: http://watercolorworksart.com
You can also find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DebbieJohnsonWatercolor

Advanced Student Painting of Pineapple House

Mike Brothers is one of my advanced students. He recently painted this piece of a local bed and breakfast called The Pineapple House. The house is just around the corner from our gallery and teaching studio.
Mike used a wet-in-wet wash for the initial underpainting on this piece. Then he worked in the details. The wet wash makes the light on the building glow like early morning sunlight!
Great job, Mike!

Come Sit a Spell

Come Sit a Spell...This is a little scene that I stumbled upon in Cocoa Village, Florida. I absolutely loved the pink chairs and it seemed the perfect subject for my new explorations in watercolor technique. I am still playing with a wet-in-wet glazing technique and having a blast! This is definitely a happy painting!!!

With my exploring, I haven't been working on blog lessons as diligently, and I apologize to those of you who like to follow along. I will try to pull some lessons together soon and post them. Let me know if you prefer the lessons or just keeping up with news and images of my current work.

If you are in the Melbourne, Florida area, please look me up. I am a member of the Art and Antique Studio Gallery in the Eau Gallie Arts District (EGAD). Our address is 1419 Highland Ave., Melbourne, Florida. If you visit our website you can see more of my work, our class schedule and information on the featured artist for this month! Hope you can visit us soon. Art and Antique Studio Link.

If you would like more specific information on my classes please visit my personal website. Classes begin again in late May. Click here for class information.

Student's Work of Hibiscus Flowers

Classes are still happening for the spring and summer here in sunny Florida. We have adjusted to the new studio and are enjoying the space, the light, the flowers in the courtyard and all of the new projects to explore!

Jean, one of my students, has been working hard in class and at home on many projects. Here are two hibiscus flowers she recently painted.


New classes are starting in May. If you are interested in my classes, please check out my website: http://watercolorworksart.com/Classes.htm

Palm Trees Wet in Wet in Watercolor

"Three Palms" is another new piece that I just finished last week. It is 23 x 30 inches and is painted wet in wet with layers of masking to create the details. I am exploring some new thing in my paintings and I like the direction things are going so far. I still have some kinks to work out in my methods before I share the techniques.

I will be in Vero Beach, Florida this Saturday for the Hibiscus Festival in the park downtown. Please stop by and see me if you are in the area. You will be able to see my new pieces up-close and personal.

Thanks so much for visiting.

A recent painting - Moses in the sink

It's been a while since I posted. I have to admit I have been very busy preparing for an upcoming show, The Hibiscus Festival, in Vero Beach, on April 17th.

Here is one of my latest works. I have been experimenting with a new method using lots of masking layers and glazing very wet layers of paint with wet-in-wet applications. I am having lots of fun, and learning a lot! This is Moses, one of my daughter's cats. His name is so appropriate! He loves the water. I painted him with much more gold/warm colors than he is in real life, but I wanted the warmth and yellow tones to compliment the blues and purples in the tile, wall and sink. I am working on a few more paintings using this technique and I will try to post them soon!

Thanks for visiting.

One Painting Becomes Two

It never ceases to amaze me how many problems need to be solved as I work on a painting. These pieces were originally one large painting that I had hurried to prepare for a demonstration piece. I worked on it long after the demonstration and really struggled with the composition - from lack of planning!!!

I talked with a couple of artist friends and they made several great suggestions, one of which was to make two smaller pieces from the larger one.

I used some mat corners to play with various cropping options and this was the result. The image with three pelicans is called "Chuck, Zack and Mack" and the painting with two pelicans
 is called, "Dick and Jack".

I'll be adding these to my etsy shop soon!