Although I have a list about a foot long tacked to the cupboard in the studio in full view of my drawing table....and none of the things on it says "architecture", still here I am again. The lists says..."work on a poured painting...ala Deb Ward" using garden photos for inspiration and it says "pre-view your George James videos again and start another Yupo painting...using some of the new photo references". (I am planning to teach a beginning Yupo class with Phyllis Crickenberger in February.) And there are LOTS of other ideas and suggestions tacked there besides. I am NEVER without things to try and experiment with!
But no...my muse (remember Thalia?) did a big impish grin yesterday when I pulled out the photo reference of Mossy Cottage from Mt. Dora. These amazing little cottages (four, I think) sit in a inclusive neighborhood all their own just oozing charm. And OH those shadows. My fingers began to itch.
My father was an architect and I grew up around models of houses and blueprints. I think it is in my blood. AND I've been watching a new video by by Judi Betts called "Extraordinary Watercolors: Louisiana Architecture". You know Judi? Oh my gosh. I am hoping to sign up for one of her classes in WI next fall. Anyway, I am drooling watching her precise and lovely transparent old southern mansion come to life. So it's probably very obvious why this subject matter jumped out and grabbed me.
When I do a fairly complicated architectural piece I usually start by an enlargement and tracing of the home first. Many pieces that I have done in the past are commissioned pieces for people who want me to paint an image of their home. But when I do one just for the love of the architecture I can take more liberties and do more "painterly" abstraction. No pressure to please anyone but me!!! And my muse.
The hard work is getting the architecture onto the watercolor paper...what you see above is still on tracing paper so I have a ways to go yet. It's pouring rain here today in central Fl and would be a great day to work on this...but alas I have an appointment in Orlando at the Apple Store to learn how to use my new iPod Nano! So many this afternoon?
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