Amish Watercolor Continued

Hello!  Yes, I am still trying to complete this watercolor and I can’t wait to get it done. It’s at the point now where I kind of know what I want to do, but I don’t want to overdo or underdo…if that makes sense.  So I paint what I can and look up reference material over and over until something hits me.  Do I paint a full background or do I just suggest and mute the background.  Do I just leave it simple and focus on the subject…like this girl’s pretty, little face?  So this is why it takes so much time, besides getting things printed for Etsy, printing things for the shop in Strasburg, Pa (which is going great by the way!),managing the house…etc…etc.. But, I am almost done…I have to be!  I need to start another! Hope you like what you see so far and if you want to leave a note…do you think this should have a background, light background, no background? Let me know what you think.  Thanks and I will post the finished piece soon.

Anna in the Orchard A Watercolor Continued

Katie With A Bunny Do Over

Hello.  This post is about a design that seems to be very popular with customers, and it is “Katie With A Bunny”.  This is the little amish girl with the purple dress holding her pet bunny.

I have recently started going over some of my older designs and fixing things that I notice are not as perfect as I like them to be. Since I have improved with my painting along the way, I take the older paintings and just fix little things here and there.

Although I  loved the painting, this painting always bothered me somewhat.  Katie is standing at an odd angle, looking back over her shoulder, and I never liked the way I captured that.  If you look at the newer version, I eliminated the shoulder hump and softened it.  Much better.

The purple dress had odd creases in the sleeves and I changed those. I altered the apron and added more shadows and highlights. I added more color in her cheeks and defined the nose more. Now I really like her. I think that will do!

I think she is perfect now and on to the next one!

Older Version

Newer Version (softened)

Another Amish Painting InThe Works And An Inspirational Quote Watercolor

Hi all!  I am so sorry for not keeping up on this blog lately.  I am now getting ready for my daughter’s graduation from college and I have been busily painting rooms and fixing things around the house like crazy.  It actually feels good to see change,I must say.  And who can beat the look and smell of fresh paint!

Anyway, I just thought I would share with you this painting which has been sitting unfinished like this awhile now. It’s another Amish Girl and she is supposed to be watching a baby chick on her lap.   I really love the face on this little girl and I can’t wait to finish her, but she has to wait just a little bit.  Every time I go into my room she is staring at me and I want so badly to just sit there and get down to business.  I will…I will !

I will post again when I am finished with her.

Here is also another painting I finished.  I have been doing random watercolors just to keep up with my artwork and to put something new in my Etsy shop.  These watercolor paintings are less time consuming than the pastels, so I try to fit a few in before I start  my fixing and painting of the house. This one is in watercolors and it’s a little girl looking out over the mountains under a beautiful rainbow. Inspired by the very thing I love to do, observe nature!  I hope you like them. Be back soon!

Unfinished Amish Girl Painting

Amish Pastel Paintings, “Emma” and “At The Farm Stand”

Hello!  I just finished one of the two Amish pastel paintings that I was working on.  One of them,”Emma”, although she is  not a real person, I am sure she could be!  I just wanted this painting to exude peacefulness and calm, and I think it does just that. Her expression is that of someone just daydreaming with not a care in the world. The other painting, “At The Farm Stand”, is still being worked on.  I am finding the jars of canned fruit/veggies a challenge, but they are getting there. Actually, I am further along than this picture is showing, but I figured I’d just keep you posted.  I will post this one as soon as I am finished, which will hopefully be today! I can’t wait to see how it will turn out!  I will let you know.

At The Farm Stand

Natalynn, a pastel portrait

This is another portrait I recently completed of my great-niece, Natalynn. She is a cutie. 

The Gift Of Innocence, A Christmas Watercolor Painting

Ok, I know I am still doing Fall images and I love doing them, but I can’t stop thinking of Christmas either.,  I love Christmas and how it makes me feel.

Anyhow, I have had this  image drawn out forever on tracing paper, then tried it several times in pastel and then in watercolor, but in muted colors and a background.  I had to keep throwing pictures away because it just didn’t look right. I then decided I would do the picture with bold Christmas colors and a white background so it wouldn’t muddy the image up, and also so you could really see what was happening here.

I love the image, because I wanted to show charity at Christmas.  First, I had wanted something to do with the Salvation Army, but decided…maybe later.  Then the homeless came up.  I wanted to depict a gift of charity that just came from the heart at Christmas, and this is how it happened.  I hope you like it.

I also want to add a quote and a cute border, but for now, I think this sends the message.  Enjoy.

The Gift Of Innocence

Happiness Is Like Jam (just posted on Etsy)

Here is a print of an drawing I did awhile back, and I still believe the quote. I just posted it on my Etsy shop. It is a great one, especially for today.  Happiness is good and it feels good to share it!  And I hope when you share it, it comes back to you.  It usually does.  We need more happiness in this world. 🙂

Happiness Is Like Jam Print

Kenny Loggins / Return To Pooh Corner (music video)

Here is a song by Kenny Loggins which I love.  I used to play this song for the kids when they were little.  It goes along with what I was trying to say in my previous post. Listen to the words.  So cute, and true.  Take me back to the days of Pooh.

I Want To Go Back

The Time To Be Happy Is Now

Sometimes the world seems like such a stressed-out place to be, that I wish I could go back in time and be a child all over again.

I want to go back… back to when I was about 5 years old  and living at home.

The feeling of being safe and free from worry.

Thinking back…

back…

back… I can see myself running outside in the crisp,cool air.

I was always outside.

Being small, energetic and young, I can play outside all day and not even tire.

I’m running,  always running.  Out toward the wide open space of the field that is behind my house.

It is early fall, and most likely at dusk.  My cheeks are cold, my nose is cold, but it feels good.

I stop for just a moment and listen… I hear the crows.  I smell the damp earth.  My toes tingle.

Looking back at my house in the distance,  I can see that the light is on in my warm kitchen.

Mom is probably at the sink as supper is being prepared.

What will it be?  A roast perhaps, gravy…and mashed potatoes.  There’s always potatoes.

I feel warm inside.

My family will be there when I get back. Mom, dad ,grandma, my older sister, and 3 younger brothers.

The house will be warm and safe.

But for now, I’m out in all this space by myself ,  yet  somehow, I don’t feel alone.

I couldn’t be with all this beauty.  So much to investigate…rocks, leaves, mud.

I have no schedule.  I don’t care about the time.

I just have to wait for the streetlight to come on, and then I’ll  go home to eat supper.

I’ll be fed and have a warm bath.

I’ll sit by grandma on the couch watching tv and lean on her warm, smooth arm.  I may even fall asleep there.

Someone will pick me up and put me to bed.  Is it dad?  Is it Mom?  I don’t care.

I’ll be tucked in and have my doll with me.

Someone will kiss me and turn off the light.

Then I’ll be in total darkness, but I won’t feel afraid.

I’m free,   I’m loved and I am safe.  That’s all that matters.

Yes, take me back!

I’d give anything  to go back in time and be a child all over again.

Just to experience the freedom from worry again .  The way we were excited in the little things.

To watch the world go by….

I thought it would last forever.

Silly me. 🙂

Johnny Gruelle

I was first introduced to Johnny Gruelle as a child through the many Raggedy Ann and Andy Series of books that came out in the 60’s. I received 2 or 3 books once a month, and I couldn’t wait to read all the adventures the pair would have, as well as the mischief they would get into.

My mother would read  these to my sister and I at bedtime, and I loved the stories of fairies and rag dolls and the lessons of goodness and kindness.  I think these stories really made a child “want” to be good-I know it made me want to be!

The illustrations were either very colorful or straight black and white.  Either way, Gruelle was very good at what he did. I know he influenced how I illustrate today.  I have many sketches from my teen years, of fairies with pointed toes, and flowing, silken scarves, floating about in woods and on flowery hillsides, to prove it.

I still have all 12 books today and I would never part from them.  Although they are a little tattered and the pages are a slight yellow hue now, they are worth more than gold to me.  Not only because of the memories they hold, but also because of the lessons they taught. 

I wish there were more author/illustrators like Johnny Gruelle today.  Now that would be….

Johnny Gruelle's illustration of Marcella and Raggedy Ann

 

…what’s the word….yes, that would be “awesome”!