The January Pet Friend Winner is Announced

The pet friend winner of the month is Amy May from Texas. She won this 11x14 original painting of her dog Marlie.

To play the game she sent me this photo . 

Here is the painting matted and ready to me mailed. If you would like a pet portrait for yourself or a human friend send a photo to me at jowatercolor@gmail.com . 

To see more pet friend pictures click HERE

To enter and play the pet friend game click HERE

Farm take 3

Farm Take Three 

Watercolor 

9x12inches 

Original watercolor painting. 

$250

Two  ways to decorate.

This is what this painting could look like in your home today. Click here for prints

Bring Spring To Your Home Yoday

You can purchase this and many other Jo Mackenzie watercolor prints by clicking HERE

Find spring in the middle of winter...HERE

Need a gift for a pet lover?

Need a gift for a pet lover? How about an affordable custom pet portrait for Valentines Day?
Send me a photograph at  jowatercolor@gmail.com and we can get started
You can read more about this HERE

Need color on your walls?

Need color on your walls? How about a print of your favorite Jo Mackenzie watercolor ?
click here to see more.

Take 2

Take 2 

watercolor 

9x12 inches 

This is take 2 on yesterdays barn. I know the values are correct. But I need to change either the snow or  the sky. I think the snow needs to go darker. 

More later..

Naomi's picture of a Barn

The process of a painting begins here. Asking permission to use this image. Naomi Flanders took the photo . It is of a farm very near to me so I know it well.

Step 1 ...Make a drawing and find the darkest darks. is there a pattern? If so ...lucky you. If not move on with trepidation.

Step 2...Finding the midtones. Now we have a pattern going but it is not strong enough . Keep going.

Step 3...working in the midtones leaving the whitest whites of the paper alone. The goal is unity of forms and color while maintaining the value range already established.

Step 4...Final adjustments and washes. In the photo the sky is all one value but I think it will feel too closed off if I do that. My eye needs room to wander off the page if needed.

Naomi's Barn 

watercolor 

9x12 inches 

$185

The Relaxation Station Challenge

The Relaxation Station Challenge 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

matted 12x12 

$160 

This weeks Daily Paintworks challenge was to paint a place or a scene that you find relaxing. I was thinking of painting my recumbent bike but who wants to see that? They did provide a picture of lavender in a basket if you wanted to use it . 

Since I was starting to feel stress I decided to just get to painting which is truly my relaxation station and here is the result. 

What relaxes you ?

Riding

Riding 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$165

I wanted to return to the lesson of keeping the white of the paper in play. Lesson learned.

Bella

Bella 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

This painting can be purchased HERE

Bella is the pet friend of the day. I am trying to find her owner Angie. 

Here is the photo I worked from

Kents corners

Kents Corners 

14x10 

watercolor 

Today the values got the best of me. But I fought to the finish . NO stone unturned.

Kayla

Kayla 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$165 

Kayla is the pet friend of the day. I am late finishing this today. I had a big appointment in New Hampshire. There is not much to report about that but we did stop at a Lindt store and I filled up our candy dish with truffles. 

Truffles.. that is a fine word and concept. 

Music

Music 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$165

Music is a therapy dog for special needs individuals. Sometimes words are not needed but the love of a furry friend is healing for all. This one is for Annita. 

What I have learned so far: 

Keep the white of the paper.

Mickey

Mickey 

watercolor 

7x10 inches 

matted 11x14 inches 

$165

This is Mickey the Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day. I am back in the "groove". The next free giveaway day is Jan 31st. If you have a pet friend to enter please send a photograph (or two) to jowatercolor@gmail.com and we can get started.

The view from my easel challenge

The View from my Easel 

watercolor 

7x10 inches 

$165

This weeks Daily Paintworks challenge is to paint the view from your easel. This is my happiest place on earth and it is not Disneyland.

E.M. 2

E.M . -2

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

Step three ...final adjustments 

Step 2 

laying in those mid-tones 

 Step one...finding the overall dark pattern shapes.

The white of the paper

Step 3 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

Keeping the white of the paper as the lightest value 

Step two finding the mid-tones and shapes

Step one ..establishing the dark patterns on the face. 

What I have learned so far? 

For me, I have to leave the white of the paper intact. My prior effort shows what happens if I don't. I will remember this and move on.

ETSY Sale

I am having a sale on ETSY....the prices will never be lower. I want to start that venue going. So click HERE and check it out. If you click on a painting a heart will appear if you click on that heart my little shop will start to kick into gear and I would be very very grateful.
Thank you in advance and

The next pet friend giveaway day is coming up ..Jan.31st.

Banjo Tom

BanjoTom 

Watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

This is Tom at a performance over the weekend. Not perfect but I think I got the defining shapes that allow for his "Tom-ness" to show through.

At Peace

The Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day is at peace.If you want to play the Pet Friend game and possibly win a free painting click  HERE

Shelties

Sara's shelties are the Jo Mackenzie pet friends of the day. Thanks for playing.

Paint your Parent challenge

This weeks Daily Paintworks challenge is to paint your parent. Well ..here is my rainbow of a mother.

Sailor

Sailor 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$175

The Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day is named Sailor. His orange coat works nicely against the colors of shadow snow.

Maine cottage 2

Maine Cottage 2 

watercolor 

10x14 inches 

$345  

This house was so charming I could not resist. I admit it was more than a three step watercolor 

Below are the previous steps 

Step 3...Getting close but the value range is not there yet. 

  Step 2... Feeling good about the value patterns so far

Step 1 ...establish the underlying NOTAN pattern.