Feb. Pet Friend Winner is Announced

The winner of a free Pet Painting this month is Monika Reis. If you want a chance to win a free painting the next random drawing will be march 31st. All you have to do to enter is sign up for my mailing list by clicking HERE

Never Apart

Never Apart Step One.

Never Apart a two step watercolor can be purchased here

You Know it Has To Happen

Today my head is filled with floral plans. But I need to remember to make value shapes, leave the white of the paper, create neutrals to help make the colors pop.
So many things to remember an I love it all. This painting can be found on my website HERE
Please sign up for my newsletter so that you can be eligible for the inevitable peony painting giveaway. You know it has to happen.

Peony Time

Peony Time makes me so happy. flower painting class means peonies for days. This is one I just finished it can be purchased here

Please check out my peony painting store and sign up for my newsletter for upcoming specials and surprises.

Flower painting class

More florals can be found at my website by clicking HERE

Art Hint

Here is an art hint.
Yesterday I painted a cat .It's paws were under its chest. I was pleased with the results but later in the day I noticed the paws looked like "breasts". This can happen a few hours after a painting is done. Suddenly you see shapes that take on their own identity.
So this morning I fixed that.
Below you will see the progression.

Uh oh we have a shape problem...

Original photo.

The Pet Friend of the Day

Here is the Jo Mackenzie pet friend of the day. Tomorrow I am going to participate in an online floral watercolor painting course. So I think the pet friends will be few for the next few weeks.

Harley

Harley 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

Matted 12x212 inches. 

Harley is the Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day. This painting can be found here

The next free painting giveaway is Feb 28th. To be eligible you must sign up for my mailing list HERE

Good luck to all . It is free and it is fun!

Clancey

Clancey 

watercolor 7.9x7.9 

matted 12x12 

The Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day is named Clancey. This one is for Carolyn. Thank you for playing the pet friend game with me. This painting can be found here

BIG GIVEAWAY

It is time for a BIG GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to all my fans . I have relaunched my website. To celebrate this I am giving away a BIG PRIZE . To be eligible to win this prize you must be subscribed to my newsletter click HERE

If you want a better chance of winning , invite a friend to like my Facebook Fan page and post a comment there as well . HERE

The prize is an original Jo Mackenzie watercolor of Tomatoes in a green box , matted size 12x12 inches, a Three Step Watercolor book written by yours truly and a box of six greeting cards with envelopes. 

The winner will be picked at random and announced March 31st. There will be more giveaways coming soon as as always there will be a Pet Friend painting winner announcement at the end of this month Feb 28th.

When all is color there is no color

A rose is a rose is a rose 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

I painted this yesterday . I think it illustrates how the use of neutral colors can enhance saturated colors. I have learned how to use these neutrals this year . 

Now let's look at an example of a painting I did years ago when I didn't know about neutrals and you will see that when you only see color then each color kind of cancels out the others. 

What do you think of this observation?

Jazzy

Jazzy 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

matted 12x12 

Jazzy is the Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day. He can be found HERE

My new website is bringing me more traffic and interest. It is fun to see it grow wings.

Whee!

Whee! 

Time to have some fun on this Valentines day. I hope you get a sense of movement and energy from this painting. It can be purchased by clicking here

Latimer

Latimer 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

$165

Latimer is the Jo Mackenzie watercolor pet friend of the day. Doesn't he look friendly and happy? 

What I have learned so far: 

One word...wait for it ..wait for it.....INSTAGRAM!

Blaizy

Blaizy 

watercolor 

10x7 inches 

Matted 14x11

 $175 

Here is Blaizy the pet friend of the day. 

I just love to paint collies . Especially when mine is staring at me. 

What I have learned so far: 

If you have a camera emergency think about all the possible camera substitutes that exist in your home. There are lots of cameras around as well as digital clocks.

A Collie Pet Friend of the Day

Ernest's Collie
7.9x7.9
Matted 12x12

$165

A collie pet friend of the day . This one came in yesterday. I am posting it for Ernest and want him to know that my collie has the same color patterns. 

His name is Fig Newton but I call him Mr. Wonderful.

Watching Over You

SOLD

Watching Over You 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

matted 12x12 

$165

This is a painting of a Belgian Malinois. I had not heard of this breed before and now I am so interested in them. They sound like wonderful dogs. Collies are my first love but these could be equally qualified to be lifetime companions of the first order. 

I painted this for Elizabeth S.

Tucker

Tucker 

watercolor 

7.9x7.9 

matted 12x12 inches 

$175

Today Tucker is the Pet Friend of the day. To check out other pet friends and my  new website in progress and almost done.  Please click  to HERE

Website excitment

Today I painted a floral painting of roses for Valentines Day. I call this one Tender Meditation.
I have not put it on my website yet but my website is growing and getting renovated. I am so excited. Things are going through a transformation . You can check out the progress so far by clicking HERE

January winner posting

Here is a picture of this months winner of a free pet painting. His  name is Mason  and his  dogs name is Marlie . They are in Texas. Thank you for sending me this fun picture of the circle being complete.
1. Enter the pet friend game
2. I paint the pet.
3. You may win ( monthly random drawing)
4. You get a free painting
5. It is free and it is fun!
Thanks Amy and Marlie!

The Still Life Challenge 2 ( step by step).

This is the final step. I made the painting larger...this one is 14x10 , I made the key higher and I added tulip blooms. You can find my book HERE and on Amazon.com

Here are the steps :

Step one establish the darkest patterns

Add midtones ...paint shapes not things . Look for connecting patterns.

Establish neutrals but don't go out of the mid-tones yet.

Almost there ..Now final washes and adjustments. Go!

OK good job. To see more of these and to learn to paint using this strategy , You can find my book HERE  and on Amazon.com .

The Still Life Floral Challenge

This week the Daily paintworks challenge is called the Still Life Challenge.

I do a lot of florals but  not ones that have only midtones with no direct light source. Oh No ! I avoid those. That is why this is a challenge. You can see the picture they provided and my response above.
Here is the finished painting and a link for purchase. Click HERE