Christmas cactus and Asia trip

Our christmas cactus plants are full of flowers. They are very colorful. The first image is my sketch of a newly opened flower done a few days ago.

Tomorrow, I will be travelling to Asia. I will only have a tablet with me, so I think I will not be posting any painting for sometime, but I will check your blogs. Thank you everyone for staying as my blogger friends.

Poinsettia II

I managed to do this small poinsettia sketch while recovering from not so friendly fever and cold. I did this from memory. I am not yet 100 percent fine but I am almost there. Thank you everyone for visiting my blog and I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

Albatross

I sketched this albatross while resting with high fever and cold. I felt relax afterwards.
Thanks God, I am feeling a little bit better now.
I used as reference the image from a local magazine but the sketch composition is different from the original image.

Firecrest

Watercolor, 28x38 cm

I wanted to paint this little firecrest in a loose style. But I can see that I was not successful to do that. Maybe I'll try next time.

The 'hunebed' in Havelterberg

According to Dutch-English dictionary, the word 'hunebed' means megalithic tomb. Based on some literatures, the presence of these tombs in the northern part of the Netherlands made people wonder where those big stones came from. Some reported that they came from Scandinavia. For some history of the 'hunebedden' in the Netherlands, visit http://hunebedden.nl/engels.htm and http://www.hunebeddenwijzer.nl/.

The above painted 'hunebed' is in Havelterberg in the city of Havelte. It is only about half of the long line of big stones I saw last year.

This painting is in watercolor, and the size is 30x40 cm.

Dutch farm house in Twente

I have been thinking to paint this farm house since perhaps three years ago. I don't know exactly why it was only two weeks ago that I finally began painting it. Today I finished the painting and I plan to frame it.
The farm house stands near the former military terrain in Enschede which is close to where I live. I always see this house every time I take a walk in that area. I never really have the chance to know its owner but it seems that it is renovated and modern inside the house.
The painting is about 24x30 cm, in watercolor.

two red radishes

A try on rough Fabriano Artistico extra white watercolor paper. About 18x 24 cm.

Rose hips

When I go for a walk, I always bring with me a camera so that if I see something worth painting I can immediately take pictures. A week ago while we were walking and passing in one of the streets where we live, I saw these rose hips and the next thing I did was to click my camera. I used one of the photographs as reference for this painting.

This painting is my third try on Fabriano Artistico white watercolor paper. I tried to be loose here and without pencil sketch. I am beginning to like the paper, and I am planning to buy more loose sheets for future use.
I'm doing these try-outs because I'm looking for another paper which I can alternate with what I am using at the moment.

Orange bell pepper

Last week, I bought Fabriano Artistico white watercolor paper because I wanted to try it, and it was on sale. This bell pepper is my first try, but at this time I could not say if I like the paper. In this painting, I did the underpainting in wet in wet while the glazings in dry in wet. In my next try, I'll paint in a loose technique which is my prepared style.
Have a good and relaxing weekend to all of you.

Portrait of an Asian lady

Last month I challenged myself again to do a portrait from photograph. I decided to try an Asian feature face. I shelved the painting for a while, and last week I showed it to the members of my painting club. Their verdict: it is a very good try. And now I am showing the painting here.

This is in watercolor and it measures 19.5x24 cm (7.75x9.5 inches).

three roses

We are just back from our long vacation in some cities in Eastern Europe. Since our vacation time is over, now I will try to start painting again and visit all your blogs.

I made this card-size painting last August and gave it as a greeting card to our nice neighbor. It is in watercolor. I used here a pallete knife and a small brush. May you all have a nice weekend.

twin pears

Have not done any real serious painting project these past weeks. Hopefully, next month I will be able to concentrate again in a more fine project. But here is a painting of pears from my quick brush strokes.

just another sketch of roses

A loose and quick watercolor sketch of roses. 

Did this while thinking of a new subject to paint.

Grapes III: wip

Another grapes I started to paint last week - in watercolor, 24x30 cm in size. 

I used my previous 2 paintings as reference for this one. Your comments are welcome.

More happy days in the coming week to everyone.

A rose for MH17 victims

Yesterday, it was so touching to see on TV how the Dutch government accorded with great respect the remains of the victims of the Malaysian airlines flight 17 that was shot down in eastern Ukraine. The transport of all the victims' remains from Ukraine is not yet over but it will be finished soon. To express my sympathy to the loved ones of the victims, I posted this rose which I quickly sketched directly on paper with a brush and watercolor paints. I hope they will find comfort and peace in the middle of their suffering.

Apple blossoms II

Watercolor, 27x35 cm

I think I have not yet postedd this painting here although I finished it last June. For reference, I used my own photographs and I also referred to the images I saw in the internet for some details.  I painted this second apple blossoms in order to become familiar with the details of the subject. 

One week trip to France

Just back from a week travel to France. Had seen Tour de France and were at a cattle farm, a wine city of Riquewihr and other places in France. In driving back to Holland, we also stopped at a few places along the Rhine river in Germany. See some pictures below:

Tour de France2014, L'Epine, France

Tour de France 2014, L'Epine, France

 Road to Riquewihr. In the background are examples of grapes
plantations for the D' Alsace wines. Riquewihr itself is a home
for a lot of wine distilleries.

Houses and shops, Riquewihr city center

 Riquewihr city center

Riquewihr city center

A view from where the Loreley statue stands in the middle
of the Rhine river in Germany.

papaya fruit

Watercolor

 Papaya, a tropical fruit. 

There are many varieties of this fruit, but this one above is from the Philippines.

hibiscus, wip

This is work in progress.

Inspired by my own picture which was taken from Orchideeënhoeve in Luttelgeest, Holland.

In watercolors, 24x30 cm in size.

Old building in Mont-Saint-Jean, France

I saw this old building during our visit to a beautiful village Mont-Saint-Jean in France last year - 2 June 2013. We were on our visit to a family member's family who lives in Morvan region when we visited the place. The building caught my attention because it is old and I was curious how it is being used. I assumed the building belongs to a farmer and that it serves as his farm storehouse. I really enjoyed walking around the center of the village and I wanted to remember the place by painting this building.
This is painted in watercolors and the size is approximately 30x40 cm.

Smiling dog

I first painted this dog in watercolor. Not satisfied with the result, I used acrylic to improve the painting.

Apple blossoms in Saulieu farm

watercolor, 23x31 cm

These apple blossoms remind me of my wonderful stay in a farm in Saulieu, France. I was there in June last year where I had enjoyed a few sunny days with grazing cattles, blooming flowers, beautiful trees, etc. in the farm.

Chinese lantern at De Orchideeën Hoeve

This painting will always remind me of my wonderful trip to The Orchideeën Hoeve (www.orchideeenhoeve.com), a tropical garden center in Luttelgeest, Holland, in July 2011. It was there where I took my reference photos of Chinese lantern plants (Physalis alkekengi) I used for this painting. This painting is in watercolor and the size is 27x35 cm or about 10.6x13.8 inches.

Liit, the dog

I had previously painted this dog on paper which I intended to give as a gift to the owner. But the finished painting did not come out as I expected it to be. So I made this second one on a stretch canvas to see which one is much nicer to be given away. I guess I will choose this one for the owner of the dog.

Cardinal

 

13x18 cm

Acrylic on paper

April 2014

practicing with loose style

Painted this hare last Easter Sunday. I'm really having a hard time to loosen up with my technique. So as a guide, I checked some of the watercolorists with a loose style. One style that fascinated me was that of Jean Haines. I am wondering, from what I saw from her blog, how she could just produce a painting with some limited strokes. Anyway, above is the result I got after employing what I had observed from others' works. I used here a reference image from a local newspaper here in my place. The image served only for me to know how a hare really looks like.

face sketch

Lately I developed an interest in sketching faces. Here is one I did while I was having my breakfast this morning. In this sketch, I used a reference photo of a baby whose face is probably rested on someone's chest. As I look at the sketch, however, it seems like not from a baby's face. Anyway, this is just a start and I'll go further with my sketching interest. I'll let you all see my progress.

squirrel sketch and happy easter

I began sketching this little fellow late yesterday. And this morning I did a little improvement on his eyes, then decided that it is done. The funny part in the sketch is that when I was busy with it, I thought this little fellow is a hare. Only to know after finishing it that he is a squirrel. Happy Easter to everyone.

Red Bell Pepper I

I tried again this morning to paint red bell pepper in watercolors. I've done this to achieve my intention of bringing back my painting routines. And here is the result. I forgot to take a photo before framing this, so I guess some light reflections from the glass can be noticed.

a quick sketch of a red bell pepper

After two months without touching my paintbrushes, I felt like how I will start again painting. It was a strange feeling, I thought. However, because I missed so much my brushes and paints, with my brush and watercolors I sketched this red bell pepper thinking 'Let me see what will come out'. And this is what I got. I hope all of you my blogger friends are doing great.

red and yellow tulip

This tulip is just one side of a bigger painting. I will post the whole painting next time. 
Meanwhile, I will be travelling for two months beginning this weekend. During this period I am not sure if I will be able to visit all your blogs and to post anything here. Perhaps you will hear from me again after my trip. So, I would like to wish you all a very creative and wonderful days ahead. God bless to everyone.

Green Apple

A green apple painted quickly in acrylic on canvas panel. 

I am busy these days (not with painting) so, dear blogger friends I would like to apologize for not being able to always visit your blogs. I hope all of you will have a very creative days in the coming week.

Boris

This is Boris. He got the honor to be my first post for 2014. I was asked to paint him by a family member who wanted to give the painting as a birthday present. I hope they will like it.