Watercolour work-in-progress: figurative nude

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

Figurative Nude on Canvas

charcoal sketch

first wash: idanthrone blue and naphthamide maroon

quinacridone gold

second wash: more of the same

adding quinacridone burnt orange and ultramarine turquoise

third wash: more of the same: adding quinacridone magenta

creating texture and atmosphere: rubbing out with water,

darkening contrasting values

"fiction #1" 

24" x 30"

original figurative nude 

watercolour on canvas

by christy dekoning

I need to set this aside for at least a day and decide what else it needs (if anything) before I sign it.

New original seascape watercolor painting and a winner for June!

"Rose Bay"

8x10 inches

watercolour on 300lb cold press paper

One of my favourite places in the world is a little, tucked away spot between Double Bay and Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour called "Redleaf".

The library sits at the top of a hill, by the road.

Then you meander through a garden with palm trees and wooden benches,

to arrive at the steps down to the water.

the "pool" is enclosed by a boardwalk or pier that wraps around an enclosed swimming area.

This is a perfect spot for pulling yourself out of the water

and lying on the warm wooden deck, like an island oasis.

The water is perfect, and the sailboats sparkle and dip in the harbour.

"Rose Bay" is the first in a small series of 8x10 watercolours that I will be painting of the area.

*****

In other news:

I sat down at my desk this morning and looked at the date.
I mean, REALLY looked.

July 16.

So I started thinking, "did I draw Pam's name only 2 weeks ago?"

.... then I started looking back through my posts,
and the reality hit me.
Yes, time is flying by much faster than I initially suspected!

Pam was the MAY winner, and no, I hadn't drawn a name for June.
*hangs head*

I'm really thankful that you've all been so patient.
Not one of you has been snarky on my Facebook Page
or taken over my twitter feed
or even sent a little reminder email!

So without further ado,
may I present you with the winner of a $25 gift certificate from my online shop for June 2010:

Marlene!

Congratulations, Marlene. You can use the Gift Certificate to purchase anything in the shop, or put it towards a custom painting.

For anyone new following this blog, all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog posts for the current month and I'll enter your name into the draw (comment all you like, but I'll only count one comment per post). You can also get bonus entries by tweeting my blog posts on Twitter, or posting them to your Facebook status. Just make sure you come back to the blog and leave a link to the "extra" plug or I might not find out about it!

New fine art prints on Etsy!

I'll be at the Ridgetown Farmer's Market today, 

but if you aren't in Chatham-Kent, 

feel free to browse my new prints on Etsy!

"Fall, Suspended"

fine art print by Christy DeKoning

"King of Infinite Space"

fine art print by Christy DeKoning

"Old Car"

fine art print by Christy DeKoning

Wordless Wednesday Baby Robin on the Fence

Painting accepted into juried art show!

"Sweet Love Submersive"

24" x 36"

watercolour on canvas

You may recall a few weeks ago, I was working on a painting for a juried community arts initiative.

Well, the piece is finished, sealed, wired, and delivered - and I got the call today that it had been accepted!

So as promised, here is the rest of the story:

Sweet Love Submersive

24”x36” watercolour on canvas

Christy DeKoning 2010

“There was a girl who woke up one morning without a dad.

He got lost in the dark. The girl knew he wouldn't come back because the place he went was too cold. The Water Wind pulled at him, bringing him deeper until he wasn't there anymore.

The girl got lost in many ways, and she knew not to trust water that was cold or dark. She knew to stay away, and she wondered why he didn't know what the Water Wind could do to him.

Many years later, when the girl was less a girl than a woman, and she wasn't quite so lost anymore, she ventured into the deep and cold. The Water Wind pulled at her – they tried to bring her down, too, but she held on to the Edge. She felt what he did, but didn't have to give in.”

~ Jenny-Rae Merritt 2010

“Sweet Love Submersive” is a collaboration between artists Christy DeKoning and Jenny-Rae Merritt.

On a windy, cold day in April, Jen and I took off to push our edges in the frigid waters of Lake Erie.

Jen was ferociously brave and stayed in the water for as many photos as we could manage before my fingers froze (yes, I was the one who caved first!)

Back in the studio, I was responsible for both pushing my own artistic edge with different colour choices and techniques than I would normally choose, and for creating a piece that represented all the emotional edges that Jenny-Rae had pushed (and conquered) while posing for me.

To finish it off, Jenny-Rae's story is painted on the edge of the canvas.

~ Christy DeKoning 2010