Figuring things out.

First of all, the photo is of a single salt cellar my sister picked out for me for my birthday last year. When I saw it, I declared it too lovely for table use and brought it into my studio, where it cheers and inspires me.

I used to today to salt some color tests that weren't working out. I recently purchased some very cheap gouache at Michaels, and was doing color charts. All I will say about that is that I'm going to buy some higher quality paint and try again. So I threw down some salt on the color charts to try to get some more interesting effects.

My sister is planning to take me with her to Germany in a few weeks, to advocate for her when she undergoes back surgery there. (The doctors there have the most experience in what she needs done.) We will be there 3-4 weeks.

So of COURSE I am thinking about what art necessities to take. What would be in your art travel bag for a trip like that? I have all kinds of colored and watercolor pencils, some peerless watercolor papers, it may be hard to edit it down satisfactorily. And it will be tempting to find an art supply store once I am there.

I'd love your comments on that question, as well as what colors are in your essential palette.

calling it good

Here are the completed paintings. (Edited to replace with proper scans now that I figured it out!)

another take on the evergreens

I'm trying with the trees, again, and here are a couple of works in progress. I think the next things I will do are to bring more grey into the side stems and branches, and to bring forward and add the lighter, brighter green to the tips of the central branches. Looking at these, I am shocked at the color distortion from the scanner-- the actual paintings are much lighter and greener. hmmmmm. I tried again with a camera and got a little more accurate colors, but it still isn't right.

Any suggestions (for the painting, the scanner/photos are hopeless!)? I am beginning to think that I need to try out some gouache, which I have never used. Not on these paintings, but as an experiment in its own right.