Zebras in Blue, Yellow and Copper

"Zebras in Blue, Yellow and Copper"

30" x 22" Acrylic on Watercolour paper

Framed under glass in a dark brown 33" x 23" frame

click on picture for a larger view

I really had fun with this one. I worked on a full sheet of watercolour paper and used only blue (3), yellow (1) and iridescent copper for paint. It was a challenge to make more colours using only those 5 and with my love of colour, not to add more!

I started this painting by wetting the whole sheet and dropping colours in, letting them mix and mingle. This is what the light stripes on the zebras consist of. I painted the dark stripes with the variety of blues with adding small amounts of the copper. The foreground was done last with all of the colours intermingled. I have now done this painting 3 different ways and 3 different sizes (1/4 sheet, 1/2 sheet and a full sheet of watercolour paper).

I had so much fun with the photograph my friend Joan so graciously let me use, change and add to my satisfy my artist eye.

Paintings for sale can be found on my website.

A la carte - Zebra style

"A la carte - Zebra style"

Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

20" x 14" double matted in a 30 1/2" x 23" green wood frame

click on painting for a larger view

I have wonderful friends that share their photos with me and Joan is always generous with hers. This is based on a photo she took in Africa. I had so much fun doing a smaller painting (previously on blog) that I wanted to do a large half sheet painting.

I painted the background in a similar way to a watercolour wash and was happy with how it turned out. The stripes are done in a "wet in wet" watercolour style as well.  Of course with my love of colour, black and white would not do. It is hard to see in this picture but the dark stripes actually have purple, red, orange, yellow and blue and the light stripes are red, yellow and orange!

I don't think I am done with this image yet, I will have to do another one as my imagination is still having fun with colour choices!

Check for paintings for sale on my website. 

Joan's Zebras

I am so lucky and grateful to have friends who share their travels with me in photographs I can paint and adapt any way I like. The picture below is my take on a photo Joan took when traveling to Africa with her family recently.

Of course the zebra's are black and white, just not in my painting world! I did not change the placement of the zebras, they were perfect just the way they were, however the stripes are not the same. I don't paint usually with black so the dark stripes have blue, red and brown and the light stripes are a mix of red, orange and yellow. Oh this girl, is having way to much fun!!!

"Joan's Zebras"

10 1/2" x 8 1/2" acrylic on watercolour paper

double matted in a dark wood 18" x 14 1/2" frame

Please check out my  website for paintings for sale.