LOVE tutorial

This is my second offering of the "LOVE"

poster. I decided the first might be a little

too abstract for some so this one is more

traditional.

I started in my sketchbook with just a

pencil rendering, deciding on design

elements as I went along, ( a fair amount

of erasing !!! ).

Next I photographed the sketch and put it

in photoshop on my computer.

My instinct was to make the heart red but

then I figured the lettering would have to be

a light color and I thought it might not show

up as well.

I chose a blue color for the lettering and tried

it out to see if I liked it. Then began to use red

for the background color and also put the

squigly line pattern for added texture.

Next I outlined the large LOVE lettering and

added some shadow effect around the heart.

Here I've added color on the leaves and

decided on a deep burgundy red for the

outer border. An afterthought was to add

the textural pattern into the border.

The final detailing included dropping shadow

effects from the leaves and highlighting some

of the pattern in the border to pop it a bit.

This print is available for only $10.00 either by contacting me at davehuddleston.com or through my Etsy store at davehuddleston.etsy.com

Dave's Famous Funnies

Lilly

Lilly wasn't quite clear on the purpose
of Yoga but willingly played along with
her good friend Walden.

this 8x10" print from the original
drawing by me is available for purchase
for just 15.00. contact me via e-mail at
iliv2kree8@gmail.com
or check out my Etsy store at:
davehuddleston.etsy.com

watercolor tutorial

"The Garden"

step 1:

In this case the painting was a comission

with very specific elements that the person

wanted included. That's why the drawing is

this detailed. Just a light sketch with a regular

#2 pencil. The paper is 140 lb. cold pressed.

step 2:

Since I'm putting lots of flowers in the

scene I'll do them first so they'll stand

out better.

step 3:

Now comes the laborious chore of 'negative'

painting the background in and sparing out

the flowers, although you don't need to be

super careful. Don't use a small brush!

step 4:

I also block in basic colors for the

foreground, the palm tree and the background

hills.

step 5:

Now I've added the hill in the middle distance

and the vineyard. It's the Napa Valley...you've

got to have a vineyard!

step 6:

beginning to add darker values and you

can see the child emerging and I've also

finished the palm tree and blocked in the

basic color for the tree on the left.

step 7:

added the darker value to tree on the left

as well as some branch detail and just

some refining of some of the plants. Don't

feel like you have to make every square inch

detailed though. I know some of you are

saying, "Too late for you to take your own

advice Dave?"

step 8:

Just fill in the child and the hot air baloons

and we're finished. I even topped this one off

with a few opaque spatters in the garden to

suggest more flowers.

saved watercolor

This is a watercolor started in one of my

workshops by daughter Mikey. Unfortunately

she gave up on it and said she was just going

to dispose of it so I confiscated it because I saw

great potential in it. I've done a little bit to it

but don't think it's finished.

One of the biggest challenges for an artist, as

I always tell my students, is knowing when to

stop. Sometimes you need to take a break

away from your painting and then come back

later to view it with a fresh eye.

What do you think???

Oz memorial set

This is a set I did over the last few days for The
Wizard of Oz play upcoming that will be performed by
Broadway Bound Kids, a children's theater group based
in Sonoma, Ca.
It is set up here at Cline Winery outside Sonoma as the
backdrop for a memorial service held Saturday for Bobby,
a 5 year old cast member who was killed when a tree fell
on the car he was riding in. His father was critically
injured and his mom and his young best friend Elaine
escaped serious injury.

LOVE

The well-known "Love" passage
from 1st Corinthians, chapter 13
in the Holy Bible, transformed
into this colorful print from my
original mixed media rendering.
Print will measure approximately
8 x 10", printed on either matte
or high gloss finish paper with a
white border to leave room for
framing. It is available by e-mailing
me or by visiting my Etsy store at
davehuddleston.etsy.com.

New Series

"Greta"

...enjoys playing with all the 'critters
in the garden.

"Luna"

...a bit shy, she likes taking walks
at night and counting the stars.

"Seely"

...finds a new friend!

"The Big Game"

...not to be confused with 'big game',
(as in large mammals), these forest-dwellers
would rather braid porcupine quills
than miss this weekly social gathering!



Limited edition prints of these original
mixed media paintings done by me, Dave
the famous artist, will be available shortly
at my Etsy store: davehuddleston.etsy.com
for just a smile and 3 acorns!!

Dave's Famous Funnies

Dave's Painting Demos #001

This is my first in what will be an on-going series of demonstration paintings, some in watercolor and some in acrylic. Hope you find them entertaining and, if you're an artist, I hope you'll find them educational as well.

I use a John Pike pallette and just about 8 basic colors which I'm not going to bother listing because they won't look the same in your painting anyway. ( If you'd really like to know e-mail me )!

These are just a very basic assortment of brushes I use. Only 3 of them were used in this painting. The brush handle you see is an old aquarelle brush that died but I keep the handle for scraping!

Start with a very light, rough sketch in pencil. Keep it loose. If you do a tight, detailed sketch your painting style will follow. If that's what you want then go ahead. Or take a photograph!!!

Start laying in basic color washes with your 1 inch brush...somewhat sloppy with plenty of water. Let the paint drip or splatter and soften some edges. Also, keep the values light to begin with. The white of the paper is the only white we use in watercolor so plan to avoid putting much color on those places you want to remain very light or white.

After establishing some basic color washes the sky will be dry enough to begin putting the hills in. Remember to start with a fairly light color even though the hills will get darker as we go. Mix a bit of warmth into the greens, ( like yellow ochre ), to avoid boring, flat colors.

Start the stand of Eucalyptus trees with a 1 inch brush slightly angled and with a fairly dry mixture of a light warm green. ( If it's too wet you won't get the texture you want ).

After the first light application of color on the trees let them dry and begin putting base colors on the house. You, of course, must have established where your light source is so you know which side of the house is in sunlight and which is in shadow. In this case the light is coming from right to left.

Now begin adding more color on the house as well as some detail. Note I have switched to my quarter inch flat brush instead of the 1 inch.

Surround the house with a few trees and shrubs to 'plant it' nicely and add shadows from the trees onto the house and the ground.

Here I'm adding subtle tire ruts in the dirt road.

Now let's finish up the Eucalyptus trees. Add some nice darker colors. Eucalyptus have lots of color in the foliage, including reds and oranges.

Here's where that brush handle comes in to scrape suggestions of trunk and branches. The paint has to still be wet but not too wet. Practice! It's a matter of timing. If they don't look wonderful don't worry...

...you can touch them up a bit later.

Now we're ready to add some darks to the foreground grasses.

You can add a few scrapes for texture with the brush handle again. If you can't find this type of brush you could look for wooden clay modeling tools in a craft store.

Also add some spatters for texture if you'd like. Just don't get too carried away with this. Like any other little 'gimick' just a little is the best policy.

Finally, I've decided the background hills got a little too dark so a little light scrubbing with clean water will add light and more shape.

Blot the area with a clean cloth after you've scrubbed a small patch. Then add a little light yellow to make it look sunlit.

Then sign it...you're done!

This original watercolor is available for sale. Visit my ETSY store

at davehuddleston.etsy.com or e-mail me at iliv2kree8@gmail.com

price: $75.00 plus shipping