Watercolors by Celia Blanco

Mediterranean Pine Horizon Study watercolor on paper 30 cm x 14cm NFS  This week I have worked on a landscape based on a photo I have taken in a nearby park. I liked the high horizon line with the Mediterranean pines dotting the landscape. I first started out with a loose warm up exercise (pictured below). I began painting without drawing and allowed myself a 15 minute time limit. For my formal painting I wanted to play up the colors from my own imagination. I chose to work from a black and white photo to give myself the possibility to explore different color schemes instead of what is really in the landscape. It was a fun exercise to stimulate my imagination.  I ended up cropping away half the painting because the path and grasses was competing with the tree line. It is great to experiment, I love the learning process inherent in each work, whether good or bad. I drew a line where I felt I needed to crop.  30cm. x 20 cm. my warm up sketch ...

  Fall Harvest watercolor on paper 30.5 × 23 cm  Available The rich vibrant colors of the season inspired me to paint this still life set up. I am unifying the objects by using similar colors, trying to work them together as a whole.

GERBERA FLOWER STUDY watercolor on paper 15cm x 15cm I picked up a few gerbera flowers recently, it cheers me up to see their bright colors. A couple didn't last, presently I am left with two. I added a pear, I was then given squash from a relative's garden, now I have the makings of a very warm, autumn still life. I drew out my composition, decided to add some masking fluid. While waiting for the masking fluid to dry I painted a quick study of the flowers. I want to keep it for reference, because I have a feeling it won't be much longer before I will need to throw them away as well. The yellows almost seem to fuse together, a fun mix of warm and cold yellows. I'm just happy to get my brushes wet again. It feels like it's been a while...where did November go? ... work in progress ... I hope everyone is having a nice day, thank you for the visit!  

Spider Plant Study I watercolor on paper 12,5 cm x 18 cm I enjoy studying leaves on plants. Because of this, I found the stripes on Spider plants to be an interesting subject. In my first study, I limited my palette to Quinacridone Magenta, Quinacridone Gold and Ultramarine Turquoise, all from Daniel Smith.   Spider Plant Study II watercolor on paper 16cm x 24 cm  For the second study I used my regular colors because I wanted to focus more on the leaves.

Pears In a Bowl watercolor on Hot Press paper 22cm x14cm / 8"5' x 5"5'  I painted this still-life set up from life. I was attracted by the shapes, it is always great to paint such bright yellow colors.   I am working on not covering all of the paper with watercolor, hopefully allowing certain areas to breathe. It is always a challenge to put the brush down. I wish everyone a wonderful week, I hope all of you are enjoying the end of Summer!

 Apricots for Sale watercolor on paper 5" x 7" / 12,5 cm x 17,5 cm Rome is a city that wakes up early. My local market is open for business by as early as 6:30am. At that hour, the early morning sunlight warms up colors. When it hit these fresh summer apricots, the colors intensified as if it were a glow. Well, that is what I wish to convey: it is always a challenge to convey impressions on paper. What is your favorite summer fruit? I don't think I can pick just one.  Have a wonderful week! 

Catching a Wave Sketch I watercolor on paper Catching a Wave Sketch II watercolor on paper Catching a Wave Sketch III colored pencil in my sketchbook Sitting by the seaside I can't help but be inspired by the beauty provided by waves and light. I have been trying to capture my impressions as the waves break in front of me. These are done on site only and are intended as observational practice, not as finished works of art. The ocean has my full respect, it is a very challenging subject. Constant change is a hard concept to grasp on paper. I have also been busy filling up some of  my older sketchbooks. The warm weather makes it easy and I carry my supplies whenever possible, even on quick errands. I rely on my homemade sketchbooks the most. I prefer to choose the paper according to my needs, not always for watercolor. My daughter requested one as well! She loves to draw using graphite and colored pencil. She had very specific paper and size r...

17. Something used for measuring. Took me a while, did it without a ruler! LOL 18. Lipstick/lip gloss . Something I never use and should throw away. Day 19. A Cupcake.   Day 20. Your Wallet  My always empty wallet. Day 21. The Spot You Regularly Sit to Read. My little corner of the house where I find peace and quiet. Love to read before falling asleep. If a book manages to keep me awake, it's got to be good! Any  suggestions for summer reading welcome. 22. Something That Hangs From a Wall in Your Home This is my utensils' rack, it hangs above my cooking range. Thank you for your support! Wish me luck, I am off to find an interesting detail of a building...     Have a wonderful weekend!

  Day 9. Something with an interesting label ...I chose a bottle of rum I've saved for many years because I love the label ( and also the rum).  Day 10. Something you can turn on/off . ..I love to bake. My hand held blender should be used less often. We never go without baked goods in my house. I am experimenting using a nib pen and ink, without drawing first. Day 11. A hat, cap or other headgear ...I collect caps. This is my favorite and I love the added bonus of a bear wearing his hat too! I painted the shape first with watercolor, then added the ink. No pencil, still enjoying the ink and nib pen technique. Day 12. Some stairs or steps ...I can't survive without this step ladder. I wish I were a little taller, this helps me a lot around the house. Ink and nib pen, no pencil. Day 16. Ingredients for a favorite recipe ...my marriage is still alive thanks to this recipe (21 years ...). It is a family favorite! I returned to my tried and true wate...

Purple Umbrella watercolor on Arches paper 5"x 7" Quick sketch of an umbrella while at market, I love the chaos! The inspiration for this painting comes from my local market. Italian markets are like no other. It is a full sensory experience. The purple stripe pattern on this umbrella reminds me somehow of a painted Easter egg. This is the first time I use Arches paper. It is a beautiful paper and it turns the whole painting process into an even more pleasant experience. My colors look as intended and are very easy to rub out. Some artist choose to only work with Arches even if it is quite pricey ... now I fully understand why. Thanks to my generous friend Joan Tavolott for giving me a couple of sheets when she visited  Rome last September! Please check out her blog or even better, enjoy watching her while she shares her art story on You Tube . She will inspire you to grab your supplies and sketch! Much like Joan does, I also stopped yesterday...

Crochet and Violets  watercolor on paper  12" x 9"/ 30 x 23cm. I'm so happy to have finally finished this painting. The inspiration came to me from violets that bloomed way back in February.   I started this from life, unfortunately the flowers wilted so I had to work from memory and my sketches. I wanted to make it equally about the crochet doily pattern as the violets themselves. I like the way the sun hits at noon and creates an interesting shadow. I set my alarm at noon and repeatedly worked at that hour even if sometimes it was only ten minutes at a time. Thank you for stopping by, I always enjoying getting your feedback on what I do!  

  Kitchen Interior watercolor on paper, in my sketchbook   I recently finished reading Danny Gregory's new book Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are . The book is full of helpful inspiring tips, great for those like me who find it impossible to fit creativity (of any kind) in a very engaging agenda.    I'm hoping to get back to a weekly posting schedule. Trying to capture the light while there is a solar eclipse outside...

African Violets 3.5 x 5 inches watercolor on Fabriano CP paper   I have been working on studying my African Violet plant. It has been cheering up the grey and dreary winter days we have been experiencing. I worked on two little studies to play with colors. One I painted with my own color mixes, the other with colors right from the tube. It was a fun exercise. I drew my composition from life and from my previous sketch. I've added masking fluid to save some white areas. I only need to add the paint... I can hardly wait! Thank you for stopping by!

      To my dear friends, I happily wish you a Christmas filled with joy, peace and love. Thank you for the kind and much needed encouragement you always provide! Happy Holidays!

Cloud study, love listening to the silence at the beach in autumn.  Persimmon fruit and leaf study   Various sketches to experiment with the Tombow dual brush pen. November came and went ... honestly, I was unable to devote time to painting or sketching. I feel I am behind on everything. I am promising myself to be more organized this month, catching up on visiting your blogs, always a source of genuine inspiration!  Hope everyone is well.

    The Colors of Autumn watercolor on Canson paper 9.4"x12.6" I was inspired by the colors of autumn and wanted to translate them into a still life set up. This will become the flavors of autumn, as soon as my pumpkin is transformed into a pie!  I painted entirely from life and tried to beat the quickly changing light, always a fun challenge!  my work in progress and still life set up On another note, I opened up a shop on Etsy this week. I realize many times these ventures end up not going anywhere, so I will keep it all in perspective and not get my hopes up. Thanks you always for your continued support through comments, encouragement and even just taking a quick look! I always appreciate the time you're taking!

 Calla Lilies oil on board 65 x 130 cm I visited my family in August and was asked by my mother to paint her Calla Lilies. It has been over 20 years since I used oil as a medium so I set out to do a  rather large painting, almost as tall as me. It did take me a while and I also forgot how long it takes for oil to dry. It was a lot of fun to do, and the best thing is my mother is pleased with the results. It now hangs in the living room of her home. Unfortunately, the photo is dark and does not highlight the details well. I worked much on layering colors and used textures to create form. I also had fun looking back on some of my older art work, especially my old sketchbooks and drawings. There is some of me in every corner, I won't bore you with everything! My mom is definitely responsible for my love of art. She not only named me after her high school art teacher, she was a high school art teacher for a few years and a wonderful art...

Sweet Autumn watercolor on paper 23 X 30cm. It has been a very hot autumn for us but today, finally the crisper air has arrived. Fig leaves, very common locally, turn a beautiful bright yellow. I have noticed they even grow spontaneously in many impervious places. Last year I snapped the photo below for future reference. I love how the tree displays its various stages of life. It is a beautiful time of year to observe nature at its subtlest and most poignant point. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful day! 

 I have been practicing in my sketchbook and wanted to share some of my favorite pages. It's a place where I can play, experiment and, hopefully, improve.  I recently had the pleasure of a visit from a friend, who is an incredible sketcher and watercolor artist, Joan Tavolott .It has been a dream of mine to be able to sketch along with her! We had the most fun sketching on the Spanish Steps, not even the rain stopped her! I started my sketch on location , then added the paint at home. It is intimidating working in the confusion of the Spanish Steps. I had a difficult time taking in all the information. with Joan  My sketch on the Spanish Steps Joan Tavolott sketching in the rain, determination at its finest!  This experience has inspired me to get out more. I am lucky to live in a vibrant city: yesterday I brought my sketching supplies along while I ran errands. My favorite moment was sketching at the market. I feel like it was a br...