Watercolors by Celia Blanco

Sweet Renewal watercolor on Arches paper 8" x 8" / 20 x 20 cm  This painting is the second in a four part gift I am preparing. You can see the first one by clicking here . I painted this set up from life completely except for the macaroons, which  I made up.  I am trying to keep the theme in the four paintings light and airy in color.

  Portrait of Wilson watercolor on Arches paper 11 x 7 inches available I painted this back in July but have not had a chance to share it here. It was painted for the monthly art challenge of my on line art group. The photo was kindly provided by Geri Berkenstock: it is his handsome rooster, Wilson. I had a lot of fun trying to convey his personality. It is something I always wished for, to have a farm!  Thank you for stopping by!

A Rose Aglow watercolor sketch on paper 18 x 26 cm The rose in this painting is situated in front of my daughter's high school. As I was walking past it, the sun was hitting it in a way that made it seem it was glowing with a beautiful mix of yellows and pinks.  I recently purchased some paints from the Ecoline liquid watercolor line. I enjoyed playing here with the pleasant intensity they possess. With this type of liquid ink there is the possibility of degradation of its properties over time, I will keep it for sketching purposes only.  work in progress

 Morning Stream II watercolor sketch on paper 18 x 26 cm I recently went plein air painting. I painted this same scene last year, about the same time of year and hour ( you can view it here ). I am hoping to catch the feeling I see of the early morning light coming from behind the trees and onto the water. It is very suggestive, hopefully one day I will manage. I apologize for my absence from this blog. I have missed visiting your blogs and hope to be around to catch up soon!

I am really honored to have been invited by Charlie O'Shields to be a guest on his website, doodlewash.com . You can read my interview by clicking here . He is also behind  World Watercolor Month   which begins tomorrow!! It's  an official, month long celebration of my favorite medium. Simply tag any art that uses watercolors (or gouache) with #WorldWatercolorMonth during the month of July! Try the ultimate challenge of 31 watercolors in 31 days, or simply post when you can (which is what I will be doing). This first year of the celebration is also raising awareness for children in need of supplies and education about the Arts around the globe! Simply click here to read more...so lets get painting!!

Nightfall Blooms watercolor study on paper 26 x 18 cm. The inspiration for this flower is drawn from a beautiful  John Livzey photograph (painted with permission). It is for the monthly challenge for my online art group. The gorgeous photographic image was a delight to work from. I did many washes of blue to get the nocturnal feeling and to keep the middle area light I sprayed out the color with a spray bottle. To regain some of the whites I went over the petals with white watercolor pencil.  Thank you for stopping by! I hope every one has a wonderful week!

CONSTABLE'S COTTAGE watercolor on paper 26 x 18 cm  value study The inspiration for this painting came from a lucky art friend who recently visited John Constable country and shared  her photos. It is the house on the bend from the Hay Wain painting. I thought it would be a good time to keep things simple and do a value study.  I used only Ultra Marine Blue and only a little Indigo to deepen the color. Now that it is May, I have started the "Every Day in May" challenge. It is a fun activity to be in, each day is dedicated to a different topic. Joan Tavolott is also participating, she has posted a nice description of the project in her blog which can be seen here.   This year I have (to be honest, I am in the process of finishing) a dedicated journal for the purpose. I have included a mix of papers, HD press, cold press, Fabriano, etc. with the hope of branching out into other mediums.  My sketchbook cover is a collage from calendars, my ...

  Riverside Grasses sketchbook page watercolor, colored pencil, white pen My husband and I had a fun outing recently. I guess it might seem normal to most but we have spent the last few months somewhat boxed in. We were therefore very happy for the opportunity to be outdoors. He brought his kayak and I brought my sketching supplies. The best part was waking up at the crack of dawn and watching the sun rise.   I  sketched the grasses growing by the river. The light changes very quickly. I lost my whites because the paper wouldn't dry, making it impossible to pick up the color. The paint has difficulty drying near the river because of the humidity, even if the sun is present. I went back into the painting back home with colored pencils and white pen to gain back the feeling of the light hitting the grass. who wants to dive in?!  Thanks for the visit!

Evening Calla watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" available I drew inspiration to paint from my little grocery store calla plant once again. I think I might have over-watered it because the flowers keep flopping down. I discovered afterwards that they don't require much water. It is funny how we, responding to the urge to nurture, have a tendency to hurt houseplants by over-watering. They actually do very well outdoors in this part of the world, I hope to start a pot full of them.  I decided to add a darker background to hopefully bring the pinks out from the flower. Even if I didn't paint it during the night, it has a nocturnal feeling. Thank you for stopping by! detail

Colorful Callas for Mom watercolor on paper NFS I was asked by VIDA to design a scarf with my mother in mind. I prepared a design to be printed on a square silk scarf. My mother loves balance and colors. She is also aware of color undertones which bring out the undertones in one’s skin, as when picking out a lipstick or blush (I highly recommend going with her when you need one!).  She is particularly fond of a shade of greenish teal, I wished to include it in my design. She has even introduced it in her interior design, walls, chairs, etc . Callas are her favorite (you might recall I painted callas for her here ). I purchased a plant to have inspiration but mostly painted from impressions, keeping my mother in mind. This is the result, a scarf is already making its way to my mother's home. my work in progress I used a lot of  Ultramarine Turquoise, Green Gold, and Opera Pink from the Daniel Smith line. I added colors from my usual  palette t...

Winter Fruit watercolor on paper 20 cm x 20 cm A ripe pomegranate with its deep red, round shape is the inspiration for this painting. I added the pears for contrast. A quick sketch while I still had the fruit in front of me with the idea of painting it at a later time. I  redrew it to proceed with my painting. I then stopped, feeling stuck, the painting format looked too plain.  My work in progress ... I replaced the pomegranate with an apple, the former needed to be eaten. I decided to set it aside ... ended up being for a couple weeks. In the mean time I had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Vatican Museum .  Pattern, colors, details everywhere!! Incredible history, very glad to see many frescoes restored since my last visit...over 20 years ago!!  yet more patterns and incredible works of art..."The School of Athens" takes my breath away every time!! Photography is strictly prohibited inside the Sistine Chapel, I think if I...

  A Gull watercolor on Fabriano Artistico paper 29,5 x 22 cm NFS I belong to an on-line art group where each member takes turns providing photo inspiration for a monthly challenge. I am late on my contribution for January. I like the opportunity to work from another person's point of view because it pushes me to look outside of my comfort zone. Not having much practice painting animals, this gull is exactly what I had in mind. My work in progress, almost finished. I approached the painting  following a watercolor tip provided by Angela Fehr. One of her many suggestions to stay loose in watercolor is to not obsess over details. A great way of doing this is to work from a photo on your phone.  Add the fact I can't see anything small without reading glasses... I have surely uncovered a wonderful approach to a loosening up my style. I really focused on just the broad shapes whiled choosing to emphasize the beak where all the action lies.  I ...

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” ― A.A. Milne  hand-lettering project watercolor on paper 21 x 30 cm.  close up of the dragon fly My daughter asked me to create this for her room. I love including handlettering in my sketchbook, usually quick notes to myself. I also enjoy copying different font styles, mostly playing with ideas, always in my sketchbook. This is the first for me. After a hundred tries,  I think I am finally happy with the outcome. It has been very difficult to get the paint just right on my brush to keep the flow.  A dragonfly adds extra interest to the composition. I had a lot of fun with the project.  I'm including a link to a video of an artist I subscribe to. I love her tutorials, this might be useful to anyone exploring the concept. Saturday is National Handwriting day. The day is celebrated on the anniversary of the birth of John Hancock. I w...

 Clementine Still Life 18cm x 25,5 cm watercolor on paper Available I hope everyone is beginning 2016 well. It is a time of year for renewal and self improvement. I am always hopeful to discover ways of improving and growing as I develop my artwork: more sketching and painting are always on top of my list! My first painting of the year is a clementine still-life. I painted this set up from life. They are presently found in abundance, easy to peel and full of flavor. I have been buying them by the crate load. I find the long leaves elegant and with the right amount of contrast to the bright orange peel.

  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.

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.

I finished the last drawings and paintings from the "Every Day in May Challenge". I haven't been able to upload them here. I apologize for clumping so many together.  I did not complete just a few of them. It has been a wonderful experience which I hope to repeat next year. DAY 23. An interesting detail of a building. DAY 24. Keys Day 25. An apron, or something you wear during messy activities. Day 27. Something furry or fuzzy. Day 28. A yard ornament.  Day 29. A faucet. Day 30. A bird-feeder or bird house. Day 31. Eggs. Day 14. Something I use everyday. Day 15. Something I could throw away. If you braved it to the end, I can't thank you enough for your continued support! Have a wonderful weekend!

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!