Watercolors by Celia Blanco

 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...

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!

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...

1. A FAVORITE FOOD I have been very bad about blogging as of late, I wanted to share this sooner. I signed on for a drawing challenge for the month of May. Everyday we have a theme to work on in our sketchbooks and we share our work on a group board on Facebook or Flickr. It is a lot of fun because you are pushed to sketch something you normally would not otherwise do. I also love the sense of community: seeing what other people come up with is a great inspiration. 2. A NEARBY TREE 3. CURTAINS 4.BOTTLE OF HERBS OR SPICE 5.SOMETHING HOT 8.SOMETHING WITH A HANDLE I would like to wish all 's a wonderful Mother's Day!

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...