Watercolors by Celia Blanco

Shady Business watercolor on Fabriano paper 23 x 30.5cm / 9" x 12" Available  The inspiration for this painting came from a photograph I took last summer as I waited for a bus. A striking character came along with a stack of colorful cowboy style hats for sale. He plopped them on the ground in front of him, naturally yelling out "Due euro" ( two euros) every few seconds. I couldn't help but watch him as he provided a little comical relief from my endless waiting. I discreetly snapped a photo as he looked the other way, he seemed rather impatient to sell his hats and did not stop looking around nervously. I love the long shadows the sun makes at that early hour, I wished to portray the sense of chaos of the busy street corner. ********* I was very happy to hear your sketchbook stories! In case any one is interested, I would like to share the link I found helpful in making my Coptic sketchbook . I find her instructions very clear and I sub

A sketchbook is great place to experiment new ideas. The funny thing is as much as I love painting in watercolors, I do not own a watercolor sketchbook. I thought making one would be a great solution, something I have never done. I imagine it is not new to many of you, your homemade art journals are the source of my inspiration. It was easy to make, I used dental floss as a binder! I have already filled it up with several sketches. Sketch of my dinner  salad -includes corn, tomatoes lettuce, carrots ...  I have also been reading Jean Haines book, Atmospheric Watercolours: Painting with Freedom, Expression and Style . All things I long for! It's a great book and I love how she encourages you to use her methods while using your own creativity.   Begonias I feel my last two sketches are close to my goal. I am testing myself with the loose washes of color. I would love to hear if any of you have tried making your own journals. Thanks for stopping by!

  Garden Joy watercolor on Fabriano paper 23 x 30.5cm / 9" x 12" available Every rose has a particular meaning as expressed by its color. Light pink roses express deep joy. This is also the emotion evoked while attempting to reproduce it in my imaginary garden. The fun of art is it can transport you anywhere! I found the inspiration for this rose at Paint My Photo by photographer Janet Ellington Horton. They have a wonderful collection, I felt compelled to paint one. My photo archive is filled with roses. I fell in love with the beautiful light shining through the rose. I've worked very slow, for some odd reason roses seem to make me nervous. Maybe it's their intimidating perfection.  Below are some work in progress photos Thank you for the visit!

Parsley watercolor on Garza Papel paper 20x14 cm. 300 grs Parsley is my favorite herb, I always keep a pot close to my kitchen. It is an interesting subject to improve leaf painting skills. I did minimal prelimanary drawing to keep the painting spontaneous. I focused on layering the shapes and observing the fresh colors in front of me.  I found parsley leaves fun to paint and instrumental in gaining more awareness and control when painting leaves! working from life is always my favorite! finding the right mix of color I can't believe this is my 100th post. Thanks for stopping by!

  A Rose watercolor on Garza Papel paper 20x14 cm. 300 grs I love observing the delicate temperature shifts within rose petals. There is always a little warm yellow among the pink which turns to a bit of blue. It's easier said than done to transfer it onto paper but at least I finally got the dust of my brushes! I enjoyed using Garza Papel paper for the first time. The paper allows for smooth washes and it had a nice grain and absorbency. Delivery to my doorstep is an added plus! Thanks to my friend Bruce from The Art of Bruce for the suggestion! I hope everyone is having a nice day and taking a little time to stop and smell the roses!

I received a beautiful bouquet in the mail last week. It came in the form of a book from my artist  friend Michelle Endersby. I love how she has chosen to paint roses in a larger than life circular canvas, giving a modern twist to a classic subject. Each painting is accompanied by an inspiring quote about roses. It is a book I enjoy again and again. Thank you, Michelle, for making me feel better! Awakening Around Roses is the name of Michelle's book and recent exhibition. Please pay her a visit  and read the inspirational story as to why she has chosen to focus on painting roses. She is remarkable as a person and as an artist! I also want to take the opportunity to express heartfelt gratitude for encouraging me during this time. I am happy to be feeling better, hopefully soon I will have some of my artwork to share... maybe even a rose painting inspired by Michelle!

 Pansies with Lemon  watercolor on cold pressed Daler Rowney paper  10" x 10" / 25 x 25 cm.  Available I wished to paint the happy faces of the pansies I planted earlier in the fall. They are hardy plants, lasting through the winter on my balcony. Soon I will have to pull them out and replace them with petunias or begonias, but not for another month. I love the different shades of purple and had fun mixing my own. I hope everyone is having a nice week!

Work in progress Find new color inspirations in a days changing palette , was a phrase which caught my eye in my in box this week. It was an advertisement for an interior design catalog  I subscribe to.   I feel like it summed things up well for me. I love to take snapshots of these moments within my day. Digital photography has made it only easier for me to accumulate a massive collection of reference material. Unfortunately my camera decided to stop working this week, I have it with me at all times. Until I find a replacement, I would like to share with you some of the recent shots I have taken that made me stop and want to fix a moment in time. I may never use these references as paintings but each one reminds me to enjoy the simple moments in my everyday routine. My work in progress is much more finished now than the beginning sketch pictured in the photo. I'm almost done painting the pansies I cut from a potted plant. Thank goodness I took a reference photo b

Geranium Light   watercolor on Cartiera Magnani paper 35 x 49 cm./ 13.5 x 19 inches Available I started this painting back in September and decided to lay it aside soon afterwards. Honestly, I felt daunted by painting in a larger format, which I used to do often before but had finally put aside ( 20 years ago, yikes!). I pulled it out and decided to finally face the music. I love the beautiful light pattern created by the rising sun shining from behind the flower. I was worried whether placing the flower in the middle would work or not, a few thumbnail sketches to work out my ideas first solved the problem. It was challenging to work on the larger size , working on unfamiliar paper added much stress. I bought loose sheets back in September, by Cartiera Magnani, that I used for this project. In the end, it was fun. I just needed to get into a different mind-set. thumbnail sketches always help I hope everyone is enjoying the coming of Spring!

Greek Patio watercolor on Canson paper 6.5 x 9.5 inches / 16.5 x 23.5 cm (If interested, you can purchase this painting through my website ) Let's fast forward to a hot summer day when you seek the welcoming solace of shady areas. Grab a chair and enjoy the view, especially if it looks over the Mediterranean sea.  I seem to be attracted to outdoor patio furniture, I recently included it in a painting not long ago...I really love the idea of a cozy, snug space. I am also attracted by the geometric lines created by the chairs in contrast with the atmospheric landscape in the distance. It goes without saying, I wouldn't mind being in this painting this very moment (when is winter going to be over, anyway???)! I would like to share my daughter's art homework. This is the first time she does a drawing of this nature. I'm biased, I know, but I modestly think she did a fantastic job! Maybe an artist in the making?  Have a happy weekend, thank

 watercolor sketch 24 x 26 cm.  Inspiration for this painting came from a picture of a garden vase with a rosemary bush in front. Not much preliminary drawing … this made the bush in front rather difficult for me to paint .  I finally used my new watercolor easel. I wanted to get a feel of working with an easel instead of a table. At first I felt it was out of control, water flowing down, colors bleeding into one another. I'm slowly getting the hang of it. I think I am going to enjoy experimenting with this new approach. I am happy this is finally the last day of February! It has been a tough month to get through in spite of its shortness. Does anyone else agree?

Table for One watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" A quiet meal alone, you and a bottle of local wine. The smell of rosemary bushes and the warm sunshine in your face. Well not today, it is a rainy Monday but the fun of painting allows you to escape! I tried to simplify the scene to leave the focus on the chair and geraniums. I eliminated much of what is going on in the photograph to a few important elements, hopefully I succeeded. I wish everyone a great day, thank you for the visit!

day 29   Heart Wings watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"   day 30   Trumpet Flower   watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" MY COLLAGE OF THE PAINTINGS COMPLETED: 3 DRAWINGS, 25 WATERCOLORS, 2 TOSSED "Angel wing begonias" and "trumpet flowers" are my final paintings for the month. I worked on them together. "Heart wings" I started with the flowers and worked the background later. "Trumpet flowers" was the opposite. I'm always trying to see what works best. In the end, I'm discovering that it varies from painting to painting and there are no set of rules but just a lot of practice and more practice! Funny how I started the challenge thinking it might be easier the second time around. I found it harder this time even if I had prepared my ideas, photos etc. I work on my artwork everyday, in some way, even if for only five minutes. I don

day 26 CAT NAP watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  The photo reference I used came from Paint My Photo . It's always great practice to paint greyscale. I should really do this more often. day 25 WINTERS ECHO watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  day 27 SNOWY HORIZON watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  Long cold shadows are what inspired me to paint both landscapes. The trees created interesting mirroring shapes on the snow in the early afternoon. I took the reference photo myself last year. My husband and I enjoy snowshoeing. It allows you to move away from the crowds and be lost in the woods. Of course, he has it all mapped out, I usually lag behind. I'm probably not the ideal hiking companion.    day 28 LAKESIDE WINTER watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  I am striving to tr

day 23 Primroses watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  day 24 Prim and Proper   watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  We celebrated my husband's birthday this week and we received primroses wrapped in paper as a gift.  I approached the paintings differently even if I was working on them at the same time.  I sat down while I painted day 24 and stood up while painting the other. It is fun to see what works best. I tried to stay loose, working with larger brushes and forced myself to not fiddle too much. Something I normally do, it is very hard for me to not want to add that last wash or bit of color. I love to listen to Sky.FM as I paint. They have increased their selections and I find music to fit my every mood. For these paintings I picked Smooth Jazz. It's easy listening and great to tap your feet to! My work in  progress

(day 22)  Pear Dance  watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" (day 21) Apple Slices watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" ( day20) Kiwi with Spoon watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  (day 18) All Bunched Up  watercolor on  paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  Add caption   (day 17) Pear Shapes   watercolor on  paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" These last paintings are all about fruits. Fruits are one of my favorite subjects to paint. The possibilities are as limitless as there are fruits! I love to play with the shapes, colors and shadows to create different compositional ideas. I apologize about bunching them all up in one post. I have not had much time to devote to the computer this week. ( day 19) "Sunday Sketch" graphite on paper I've also included my "Sunday sketch&

DAY 14 MARKET DAY watercolor on  paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" DAY 15 THE GARDEN watercolor on  paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"   DAY 16   CARNATION watercolor on  paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  I am keeping up with the challenge, it is very difficult to complete a painting each day. I am not photographing or uploading my paintings on a daily basis, especially in regards to Leslie's site. This way I avoid a great deal of stress. I take MANY reference photos at my local market.  I get strange looks from the people who work there. I must look funny taking pictures of tomatoes and melons but so many great compositions come up every time I visit. "Market Day" is a painting of the flower stand with a bright umbrella. I buy many of my plants here. They had primroses yesterday which I will buy soon ! Day's fifteen painting is from a photo I snapped at a restaurant called  "Il Giardino" (in italian), which fitt

DAY ELEVEN   HEART XMAS watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" Weekends are most difficult for me, I managed to stay on schedule with my 30 day challenge nonetheless. I admit that I am feeling exhausted. I was hoping that if better prepared it would be somewhat easier. It feels harder to keep up now than last time. I wanted a change of pace from painting from photos by setting up these two still-life's. I am either late or early on Christmas, but my daughter's last candy cane was arousing my attention. She plans on using it in a recipe called "peppermint hot cocoa". She very graciously will wait another weekend to try this out, spontaneously promising to share some with me! I turned the same candy cane in two different directions. DAY 12 STUDY OF MICHELANGELO'S   DRAWING FOR THE HEAD OF LEDA , SANGUINE PENCIL ON PAPER 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" Day twelve is another attempt to s

DAY TEN   MELLOW YELLOW watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"   Yellow is the theme I have chosen for day ten. This is a photo I took at a beautiful garden in France one summer while on vacation there. Yellows are a challenge to paint with watercolor especially when building contrast and depth. The fun part of the challenge is that I feel encouraged to try new things.  DAY EIGHT AND NINE Days eight and nine was also the same, trying something new. I had a feeling it wasn't going to go well but I gave it a shot anyhow. I have an impossible time painting on hot press paper. It just soaks the pigment and the colors bleed into one another in an odd way. I also added the challenge of working on two paintings at once. I thought I could do it, I had something in mind but it just did not work. It's good to try in order to understand your limits. My days' eight and nine efforts are ripped up and have become part of my scrap

DAY SEVEN Primary Pansies watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" I am happy to be on day seven! Last fall I bought a bunch of colorful pansies I fell in love with. I can't thank you enough for your encouraging comments!

  DAY FOUR DETAIL OF MARY FROM THE "PIETA" BY MICHELANGELO DAY FIVE   SUMMER LIGHT watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7"  DAY SIX   SUN RIPE watercolor on FABRIANO Artistico paper 12,5 x 18cm/ 5" x 7" WIP