landscape Archives - Dora Sislian Themelis Art

Finished Work for Friday

After deciding to ditch the family travel photos and move on to other things, I found this photo of a monastery in Greece built into the side of a cliff on the Cycladic island of Amorgos. It was mysteriously appealing to me and felt that urge to paint so I went along with it. A twenty minute session and I was finished with this work.

Amorgos Monastery ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
9×12 Watercolor on Arches cold press paper

There’s more going on, but I’ll save it for later. See you on the flip side.

Finished on Friday Doubled

Finished two paintings for today. Don’t get too excited, things could turn around again any minute.

Today I found the time to finish the painting of the little Greek church and when I was done I quickly turned my attention to my old photos from last summer.

There is something very appealing about the Greek countryside and the sea that I cannot resist. But I find I don’t feel too free when painting from photos I’ve taken there. I never seem to be happy about the compositions. Maybe I just really need to be there in person. This work feels stiff to me.

Inlet Church ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
9×12 Watercolor Arches cold press paper

Then there are the photos I took last spring and summer of the vegetables, sunflowers and my garden then make me feel very comfortable when painting from them. I am not so sure why.

This second work was pushed out soon as I finished the Greece landscape. Feeling the need to paint something different right away, I grabbed this photo, cropped the area I wanted to work with, and headed straight to paint. No pencil drawing, just paint sketching. Maybe a little longer than twenty minutes?

Garden ©2012 Dora Sislian Themelis
9×12 Watercolor, Arches cold press paper

I worked until I felt that I should stop. Much of this work was wet, but I pushed on, only waiting until it dried just enough to continue. Again, I tried to keep the water to a minimum.

Leaving out extra stuff, ignoring other things, just adding detail where I wanted to point out some things and that was it.

This work doesn’t feel as stiff as the previous painting. Maybe it’s me, but it feels so much better.

My Mantra: It’s the Process

So here we are, back at the easel, er desk. Yes, I’m painting flat, on my table with the watercolors. Some people use an easel, but not me. I can’t risk applying paints to have them run down the work. I have enough stress.

Landscapes are not usually my “thing.” Working on this latest landscape might give me more reason to ditch the idea. Don’t worry. I will wait until I’m finished with this.

New landscape of Greece

Since I took this photograph, I went back and removed some color from the water area. It’s a nice, little scene. Okay, my mantra is this: Process, process. Try to remember that it’s the process that counts.

Twenty minutes working on this and I have to run away from it.

The good thing? I cleared up enough of my morning to work in the studio before I do the errands for the day. This is a major accomplishment. As it is, I wake early and get moving, so it is possible to work first, run later.

The bad thing? I tire early and lose the afternoon/evening hours.

Remember: Process!

Daydreaming Again

Deciding on the next painting, I settled on daydreaming about traveling. Greece this year is not a possibility, nor is anything else for that matter. But daydream? That I can do.

Some of my paintings of Greek themes had a very good response at that art event I participated in so I thought I would revisit my photos of our trips. I tested out a small sized watercolor block just to see how I felt about the colors I would be using.

Hmmm…

I dropped in color after flooding the paper with water, outlining the major areas that need work. After it dries I’ll go back in and add more color and detail.

Good thing this was too wet to work at because I am notorious for pushing it too far when I shouldn’t, then tossing it as a goner. Not even twenty minutes in and I had to stop.

Will it make the thumbs up pile? We will see.

Painting a Garden Gate

Garden Gate 7×10 Watercolor on Canson paper
©2000 Dora Sislian Themelis

The post I planned for today was thrown out of the water when I awoke to find out a watercolor landscape painting in my Etsy shop sold over the weekend. Allow me to bask in my glory for a moment.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I would even get to paint on the latest work during the last few days. There was so much going on besides the usual running around. I’ve decided to change the color of the foyer of my house, and when is that going to happen? Why do I do these last minute things?

Anyway, I’ll tell you what I did to the latest painting tomorrow. Right now I have a SALE! Yay for me!

In the beginning of my watercolor journey, after the horrible intro to watercolor class a while back, I was determined to push myself to learn. The paints I was using were student grade, and the paper wasn’t much better. Besides, it was all new to me. What did I learn at that class? Nothing. Imagine my guts, taking myself to paint in watercolors en plein air? What was I thinking?

Well, I did ok. Watercolor painting is difficult enough and I had to be outside with it.

Near the end of that summer, I took my kids to Old Westbury Gardens and Mansion near my area. It’s a beautiful Gold Coast of Long Island, NY mansion and formal gardens. The gardens alone are breath taking in size and variety of flowers. The house is so large I could put my house inside the living room.

The weather that day was beautiful and we really enjoyed roaming around. While my guys looked around the garden I sat in a spot by this garden wall with it’s intricate wrought iron gate and tried to sketch the scene. I was pleasantly surprised to find I liked the outcome of this. At the time I really wanted to push myself to paint more, what did I know about process?

A few paintings are in the Etsy shop I have, along with the bead jewelry I make and some small knitted items. Etsy may not be the right venue for fine artwork, but until I get myself together with my own website, some items have a home there. Imagine my surprise when I saw a notice that I had a sale.

It’s a small work, but it will make another someone happy. I’m already thrilled, once more.

Painting Photo for Friday

Finished another watercolor painting! I am on a roll. Actually, I just wanted this one done with. When I am ready for something else I get antsy to finish and continue. Not like other times when I don’t even touch the paints. No, I am trying to behave and keep working.

For each painting session I was still using twenty minute segments, letting the work dry in between. And here I am painting from photographs, too. There was a time I just couldn’t do that. The subject had to be live. But the blue tractor was adorable, and I liked the scenery. So there you go.

Now I’m over it.

Photo for Friday

Chugging along on the latest watercolor painting and I see some darks creeping in in places. Well, something has to happen in between the figures. It can’t all be light, airy and flowery. I may lighten up the space from mid paper and up. I thought I would make believe the people were dancing outside somewhere, but I might practice what I’m planning on another paper.

I added values and skin tones while trying to give the figures some grounding or they will float. What else can I say? It doesn’t look like this is going to be a fun, free wheeling painting. Maybe trees and sky in the background will make it look more “fun”?

Whatever happens, happens. And that’s that.