Mail art: More NZ birds

I'm trying to get into the habit of doing one envelope a day (if possible!). I was going for a more ¨cartoon-y¨ kind of look, put perhaps that will come with practice.

Front: A Miromiro bird. I'm pretty sure I've seen these while out tramping. Not sure if I've seen them around our house though.

Back: A Piwakawaka (Fantail) bird. We see heaps of these around our house.

Another envelope. Front: An Australiasian Crested Grebe. What great a hairdo this guy has.

 Back: Seabirds flying around.

Mail art: Gannet and California Quail

Back and front of some mail art envelopes I made. A couple of birds we see alot of in New Zealand: the Californian quail and the gannet. These are watercolour on 120 gsm paper. I didn't notice the envelope was a bit creased in the photo until I'd already posted off the original.

Miniature landscape sketches

Some watercolour minatures (1 x 1.5 inch) for practising colour mixes etc. Using up scraps of Fabriano 300gsm rough watercolour paper.

Ailsa Mountains

Cows grazing in front of Mt Ruapehu

Some quick watercolour sketches

I'm trying to decide whether to take my watercolours with me to the South Island, given that I'll only have very brief moments to sketch. I thought I'd try some quick miniature sketches for practice.

Piercy Island (practising colour mixing for a larger painting)

 Karamea Estuary in the fading afternoon light

 A thick early morning mist over the fields

Tonal watercolour sketch

Another 5 min breakfast sketch. Practising tones in watercolour, and sketching straight with the brush (no initial pencil drawings).

Beach

Watercolour study for larger painting on multimedia paper. The above is the original. I'm not sure whether I was picturing in my head something a bit flatter like the altered (on the computer) version below, to reduce the size of the block of sand in the foreground.

or even this:

Homer Tunnel, South Island, New Zealand. Photo: Jonas

Trying to get back to doing watercolours... again...

Quick watercolour sketch - Early sunset in Mackenzie country, South Island, New Zealand.

Watercolour portraits

A couple of watercolour portraits I did at art class last night.

Whitemans Valley from the top of Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt, New Zealand

Watercolor sketch concentrating on values

Homer Tunnel, South Island, NZ (photo: Jonas)

Watercolour 16/30

Arches N.O.T. paper. I am starting to think I prefer the hot pressed paper. I was trying for a more graphic design look with solid blocks of colour painted with gum arabic. I think the N.O.T. paper isn't the best choice for this. I might re-try this painting a little later on.

Gratuitous photo of Arthurs Pass area, South Island, New Zealand. Photo: Jonas.

Catlins Estuary

In my goal to do 30 watercolours over 30 days (OK, maybe over 3 months), this is watercolour 15 of 30. Fabriano 300 gsm hot press paper.

Watercolour 14/30

Another miniature study (8 x 12 cm) for a future larger painting of the Catlins Estuary.
 

Gratuitous photo of elsewhere in the Catlins area, South Island, New Zealand (photo: Jonas)

Watercolour 13/30

Above: Late afternoon storms over Caitlins Estuary, South Island, New Zealand. 8 x 12c. Arches 300gsm paper.

The line between the still water, which reflected the stormy sky, and the water in the foreground and background which had a faint breeze on it, was supposed to be quite a clear line. At some point during one of the washes I messed it up. I might come back later and try this one again.I'm still trying to do the 30 watercolors in 30 days challenge, although not always managing it!

Gratuitous photo of Mt Cook Village, South Island, New Zealand

Watercolour 12/30

Above: Before the background was done. 300 gsm Arches paper. Approx 8 x 12ish cm.

Below: With a background.

Gratuitous photo of a waterfall near the Caitlins area, South Island, NZ (photo:Jonas)

Mini watercolour sketches 10 and 11/30

 

As usual, on 8cm x 12cmish Archers 300 gsm watercolour paper.

My second go at a watercolour portrait (still in miniature though). 

 Gratuitous photo of Mt Cook, South Island, New Zealand. Photo: Jonas

Mini watercolor sketches 8 and 9/30

I did the same sketch twice, quickly drawing on one while the other one dried.  I don't know which one I like better.

It was probably a bit ambitious to try to paint a watercolor sketch every day just before Christmas! But I'll try and keep at it. 

This is a sketch of a tiny old boat winch at the Pauatahanui boat houses. A lovely summer's day and everyone was out with their bikes and dogs.

Watercolour 6 and 7/30

Somewhere on the Otago Peninsula, 4 x 6 inches

 

Rocky Kaikoura Beach, looking north.  2 x 2.5 inches

(The paper was a bit bent in the photo!)

Watercolour sketch 5/30

Beach on the Otago Peninsula. 2x2.5 inches.

Watercolour sketch 4/30

Waimate, New Zealand, in the afternoon sun.

Watercolour sketches 2/30 and 3/30

 Waitete Bay (Coromandel, NZ), in the afternoon sun. Postcard size.

Miniature watercolor sketch, beach (not sure which one). 2x2.5 inches

 

Gratuitous photo of a waterfall, somewhere in Northland, NZ.