Watercolor Escape Artists

Plein air: Las Vegas in June, in the shade, next to a pool. NOTE: The above mini (4"x6") was painted with transparent colors.

Using a photo-manipulation program - in this case, Corel PhotoPaint - it's possible to have even more fun with colors and patterns you've dreamed up...all without touching your paintings. I used to like to make these designs then print them on high- or 100% cotton papers and either cover mini-books or do origami with them. Miss R. Fadler's "Finland Farm" turned into a repeating design (tiled). Miss M. Wolfe's "Free-For-All" Aussie beach, tiled. Miss G. Smith's "Tilting Barns" tiled. Miss K. Breeding's "Tibet Plain w/Yaks" tiled with selective colors altered. Miss K. Breeding's "Tibet Plain w/Yaks" tiled.

Miss S. Noel has another one of the most delicate renderings this time. Nicely done drawing as well. She could go in and add some shadows if she wanted, but I'm enjoying the coolness of this Canadian mountain scene. Miss G. Smith had perhaps the MOST challenging location of them all. I didn't tell her at the time that even I was a bit intimidated by the central falls and all the details in the vertical rock walls that form this chasm. (G: I know you struggled to get the borders 'clean' so I took the liberty of swiping them with my Photoshop 'eraser' for the web-pic.) Doesn't this look like a pastel-painting? I like it very much... Miss C. Lee chose to work on the smoother of our paper's sides. Can you recognize this landmark? It's only one of the most famous buildings in the entire world! What a nice way to wrap up the year. Well done, Missy. Miss R. Fadler has used two concepts to create depth in her painting of two pyramids: increasing the "mi...