MERRY CHRISTMAS

Celebrate in your own unique way!

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Nan Henke

Texas Hill Country Art

www.TexasHillCountryArt.etsy.com

I chose the rose and the thistle as having the best potential in a larger painting. 

Step 1: sketch in watercolor pencils because they will melt away when I start applying paint. 

Step 2: apply masque to protect the flowers and greenery while I paint the background. This allows me to do a wet and wild abstract background like you see in the thistle painting. The masque is the shiny stuff. In the rose painting, it is more about preserving details like stems and not accidentally painting into the rose petals.

Nan Henke

Texas Hill Country Art

www.TexasHillCountryArt.etsy.com

ACEO Test versions

I had some painting time Saturday, so I did baseball card sized (That is what ACEO means) versions.  The one of the creek is a little bigger: it is on a postcard.  I do these little paintings first to help me decide whether it will be worth the problem solving process to make a bigger version.  Sometimes I jump straight to a "Quarter Sheet" (my favorite size: 11x15) and other times, I do some more ACEO's or some 5x7's before committing myself.

Nan Henke

Texas Hill Country Art

www.TexasHillCountryArt.etsy.com

Time to start some new paintings, so I don't go stark raving mad over Christmas planning... Here are the 6 contender photos.

Nan Henke

Texas Hill Country Art

www.TexasHillCountryArt.etsy.com

Sisters!

My sister Lauren came to visit me (Yay!) and I always make my family paint when they visit me or when I visit them.  She picked a Colorado picture and I suggested that we both do it in acrylic paint, because it is more forgiving than watercolor.  I am SOOO proud of her result!!  I am patting myself on the back for being a good teacher! You could reach out and touch the snow on those branches... (My painting is the one on top -soon to be available on ebay, if I get my act together)

Nan Henke

Texas Hill Country Art

www.TexasHillCountryArt.etsy.com