Kaine

Care about people; celebrate differences. The Statue of Liberty holds the words that make our people who they are. The Declaration of Independence outlines our dreams. Our founders were imperfect, but laid a vision of liberal democracy and equality. Don't let anyone redefine it away.

I've been wearing old, refurbished, & thrifted Chucks for a loong time. Today I started decorating my first brand new pair in over 10 years! Teenage-me who wore only black may think it's too much color, but I like it.

Ok, it's official, I like the "cut out" BG. It's not perfect, but it feels so much better than wandering aimlessly to the edge of the paper. Also, coral is kinda like flowers, lots of flexibility with light and color. Fish!

The things about innocent until guilty is for courts/legal repercussions. The things about believing women is about friendship/social interactions. We struggle when the two are conflated.

Let's be real, I was pretty sure that this would be hard to watercolor when I picked out the photo, but the fish + fake monster skull still called to me. I hate it. But it was good texture practice and a valid sacrifice of coming back from a break, like the first pancake which is always a bit ...off

I finally got to try my background idea! I think I love it. It gives me the ability to use a color wash behind the main image, not still getting a crisp edge. yay!

I found a lone flower among my sketches and decided to finish it up. One more butterfly to go, then it's on to creatures!

I didn't love this one, I think I picked it out before I got better at choosing subjects suited to watercolor, but a good masking exercise.

I ran off and did other things for a while, but I didn't quit!

🎂🎈🎁🎉

These are the same people who proudly proclaim that they don't engage with the news... You know like that makes them morally superior or something?

I am starting to think that my attempts at creating background are just resulting in unhappiness. For this and the ladybug, I used masking fluid, and I still don't like the BG (I like the one on the ladybug only slightly better than this one). I have one more idea for a future attempt. Stay tuned.

I love fuzzy bumblebees.

New theme! Also I am working my way away from reproduction. I have definitely realized that trying to make watercolors means adapting shapes and lights for the medium.

Bumble.

I enjoyed this one. I have tried to paint cherry blossoms before and the delicate translucent petals are *hard*. I have a long way to go, but this is a big improvement over my last attempt.

Roses!

We need all the documentation we can get. Some will need a preponderance of evidence to believe it's real. Some evidence will be lost to time, and the only way the future will know this really happened will be to make sure there's enough out there so that some makes it through.

I observed this very thing the other day. A much younger colleague was lamenting 'why can't we just have peaceful protests like the 60s' (paraphrase), and my jaw just hit the floor. She got a lesson in firehoses, dogs, rubber bullets, and lynchings...

I had a good day, did some work on my journal, swam with the kiddo, felt more confident going into this paint.

I like pale flowers on dark BG, but I think I needed to do this one with masking fluid... I tried to use the opportunity to play with gouache and ink. Learning experience 🤷‍♀️?

Pushed this one over two days to let the layers really dry. I'm quite pleased.

Pretty sure Mexico is not going to surrender them any time soon.

Ugh, not only am I frustrated by bureaucratic obstacles today, I'm unhappy with the art, and Bluesky will not display my photo correctly. I give up!

Anyway, reminders to not get attached to a certain way of doing or a certain outcome. Let go of as much as you safely can. Enjoy the rest as it comes.

As much as I love the look of the crenellations, they are a wild pain. Still, I feel good about the layers. Keep practicing!

I was drawn to this rose because of the rather extreme color gradient from deep pink to off white. It was touch and go for a while, I'm still struggling with patience, let it dry between layers! Overall happy with the progress.

Oh, correction, 1/5 attempts...

Oooh water drops were a swing and a miss! This is the only one of 4 attempts I don't want to burn ❤️‍🔥. Gonna have to circle back to this after I get some masking fluid and gouache💧🎨😭

I'm getting used to the idea that unless one is going full photo-realism, that what looks good in the photo doesn't look good in paint and it's ok to change and adjust.

Learning to love the "happy accidents". Struggling a bit with hiding the pencil (eraser isn't getting all of it) which changes color needs. Less copy and more "inspired by". I don't hate it.

Skipped yesterday because I went to visit with friends, so here's flower #3