Zeh Original Art Watercolor and Oil Paintings

A Happy Place - painting the figures - commissioned oil painting demonstration

2012-02-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

The Happy Place is now a beautiful landscape with flowers blooming, a rainbow arching in the distance, butterflies flitting about and sheep baaing in a distant field. All that is missing are children and animals to frolic and play.

So let's call them into the scene starting with the two boys and then their pets.

First, I mix some flesh colors using burnt sienna, yellow, red, blue and white in various values of light, medium and dark. Then I paint these colors in the skin areas keeping the right side darker because it's the shadow side.

I paint the clothing before working on the facial details. This will help me get the colors and values right.

Finally, I add details using the photos that I'd been given as a guide. This is not a quick process. It takes time and lots of patience to get the boys to look the way I want them because I do not have photos of them in a running position or with their heads turned as they are here:

The younger boy had expressive eyes and my goal is to capture that.

The older boy did not ever have a chance to run and play since he died before birth, but his twin brother who is now age 11 survived. I use photos of the twin as reference for his features. I want to keep the face and hair soft and somewhat angelic looking.

When the boys are painted, I add a gray cat, one of the family pets:

And then a golden retriever:

Since I paint pet portraits much more often than people, the animals take less time to paint.

Next is a chocolate Labrador retriever:

Now the Happy Place has come alive with the joy of children and animals!

For a final touch, a pair of bluebirds flit about in the pear tree. They are not noticeable, unless you look closely at the painting but they are there: bluebirds of happiness.

Since the sides and top edges of the canvas are painted, we cannot forget the bottom. I turn the painting upside down to paint the bottom edge:

While the painting is upside down, I check everything out. Because I am not seeing things as they normally are when a painting is turned upside down, anything that is not drawn or painted accurately tends to jump out at me. If I can see it, I can fix it.

In this case, there were a couple of small things that I noticed like places where the paint was not covering the canvas enough, so I touched them up.

Here is the completed oil painting: you can click it to see it larger

I found it a very moving experience to create this painting since I raised boys myself. I hope that the piece will be meaningful for the family of these two beautiful children.

Here are the other two parts of this three part demo:

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I'm happy to take custom orders.Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.
To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

A Happy Place - painting the foreground - commissioned oil painting demonstration

2012-01-23T19:48:00.001-05:00

"A Happy Place" continues with painting the foreground. Now that the sky and far distant background of the painting are done, it's time to get some colors close up. Since this part is "closest" to the viewer, the colors will be warmer and brighter than the background colors.

I start by painting the grassy areas, leaving large areas white for where I'll paint flowers.

Like a colorful flower bed in the lower right corner...

And blue hydrangeas in the lower left corner...

...remembering to continue the painting onto the sides of the canvas:

Now I can see that the pear tree needs some lighter leaves. It was looking a bit too dark.

So with a small brush, I highlight some of the leaves.

While we're highlighting, I add some to the trees on the far side of the lake.

It has turned out to be a lake after all. In the beginning sketch it was a pond with pond-y type things in it.

But by now, it's clear that the the pond wants to be a lake with the sky and the shoreline reflecting on it. Anything more will be too busy.

Fine. A lake it is.

Let's add a few more details. How about a hummingbird?

And a butterfly...

And more butterflies, because they are just so happy and sunny looking...

And little white flowers that bloom in the grass...

Here is how everything looks altogether so far. What do you think? You can click the images to see them bigger.

Next time, I'll be painting the animals and children. I hope you stop by to watch!

A Happy Place - commissioned oil painting

2012-01-21T01:23:00.000-05:00

Back in November, I received a request for a very special oil painting. Very special.

Normally, paintings don't take me all that long to do. I can usually finish a custom painting in a few weeks. But this one had me thinking a lot. And when the request came in, it was crazy, busy holiday rush time. Since the client did not need it done for Christmas, I let it percolate for a while in the back of my mind until I could give it my full attention.

The reason this painting had me thinking so much was the subject: two boys, brothers who are no longer trailing their sparks of light upon this earth - one who was aged 7, the other who would have been 11 had he lived.

The request was to paint them running hand-in-hand in a colorful, happy, wonderful place, with mountains and water and animals and birds and a rainbow...and the pets that their family had loved.

A lot to think about.

So I thought. Then I did a preliminary drawing of the boys and the pets to get a starting point, and transferred the drawing to canvas.

Next, I did what I almost always do: start the painting with the sky:

It's a colorful sky with clouds that are touched with peachy colors against a deep blue.

Because this oil is being painted on a deep-edged canvas, the painting is carried around onto the edges:

This means for the top edge, I have to do some climbing to reach it - a chair is just the right height.

When the sky is roughly finished, the background land areas are ready to be painted.

My plan is to have the boys running next to a pond or lake. The trees on the far side of the lake are what I paint next.

Creating a feeling of depth on a flat canvas requires the use of aerial perspective. This means that objects that are farther away are painted duller and bluer than close-up objects. So I paint the trees a muted green.

But we don't really want dull! What is needed is flowers and color and joyfulness even far away.

I add some flowering shrubs for color and then bring their reflection into the water. Even so, the colors are more muted than they will be up close.
The water also reflects the sky and clouds.

In the right hand field, I decide to paint some sheep grazing. I also add blue mountains in the distance since that was one of the requests. It seems just right:

When the water is painted in and the background somewhat complete, I can start with stronger, brighter and warmer color in the foreground.

I experiment with the tree on the right - what will it be? At this point, I'm not sure.

Ah! A pear tree.

I like the idea of a pear tree because in ancient Chinese folk lore, pear trees signified immortality or eternal life.

As you might have noticed, even though I had ideas for the painting, as things progress, some of those ideas change slightly.

This is what makes the creative process exciting - when the painting starts speaking its own mind and the artist listens.

I try to listen.

By this time, days have gone by - not sure how many. As I said, this is one of those thinking paintings. And the sky is now dry or fairly dry. So I can paint a translucent rainbow across the clouds.

You can click any of the images to see them larger. Next time, I'll be painting the foreground. Click here to see the next part of the oil painting demonstration.
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Hawaii Tropical Sunset Watercolor demonstration

2011-12-06T16:00:00.001-05:00

Hawaii has been on my mind recently. Most likely because it is gray and drab here when the sun is not out to brighten up the leafless landscape. Even on clear days, the sun is a lazy thing, not bothering to get up until 7AM and going to bed early at 4:30 PM.

And no snow! Snow makes winter beautiful in the North. But we have only been graced with it once this fall. It wreaked havoc that time because it was too early. The oak trees had not lost their leaves and the heavy snow weighed the branches down so much they broke, falling in a haphazard fashion all over the power lines. We were without power for 10 days. Kind of nice, actually, to live in a more rustic kind of way. But it's nicer to have it back.

So Hawaii has been in my thoughts. And how lucky that a web surfing lover of sunsets and soft sea colors found my site and wanted a beautiful Hawaii sunset painting for herself. "It doesn't even have to be a seascape," she explained. "I just love the colors in your Sunset Beach paintings. And the big bright sun."

Ahh... music to an artist's ears. I can paint whatever I want so long as there is a big bright sun and beautiful colors.

I want to paint a seascape based upon an earlier Hawaii sunset watercolor I did, because where else do you find colors like that? And Hawaii's been on my mind.

I begin with the sky colors painting them wet-into-wet and immediately, it's good. The clouds have softened right into the blue of the sky in wispy, cloud-like strands of pale mauve.

Watercolors are so rewarding when they behave like that.

Encouraged by this early success, I add some darker wispy clouds also wet-into-wet and they behave nicely as well.

The sunset needs more color, so I wash in more reds and yellows along the horizon. That's good for now, although it will probably need more color later. But things need to dry first.

Let's see, what next? I'm having so much fun with the sunset, I skip right over the water and paint the sunset reflection in the ocean that washes up on the sand:

So instead of the painting developing top to bottom as I usually do with seascapes, we now have a sandwich type effect:

Which means I have to do something with that big white space in the middle.

How about this:

Not bad.

But the ocean is too pale, especially on the left side. Hmmm... I'll let it sit and dry for now and distract myself with numerous other things like planning what color to paint the studio walls since they need an overhaul. And whether I'll paint the walls in a stucco-like effect or a mottled effect. Or a plain effect. And what about the ceiling? That needs to be painted first.

By the time I've distracted myself to the point that the painting is completely dry, I return to it with fresh eyes to see what comes next.

The ocean waves are calling to me, "Paint us! We need blue. We need turquoise. We need pale pink reflections. We need waves.

So I oblige. They don't know it, but they even need a bit of yellow-green, but just a tiny bit. Funny how that little bit of warm color in a sea of cool colors can make all the difference.

Back to the sky which, no surprise, tells me it now needs more work. I add more color to the sunset until it looks right with the rest of the painting.

Just to balance things out, I add some purple clouds to the right over the sun. Everyone happy now?

It can be easy to over work a painting, and heaven forbid I do that, so I step back and make sure it is all OK.

Big sun: check.
Beautiful sunset colors: check.
I'm happy with it: check

So off in the mail it will go! Sigh. It was nice to be in Hawaii in December. Wouldn't you like to be there?

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.
To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

My Open Studio 2011

2011-11-27T23:38:00.001-05:00

The past two days were a fabulous weekend. I had invited an exclusive group of my local collectors to an Open Studio event and many came. We had a great time and they all went home with new pieces of art under their arms!

Here are some pics of my set up before the crowds arrived:

There are small paintings on the table and my larger framed paintings on the display racks. Those racks are used for outdoor shows as well, but when not used at a show, they stay up in my studio - that's how I store the framed paintings. I like it much better than keeping them stashed away somewhere in a dark closet - they need room to breathe! And that way I don't forget what I have.

One of the first to show up for the Open Studio was Susan, a good friend and collector of many years. She brought her friend Christine and Christine was instantly attracted to this painting of Newport, Rhode Island...

So she took it home. She and her husband spent their honeymoon in Newport - perfect! I did not have it labeled Newport, but somehow she knew where it was.

When Norb and Julie stopped by, they fell in love with this oil painting. They were floating on air as they brought it out to the car.

This painting did not sell online even though it was featured in my newsletters and on my website. I think that's because it's a local scene and only local people can relate.

Sometimes a painting has to wait for the right people to find it. But when they do, it's just the best thing!

This is another local scene. I don't know how people do it, but even when I do not list where the painting was done, they can tell. At least my local people do.

When Paula caught sight of this one, she asked me if it was Hall's Pond. Indeed it was. How did she know? I have no idea, but she connected to it immediately and now Ice Fishing also has a brand new home - at Paula's!

These cute little juncos went home with one of my painting students.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention: It was not just an Open Studio, it was an EVENT! Meaning, there was more fun to be had than just looking at artwork, although that's fun enough in itself.

Prizes! Everyone who came got to pick a piece of folded paper. Then they could read what they had won. Some won a wrapped present from THE BASKET:

Others won 10% off their purchase. There was a prize for a 5x7 pet portrait in there somewhere, but no one ever picked it. Perhaps next year. We enjoyed hot mulled cider and apple spice cake, pumpkin bread, cranberry bread and big purple grapes. At least those of us who were not watching our calories. I can't show a picture because I forgot and now it's all gone...

More and more paintings went home with happy collectors.
Lilacs...

And koi fish...

And a mushroom...

And an oak tree with an owl in the branches. Although that one has to be framed, so it did not go to its new home quite yet.

And lots and lots and LOTS of boxed note card sets. Did I say lots?

And matted prints...

And more prints and more paintings. I've lost track.

Everyone wanted to meet Ferdinand and Nina!

The best part was seeing friendly smiling faces coming in the door, some of whom I have not seen in a year or two...or three. Taking time to chat and catch up. I wish my online collectors could have been there. Open Studios are fun!

Hummingbird and Hibiscus Blossoms - an almost custom painting

2011-11-10T22:12:00.001-05:00

OK, so why is this an ALMOST custom painting? The subject is one that a customer ordered at a specific size. No problem, she wanted an 11 x 14 inch painting of a ruby-throated hummingbird visiting some hibiscus flowers. I am happy with how it turned out. So what happened?

The problem started when we lost power here about 12 days ago due to a freak snowstorm in late October. Snowstorms don't normally cause long power outages in New England, but this one was heavy and deep and most of the oak trees had not yet lost their leaves. So the trees broke from the weight of the snow on their leaves. Those big old oaks fell helter skelter all over the power lines all over the state. A huge mess. We were without power for 10 days.

During this time, I worked on some custom paintings and this was one of them. With no way to access my emails for a while, I did not get the message that the painting was 14 inches tall by 11 inches wide. So I painted it 11 inches tall by 14 inches wide. Won't work.

At any rate, I'm now re-doing the painting again at the correct orientation, but meanwhile, here are some pics of my efforts on this one:

I only took 2 pictures while working on it. This first one shows the pencil drawing. I did not work out the composition on a separate paper for this but just drew right on the watercolor paper.

I felt very confident of what I wanted to do so there was not the problem of erasures messing up the paper surface.

You can click the images to see them larger.

I wet the background and washed in some pale colors. What is interesting is the speckled aspect of the background. Could it be because I'd soaked the paper in water from our brook (since well water was scarce during the outage)? At any rate, I like the effect!

Next, I started on the hibiscus flowers. I love painting white flowers - there are so many colors that can be used in the shadows. If you look closely, you'll see blues, reds, yellows, violets, turquoise.

The deep magenta centers of these flowers really make them pop! Last I painted the leaves and the hummingbird.

Update: the painting is now sold! Please contact me if you'd like a print or custom painting done.

Chrysanthemums, Pumpkins and Birds - Watercolor Painting Demonstration

2011-10-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

Pumpkins, Birds and Mums
Recently, my watercolor students have been painting Autumn scenes. This means pumpkins and chrysanthemums are included.

They particularly wanted to know how to paint mums which can seem difficult at first because they are a mound of color broken up into individual flowers. You may be wondering the same thing.

So, let's take a look at how I painted the mums in this scene.

When I paint a pot of mums, I begin with a wash of a single color like autumn pink, rusty red, orange or yellow. I won't use orange mums in this piece because there are already so many pumpkins and more orange would be overwhelming.

To the left, you see a dried wash of pink where some mums will be. I find it helpful to draw in some circles to define the individual flowers. Note that the circles are narrowed to ellipses at the top of the mound.

Then I also add some circles to the yellow mound:

Now the mums are ready for more detail.

So I wet the pink mound with water and drop in deeper color on the shadow side. This rounds out the form. If I determine where the light is coming from before painting, I will always know which side is in shadow to keep things consistent.

And I'll add shadows to the yellow flowers too.

When the shadowing is dry, I add some green leaves. The flowers are not totally a solid mass, so the green will peep through here and there defining the edges of the flowers.

I make sure to show rough petals on the edges since the flower edges will not be smooth. You can click the images to see this larger.

After that, I paint a bit of detail into the flowers.

Now, I'll just repeat these steps with the remaining mums.

Here is a white one with yellow centers. Notice the bluish shadows on the right.

Here is a pale pink one with deeper centers.

I don't get very detailed with the flowers and leaves, I just want to give the impression of flowers in this painting. The softness of the flowers is a nice contrast to the hard smooth edges of the pumpkins.

I decided to add some birds. The light is slanted and the colors warm in this piece giving the impression of early evening. So the birds have arrived after everyone has gone home to their suppers.

First I paint a blue jay in the foreground. I love the blue colors!

Next, I paint a little wren standing on the hay bales.

And then another little wren on the stone wall.

Once the birds and the background colors are done, the painting is complete!

Pumpkins, Birds and Mums original watercolor painting is for sale in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com in the Autumn Collection. Hope you enjoyed the demo and thank you for stopping by.
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I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.
To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Dahlias, Red, Yellow and White Flower Watercolor Painting

2011-10-14T20:26:00.001-04:00

Every couple of weeks, three students arrive at my studio for painting lessons. They are great fun to have here and sometimes they come bearing gifts, like vegetables and fruit from their gardens.
One of them has gorgeous flower gardens. The last time they came for class, she trotted up to my door with a beautiful bouquet of red and yellow Dahlia flowers with a white one hiding in the bunch.

I could not wait to paint them, they were so beautiful!

But my students were more interested in painting pumpkins than Dahlia flowers which they thought were a bit complicated, so as soon as they left, I got out an 8x10 sheet of watercolor paper, set the vase of flowers next to my easel and got to work.

So involved was I with painting, that I only stopped once to take a picture of my progress:

After some contemplation, I decided to leave the background white. I think it just looks right, what do you think?

The original watercolor of Dahlias is for sale in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a lovely day!

To receive posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Cornstalks, Chrysanthemums and Indian Corn Autumn Watercolor Painting Demonstration

2011-10-10T21:00:00.000-04:00

Cornstalks and Chrysanthemums original watercolor painting 5"x7"

It's such a joy to visit a farm stand in the fall - so many treasures to delight the eye and to bring home: crisp apples, pumpkins, colorful mums and dried cornstalks for your porch or lamp post.

This scene is from a local farm stand. I had a great time painting it because of all the great colors in the flowers, the Indian corn and especially the cornstalk leaves. I'll show you how I did that below:

There are so many ways to paint the same thing. When it comes to painting subjects that are normally dull such as a gray rock, for instance, or tan cornstalks, one can look for a paint color that matches the gray or tan, but I much prefer to get colorful! There is so much more life to a watercolor when primary colors are allowed to mix on the paper rather than coming out of a tube.

So I wet the area of the cornstalks and drop reds, blues and yellows onto the wet paper. This looks a bit too colorful at this stage, but that's good! It makes a great base for the cornstalks.

Next, I add the base colors for some of the other objects. Here you see two of the mums, the pumpkin and the wooden box that one of the mums is perched on.

These are also painted wet-into-wet with lots of luscious color from my primary palette of reds, yellows and blues. Notice that no details are added yet.

Here I've added some details to the objects. I could have painted the entire piece with base colors before adding details, but wanted to see how these would look first.

I also painted some shadow areas on the corn.

Now I've added the rest of the mums and other details leaving the Indian corn and cornstalks for last.

Do you notice that, now there are more colors in the painting, the cornstalks no longer look too colorful?

You can click any of the images to see them larger.

The Indian corn was fun to paint. I added vertical lines and then just went up and down the rows to add small horizontal lines for the kernels of corn.

Then I painted in random colors of orange-red, yellow and violet for the kernels leaving some of them white. The far right corn is all deep red.

The most detail work was in the cornstalks.

But since my base colors were already there, it made it easier. I just needed to strengthen the colors as needed and add some deep shadows and lines to indicate the dried leaves.

Aren't they much more interesting when painted this way than if I'd used a flat color?

And here is the finished painting!
Cornstalks and Chrysanthemums is sold, but you can find more of my autumn paintings in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed the demo. Have a lovely day!

To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under Follow by Email in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Autumn Barn Painting Chrysanthemums at the Farm Stand

2011-10-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

This pretty scene is from a farm stand in a nearby town. I was driving by one sparkling autumn day and the banks of colorful mums caught my eye. So I stopped and, while the crowds of people were shopping for pumpkins and flowers, I took pictures!

These mums were on a large cart with a red barn in the distance. Let's take a look below at how I painted this scene.

When working with a photograph, I select the parts that are the most interesting to make a composition. It is unnecessary and usually undesirable to paint everything in the photo.

I was not interesting in showing the sign and the wheels on the cart. So I left those elements out of my composition in order to have the focus on the flowers and the barn in the distance.

My composition is drawn on the watercolor paper. Next I paint the sky wet-into-wet and also paint a pale blue wash over everything in the distance.
The blue wash cools the area. Cool colors recede, making the distant areas appear farther away.

Then I paint in the colorful autumn trees and the barn in the distance.

The distant trees and the field are painted wet-into-wet, meaning the paper is wet with water and colors are added allowing them to blend.

The foreground pots of flowers are painted next.

Details such as the cart bed and additional values in the flowers are added last.

And here is the finished piece. Though you may not notice that the background is more blue from the initial blue wash, it serves the purpose of allowing the colors in the foreground to pop forward giving the painting depth.

I hope you enjoyed this little demonstration. "Chrysanthemums at the Farm Stand" is sold, but you can check my Etsy shop for more Autumn paintings. Have a lovely day!

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.
To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Autumn Glory Original Watercolor Landscape Painting

2011-10-05T13:34:00.000-04:00

October arrives and with the cool weather, you feel the urge to go North as the birds are flying South. Fall beckons you to places far from the maddening swirl of everyday life where the only sound is a brook running along a stony bed, the only sight a wild landscape alive with the glorious hues of Autumn.

This original watercolor painting is sold, but you can check my Etsy shop for more autumn art.

I'll show you how I painted this scene. It took me three tries to get this painting just the way I want it - fresh, spontaneous and impressionistic. One never stops learning as an artist!

To begin this piece, I start off with the sky, then a wash of gray over the entire opposite shoreline. This will gray down the area that is farther away giving it some perspective.

I will paint much of this piece with a wet-into-wet technique. You can click the images to see them larger.

OK, so now I just add some autumn color straight into the wet gray!

Can you see how the colors are a bit muted? The gray mixes with them on the paper to achieve that effect. This saves time trying to get the exact right colors mixed. In fact most of my colors will mix directly on the paper.

Using another wet-into-wet technique that I like, I paint the background conifers.

For this, I paint the trees one at a time with clear water, then drop in yellow and blue. Everything mixes and look lovely.

Later I can add some darker values where needed.

So now that is done, I repeat the gray process on the slope leading to the stream: gray first, then colors dropped into it.

Wet-into-wet.

Now I added some rocks in the stream and am going back to add more value, shadows and a bit of detail to the trees. Not much because I don't want this painting to be detailed.

Now for the stream. As you can guess, wet-into-wet! First blue-ish gray then drop in colors to denote reflections. It helps to make sure the reflections are directly under what is being reflected, but detail is not necessary here.

Here is the painting so far. At this point, I can tell that, unlike its two predecessors, this one will be successful! All that is left to do are the colorful trees and slope on the right.

So I paint in reds and yellows and add more values and bits of detail here and there.

And voila! Here is the painting completed. Hope you enjoyed the demonstration!

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.
To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Painting a butterfly and Black-eyed Susan Flowers

2011-10-04T20:10:00.001-04:00

Today let's paint the Black-eyed Susans that are incredibly still blooming in a garden down the road from me even at this late date.

Though I have not seen butterflies recently as it's early October, I'm going to add a pretty one that I saw in my yard a few weeks ago.

Normally I begin a painting with the background, but this time, I just want to dive in and do those pretty flowers.
Using a wet-into-wet technique and red, yellow and blue, all the colors I need can be mixed right on the paper. Click the image to see it closer.

Next, I add the leaves. Some are in shadow and some in the sunlight.

Those that are facing the sky in the sunlight get a wash of pale blueish green since they reflect the blue sky. The leaf colors are mixed from yellow and blue. I used Winsor Blue, French Ultramarine and Cadmium Yellow.

I like the effect of dappled sunlight on flowers so I brushed in some shadows on the petals.

Yellow has to be the most difficult of all the colors to paint in shadow. It has a very short value range so it's not possible to get it very dark.
Sometimes the yellow is more greenish in shadow and sometimes more orange. The trick is to look very carefully to see which it is.

These flowers have both green-yellow and orange-yellow in the shadows, so I add blue and red to my yellow depending on how it appears to me.

For the butterfly, I painted it almost entirely blue first, then when dry, added the darks and details. Now the painting is complete. I hope you enjoyed this short demo.
Butterfly and Black-eyed Susans is sold, but you can check my Etsy shop for more flower and butterfly paintings.

To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Carolina Wren in a Birch Tree Watercolor Painting Demonstration

2011-09-19T13:46:00.003-04:00

One of my collectors loves wrens. I don't blame her, they are sweet little birds and one of my favorites too. She has commissioned paintings of wrens for each of the four seasons. This one is the final one of that collection - she likes birches and asked for a wren in a birch tree.

Let's see how I did this 8x10 inch watercolor painting:

I start with a drawing on sketch paper and then transfer the drawing to watercolor paper when I'm happy with the composition. This allows me to make revisions and change my mind about placement without disturbing the surface of the watercolor paper with erasures. A fresh surface means sharper, cleaner edges.
With this scene, I changed the position of the bird three times before I was satisfied.

Next, I added blue washes to the background to denote the sky.

Later, I may darken the upper sky areas with more washes of blue, but for now, it's enough of a background to judge the other colors against.

The branches and leaves are done next. The client mentioned how much she likes the sawtoothed leaves of birch trees and the catkins that hang down, so I make sure to include them.

Next I paint the wren.

Since this is fairly close up, I can add in plenty of detail to the bird.

You can click any of the images to see them larger.

Here I'm adding background trees to the bottom of the painting.

I use more blue, muted colors to make the background recede and the foreground leaves come forward. Blue is a cooler color than green. Cool colors recede and warmer colors advance. This is called "Aerial Perspective" which has to do with atmospheric properties.

Next, I work on the birch trunks. I've determined that the light is coming from the right, so I paint shadows on the left, let that dry, then paint in the details of the birch bark.

After making a few more adjustments, the painting is finished. Way up high in a white birch tree, a little Carolina Wren enjoys a beautiful summery day.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the demo. Below is the collection of four seasons of wrens. What a great idea my collector had, don't you think? You can see my bird paintings in my Etsy shop, Zehland.Etsy.com.

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

To receive my posts by email, fill in your email address under FOLLOW BY EMAIL above in the right hand column and click Submit. You'll receive my posts in your email inbox at the end of each day that a post is made.

Fall Maple and Oak Leaves Watercolor Paintings

2011-09-13T11:31:00.001-04:00

More Autumn leaves! I painted these two small watercolor paintings of oak leaves and maple leaves using the same color palette for both: russet, golden green and orange.
They make a nice pair, don't you think? A great way to decorate for fall. Each painting is 5"x3.5". They'll fit a standard frame with a 3.5 x 5 inch mat opening.

Currently for sale separately in my Etsy shop: Fall Maple and Oak Leaves

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Perkins Cove Maine in Autumn Original Watercolor Painting

2011-09-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

The beautiful and rugged coast of Maine at Perkins Cove is the inspiration for this painting.
I've painted this scene several times but this is the first time in the Fall season. I began it as a demonstration of crashing surf for my watercolor students, then added autumn foliage as it is part of my Autumn Collection.

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Water Lily Paintings in Watercolor - Tropicals #33 & 34

2011-09-06T18:30:00.000-04:00

Here are a few more paintings from the water lily pond at the Dole Plantation's botanical gardens in Hawaii. I like the painting above for the suggestion of colorful koi fish swimming just below the surface of the water and the little ripples made when they come up for food.

Below, is another view of the pond, this time with emphasis on the reflections and quiet ripples around the flowers and buds.

Hawaii Water Lilies #34 and Pink Water Lilies #33 go very nicely together and can be found for sale in my Etsy shop. They are #33 and #34 in my Tropicals Collection.

I'm happy to take custom orders.Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Japanese Maple Leaves Autumn Watercolor Painting

2011-09-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

To continue my Autumn Collection, here is a painting using Japanese Maple leaves as templates. They have such a pretty design as they are, and their deep burgundy color is lovely. In this piece, I saved most of the color for the background allowing the leaves to show lighter against the deeper colors of autumn.
Below is a video so you can see how I painted this.

Painting leaves using real leaves as templates is fun and easy. I've had some requests for a video on how to do this, so here you go!

If you try this, let me know how it turns out for you!

Japanese Maple Leaves Autumn painting is for sale in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com

Paper Birches in Autumn watercolor paintings

2011-09-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

More birches! These two are very nice together and, in fact, I painted them at the same time with the same palette of primary colors - one that works especially well with autumn paintings: cadmium red, french ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow.

The scene to the left is inspired by a view that I like in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There is a mountain road that twists and winds through the mountain range from East to West called the Kancamagus Highway.

Along this road on the eastern portion is a stony river. You might see it behind the trees along with a peek at a mountain top in the distance.

White paper birches line the roadside in many places like in this painting which is 7"x5" painted on handmade watercolor paper.

Paper birch trees, with their bright white bark that glows in the sunlight are a favorite of mine. I enjoy painting these lovely trees especially in autumn when the maples and oaks lend color to the background.

To the right is a grouping of four birch trees also 7"x5" and painted on handmade watercolor paper.

Both of these Birch Tree Paintings are part of my Autumn Collection and are currently for sale in my Etsy shop.

White Water Lily at Taylor Pond watercolor painting

2011-09-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

Just HAD to paint this scene of a water lily from Taylor Pond at the local nature preserve. The lilies bloom so prettily there, and when I caught sight of this beauty, it took my breath away...the blueness of the pond reflecting a clear late summer sky, the little beadlets of water on the edge of the lily pads, the pure whiteness of the flower, the little ripples and reflections on the surface. These kind of things excite my paint brush!

White Water Lily, a 5"x7" original watercolor is for sale right now in my Etsy shop.

I'm happy to take custom orders!Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Long Haired Calico Cat pet portrait

2011-08-31T22:10:00.000-04:00

This is Cassie, the adored pet of a friend of mine. I'd long meant to paint her picture, but just finished this 5x7 watercolor today. She is such a pretty kitty and a very sweet one too!

After Hurricane Irene blew through here, there was not much else to do but paint for three days as there was no power. Many roads were closed as well and some that were open were really not very safe with trees hanging on the wires right over the road. So it was a great time to stay in the studio and catch up on pieces I'd been meaning to do. This is one of them. I hope Cassie likes her portrait!

I can paint a custom pet portrait of your dog or cat. See more samples of my work at ZehPetPortraits.com

Autumn Harbor Seascape Plockton Scotland Watercolor Painting

2011-08-25T21:37:00.004-04:00

A quaint harbor in remote Plockton, Scotland was the inspiration for this painting. The harbor is on Loch Carron, which is an inlet from the sea in the rugged northern part of Scotland.

I painted this piece to demonstrate to my watercolor students how reflections are made when broken up by movement in the water. The yellows, russets and greens of early Autumn in the trees along the shore make colorful reflections, don't they?

The original painting, "Autumn Harbor" has been sold. Check out my Autumn Collection in my eBay store to see other fall paintings currently available. Thanks for stopping by.

Apple Tree Original Watercolor Painting

2011-08-24T21:28:00.000-04:00

The apples are red and ripe in this 8"x10" watercolor of an apple tree in a field. It's that time of year again to go apple picking. Just think of coming home with bushels of delicious, crisp, juicy fruit to make apple pie, applesauce, apple cake...and eat apples just as they are straight from the tree!
In any case, that must be what has inspired me to paint this piece.Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have some yummy apples to pick where you are.

The original painting is sold, but you can contact me if you would like to order a print.

Paper Birch Trees in the Mountains - original watercolor painting

2011-08-23T21:03:00.000-04:00

Paper birch trees are stunning in a natural setting, especially when there is some fall color as in this scene. In this painting, the white bark of the tree trunks is enlivened by some bright maple leaves from a young sapling growing near them.

This piece was inspired by a group of trees along a mountain path. The trees against the bright autumn leaves caught my eye while I was climbing Mt. Chocorua in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

This painting has been sold. Check my Autumn collection on eBay or on Etsy for others available for sale.
I also have some autumn landscape paintings in the landscape section of my website: Landscape paintings.
Looking for something special? Click here to contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Paper Birch Trees Watercolor Painting

2011-08-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

I think I'm on a roll with painting birch trees. These are some that are just down the road from my place. This view is looking up a bit into the trees. The scene is set in early fall with the leaf colors just beginning to turn.

Check my Autumn collection on eBay to see if this painting is available for sale. Thanks for checking out my newest painting and have a lovely day!

Path with Birches Original Watercolor Painting

2011-08-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

Ooh! I could feel it in the air today... a cool, crisp, blue-sky, breezy kind of day...a few leaves fluttering down. Yes, autumn is in the air even though it's not yet here.

So I painted an autumn scene that was inspired by a path around a lake in New Hampshire, one of my favorite places to be at this time of year. Paper birches are abundant in that area and so pretty with autumn foliage.

The original painting has been sold, but you can contact me to have a print made or you can find more of my autumn paintings in my Autumn collection.

Sunflower and Honey Bee Painting Original Watercolor

2011-08-18T23:01:00.000-04:00

It's sunflower time of year again and gardens are bright with the happy colors of these flowers. I painted this sunflower with a visiting honey bee against a soft blue sky.

You can see the painting in progress to the left. Since watercolors are transparent, paler colors are painted first and dark colors last. You can click the image above to see it larger.

The 7"x5" original watercolor of Sunflower and Honey Bee is available for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Hibiscus Flower Watercolor Painting

2011-08-13T18:39:00.005-04:00

A little female Ruby-throated hummingbird visits one of the blossoms on my Rose of Sharon hibiscus bush. Every day in August I see them buzzing about and enjoy watching them from my front porch. So of course, I had to paint one! I've done many paintings of hummingbirds usually the male with its bright red throat, but the female is pretty too and I thought I'd give her some equal time.

The original painting has been sold, but you cancontact me if you'd like a print or a painting made just for you.

Brazilian Red Crested Cardinal Tropicals # 32

2011-08-08T21:58:00.006-04:00

Much as I love the Northern Cardinal with its bright red coat of feathers, I could not help but be impressed by its tropical cousin. I had not known about Brazilian Cardinals, or Red Crested Cardinals, before going to Hawaii, much less seen one. But these birds, brought to Hawaii from South America in the 1930s, are now common on the island of Oahu.

This piece is # 32 in my Tropicals Collection. The original painting is sold, but if you'd like a print, please contact me

Hawaii Seascapes
Tropical Flowers
Tropical Birds

Water Lily Pond at the Dole Planation Tropical #31 Watercolor Painting

2011-08-03T23:01:00.004-04:00

If you have ever visited the Dole Pineapple Plantation on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, you know that there is a fun train ride through the pineapple fields. You also know that pineapples do NOT grow on trees - a revelation for me. Below is how they grow (those little rose-colored things are baby pineapples ). Click the image to see it larger.

Yes, they really do grow on the ground!

After taking the train ride and getting some incredibly luscious treats at the gift shop, we took some time for a self-guided tour through the Dole botanical gardens. They are quite beautiful! The painting of waterlilies I did to the right is from those gardens.
Can you see orange koi fish swimming just below the rippled surface of the pond?
This painting is # 31 in my Tropicals Collection. It is listed for sale in my Etsy shop here: Water Lily Painting.

Of course, places like this always have a mural or two with a hole for tourists to peek out for a picture. How could I resist?I'm sure I'll be posting more paintings from the Dole Plantation in the future. Like I said, the gardens are gorgeous, so there is lots to paint!

Hawaii Seascapes
Tropical Flowers
Tropical Birds

I'm happy to take custom orders! Contact me to order a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Paper Birch Trees in Autumn Watercolor Paintings

2011-08-02T16:46:00.002-04:00

My watercolor students have been painting trees all summer. Most recently, we practiced birch trees. What I like about my students is that they will watch me demonstrate and then paint in their own unique styles with no two paintings coming out alike. I give them helpful tips and advice while painting and we have lots of fun.
After class is over, I will often work more on my demo paintings until I feel they are truly finished.

Below are two that I started during our last class and finished later. I like to paint birches against the bright colors of autumn.

These paintings have been sold. Please contact me if you would like a print made or an original painted just for you.

My First TV Interview on Artists and Authors

2011-08-02T15:05:00.006-04:00

Back in March, I was interviewed on CTV 14 Artists and Authors program, my first TV interview! Because it took me a while to get the DVD they gave me converted so the copyrighted music could be edited out, I've only recently got it up on YouTube with the help of friends. So now I can share it with you.

Here it is in three parts so you can watch the part that most interests you. Let me know what you think.

Part One covers how and when I began my professional career as an artist and that special spark that inspires my work.
Part Two shows samples of my paintings and portraits while I talk about my process and what is important to me while creating these artworks.
In Part Three, we discuss my newest project, The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina children's illustrations and stories and discuss plans for the future.

A big thank you to Charlene Anderson of Purveyor of All Things Creative for persuading her video-savvy husband to do the editing! Both of them were great.

Carolina Wren Nesting Watercolor Painting Demonstration

2011-07-31T23:26:00.002-04:00

Though it's just about August and I've already begun painting some fall scenes, here is a May painting just completed. A lovely lady from Canada requested a painting of a wren in Springtime to add to her wren collection. I'm happy to oblige!

Here's how I did this painting - you can click any of the images to see them larger:

For years now, I've hung a birdhouse in my crabapple tree. Often it has become the nesting site for wrens. So I decided to draw a composition using this house.

Once the drawing is on watercolor paper, I wash in a background of blue for the sky. While the paint is still wet, I add pinks and greens right into the blue. They blend into the blue to create soft edges. This makes them out of focus, appearing to be in the distance. Then I start on the foreground blossoms.

Still using a wet-into-wet technique for the blossoms in the foreground; this time I wet only one leaf or petal at a time. Then I drop in color and let everything dry before adding details.
I used a yellow and two shades of blue to make the greens. This makes a more interesting wash than using green paint.

Now all the background and flowers are done. You can see, if you click the image, how lovely the washes look under the details in the leaves and blossoms. That is the beauty of wet-into-wet painting.

Next I paint the birdhouse, also using a wet-into-wet wash first, let that dry and then paint in details.

Finally the bird is painted. Here you can see me painting the belly a yellow color. While the yellow is wet, I add a wash of blue under it to indicate shadows.

I mixed the brown and black colors from red, yellow and blue.

Finished! Little Miss Wren is busily bringing materials to build her nest. Soon there will be tiny eggs, and after that, hungry babies to feed.
Thanks for stopping by to see the painting and my process. Hope you enjoyed the demo!

More of my original bird paintings can be found in my Etsy shop: Zehland.Etsy.com

Autumn Maple Leaves watercolor painting

2011-07-28T22:54:00.002-04:00

OK, so it's mid-summer, but I was doing some leaf paintings, and maple leaves look so nice dressed up in autumn finery. I used a green maple leaf as a template but chose yellows and reds to make the golds and oranges in this piece.

I spattered with some green paint when everything else was painted. I like how this turned out. Definitely not looking to rush summer, though. It will go by all too fast!

The 7"x11" original watercolor on handmade watercolor paper is available for sale in my Etsy shop: Autumn Maple Leaves.

Green and Gold Oak Leaves watercolor painting

2011-07-26T21:18:00.002-04:00

Gorgeous greens, golds and blues show off a handful of oak leaves in this original watercolor painting.

This type of painting, using real leaves as templates, is so much fun to do and I've often had my students try it. They enjoy it too and no two come out alike. As soon as I have time, I'll make a video to show how I go about it.

What I like about this particular painting is that it can be turned in any direction and still makes an enchanting composition. Thanks for checking out my newest work - or should I say play?

The 7"x11" original watercolor on handmade watercolor paper is available for sale in my Etsy shop: Oak Leaves

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on Pink Buddleia Flowers - watercolor painting

2011-07-25T21:49:00.001-04:00

All the Buddleia are blooming in my garden. They really live up to their common name of Butterfly Bush. All day, there are various types of butterflies attracted to their sweet-smelling blooms, especially the lovely Tiger Swallowtail. Can't blame them. A heavenly scent wafts from the flowers each time I walk past.

The contrast of the yellow swallowtail against the magenta pink bloom was delightful, so I decided to paint the scene. I used wet-into-wet watercolor washes in the background to keep all that soft and out of focus so the foreground would pop out. You can maybe see the wet paint dripping from the paper in the demo picture. Click the images to see them enlarged.

The original painting is sold. If you would like to order a print, please contact me. Thanks for stopping by. Have a beautiful day!

Surf at Waimea Bay - Original Oil Painting - Tropicals # 30

2011-07-25T01:29:00.003-04:00

Waimea is a beautiful bay on the North Shore of Oahu. Though the water is calm enough for swimming during the summertime, it is famous for its gigantic surf in the winter months and draws expert surfers to test their skill every year.
This 5x7 inch oil painting on panel shows majestic waves crashing in to shore at the end of the bay. A couple of sea birds dip and soar against the colors of the sunset sky.

This painting is # 30 in my Tropicals Collection. You can purchase this painting here: Surf at Waimea Bay oil painting . Thanks for stopping by!

All Tropicals

Tropical Flowers

Hawaii Seascapes

Hawaii Seascape Sailboat Yellow Hibiscus Flowers

2011-07-21T21:25:00.007-04:00

Have been thinking of Hawaii quite a bit lately. It is just too hot and humid here, how nice it would be to enjoy a more mild climate. I'm sure when winter arrives, I'll be feeling the same.

So, back to the Tropicals Collection for this scene of a sailboat breezing along the south shore of Oahu. I've added Hawaii's state flower, the yellow hibiscus to the foreground.

Ah, it almost makes me feel like I'm there!

"Sailing the South Shore" is #29 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion. The original of this piece is sold. To take a look at more selections, visit my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Hills of Snow Hydrangea Flowers Watercolor Painting

2011-07-18T01:52:00.001-04:00

It was another lovely day to paint outdoors and I remembered that those puffy white hydrangeas were just waiting for me to paint them.

So I quickly grabbed a couple of brushes, an 8"x10" sheet of watercolor paper, a small piece of foamcore board to back the paper, my paints, jar of water, small table and a folding chair and went out to the flower garden. I did not even take the time, as I normally do, to tape the watercolor paper to the board, nor did I bring a pencil to sketch the scene first, but dove right in with watercolor.

There is something magical each time a painting develops on a blank sheet of paper or canvas especially with watercolor because of the unpredictable way the colors run together. When you begin with only a vague idea of what the finished painting will be, the wonder increases with each brushstroke.

I hope you enjoy the fresh, spontaneous quality of this painting. The original is sold, but you can contact me if you would like to order a print or a hydrangeas painting done just for you.Thanks for stopping by!

White Hydrangea Flowers Original Watercolor Painting

2011-07-14T23:30:00.002-04:00

Back outside to paint again today. I did not have a lot of time before a commitment, so it was a small study, only 3.5 x 5 inches.

This time, I focused on the Annabelle Hydrangeas that are so prettily blooming in the front garden. They are white, but I washed some varying colors into the shadows for interest. It would be nice to do a larger painting of these pretty flowers from life. If the weather holds, perhaps tomorrow!

Available on Etsy: White Hydrangea Flowers

Hummingbird, Red Bee Balm, Crabapple Tree - Painting Outdoors

2011-07-11T13:21:00.004-04:00

It was such a gorgeous day yesterday, that I could not stay inside. All plans for whatever I was GOING to paint went out the window as I headed out the door with paintbrush, palette and watercolor paper to paint in the garden.

The first painting I did yesterday was of the red bee balm blooming by the side of the house. I did not see the hummingbird fly to the flowers, but I heard him buzz by my head. So he was most likely waiting for me to finish the painting and be gone. That's what I did.

The second painting I did was totally unexpected. I'd set up my stuff underneath the crabapple tree and meant to paint the hydrangea flowers blooming in front of me.

However, I had not brought out the umbrella, so there were dappled sunlight and shadows on my paper meaning it would be difficult to see what I was doing. Rather than fight it, I just went with it and painted the shadows on my paper. This is what resulted. Lots of fun, and what a great day!

These two paintings are sold, but you can see more of my small paintings in my Etsy shop, Zehland.Etsy.com. Thanks for stopping by!

Diamond Head Crater from Waikiki Beach Hawaii Watercolor Painting

2011-07-11T00:47:00.004-04:00

Each day that I was in Hawaii, I rose early just as the sun was coming up and would be outside painting or taking photos as soon as possible. In this painting the early morning sun is just touching the clouds with the palest rosy pink, there are not yet many people about and Diamond Head crater stands majestically in the distance greeting a new day on the island of Oahu.

This original watercolor painting is number 28 in the Tropicals Collection.
The image size is 8"x10" with an extra 1/2" white border around the image to help with matting and framing
Unframed so you can frame it to match your decor.
Painted with professional watercolor paints on heavyweight, acid-free watercolor paper for color that lasts.
The copyright watermark is only to protect the digital image. There is no watermark on the painting.

Price: $95.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

African Spoonbill Wading Bird Watercolor Painting

2011-07-09T19:36:00.002-04:00

The African Spoonbill is a wading bird found in many parts of Africa. This particular bird, though, I found at the Honolulu Zoo. I was impressed by its stately bearing. The bird and its reflection in the golden pool make a peaceful composition. Almost makes me want to meditate!

African Spoonbills nest in colonies in trees near water. Their long legs are perfect for wading in varying depths of shallow water to find food. With their spoon-like bill which they swing back and forth across the surface of the water, they scoop up small fish, crustaceans and other aquatic life including insects. When they fly, they keep their long necks outstretched.

Even though these types of Spoonbills are from Africa, I've added this one to my Tropicals Collection, #27, since I found him in Hawaii!

You can currently find the original painting of African Spoonbill for sale in my Etsy shop, Zehland.Etsy.com.

Hawaii Seascapes
Tropical Flowers
Tropical Birds

Pink Peony and Butterfly Watercolor Painting

2011-07-07T11:43:00.001-04:00

A pink peony is visited by a small black and white butterfly. Peonies don't need extra decoration being quite lovely in their own right, but this pretty insect adds a special touch, alighting for just a moment before it flutters away.

The original watercolor is 5"x7" and is on sale now in my Etsy shop: Pink Peony Flower watercolor painting. Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you enjoy the painting!

White Peony and Butterfly Watercolor Painting

2011-07-06T22:50:00.001-04:00

A Red Admiral butterfly alights on a white peony in this new painting. Peonies, though they have complex petals are one of my favorite flowers to paint, especially when they are sunlit as in this piece.

The original watercolor is sold, but you can find more of my flower paintings my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-04T12:02:00.001-04:00

Thank you to our veterans and all who serve to keep our country free! A happy 4th of July holiday to my U.S. friends!

Mushrooms, mushrooms!

2011-06-29T22:54:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I was in a mood to paint mushrooms the other day. Perhaps it's all the rain we've had here. They are sprouting up everywhere on the damp forest floor.

Here are two that I've done. Not sure what kind they are, but so fun to paint!

I've listed both of these watercolor mushroom paintings for sale in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Northern Cardinal

2011-06-25T11:36:00.000-04:00

There is a cardinal nest right outside my kitchen door in the burning bush. Usually these birds don't nest so close to the house. They nest in the evergreens along the driveway.

But the overgrown field next door is being cleared for pasture and there is too much activity there, so I suppose the burning bush was the next best thing. It's also close to the crabapple tree where the male can keep a close eye on things. I snapped a photo of him this morning.

The female is incubating the eggs and the male brings her food from time to time. He does not fly directly to the nest as that might attract too much attention with his bright red coat. Instead, he flies to a branch well below the nest and surreptitiously hops from one branch to the next until he is out of sight completely and at the nest which is hidden in the upper dense foliage.

He's so pretty, perhaps I'll do a painting of him, the female and the nest. Idea?

Orange Tabby Cat - Watercolor demonstration

2011-06-13T19:17:00.000-04:00

Orange tabby cats must be well-loved pets. This is the second in a row that I've painted. I'll show the steps I took to paint this memorial portrait. (If you don't see the rest of this post, look for the Read More link below)

Starting with a pencil sketch I transferred from drawing paper, I wash in a pale background color that will complement the cat's green eyes.

I made sure to draw in the whiskers because I'll paint around them leaving them a white or pale color.

Next I wash in some of the base color of the fur and eyes. You might notice some pale shadows on the left as well. Even though these shadows do not appear in my reference photos, I try them out in the first washes. You'll see why below.

In this image, I'm painting in the fur tufts in the ears.

I've added some color for the nose and also the dark pupils and shading for the eyes.

Eyes of animals and humans are painted as if they are grapes or translucent marbles rather than opaque objects. The light will shine through the eyes. This means that not only is there a highlight where the light hits the pupil, but there is a corresponding light area in the iris opposite the highlight. This light area is where the eye color is apparent.

In this case, the eyes are a beautiful green.

Next is the part of the painting that takes the longest. Here the fur is painted in detail paying close attention to the specific markings of this cat.

The portrait is almost finished, but to me it is a bit flat.

This is because the reference photos I was working from were flash photos. A flash on a camera will light the subject from the front which makes for a rather flat appearance.

Much better would be light coming from one side or the other. This would give the subject a more rounded appearance and added interest.

Since I am a painter, I can paint in shadows to improve the appearance of the portrait. In this case, I've decided to have the light coming from the right, so the cast shadows will be on the left as you'll see in the finished piece below.

Here is Mushy, the orange tabby. I hope you enjoyed the demonstration. You can see more samples of my cat and dog portraits at ZehPetPortraits.com. Thanks for stopping by.

Tabby Cat Pet Portrait Watercolor Demonstration

2011-06-09T12:13:00.001-04:00

Woody, the model for this portrait, was a beautiful orange tabby cat with amazing green eyes. His owners requested the portrait in honor of his memory. I'll show you how I painted his portrait.

I begin with selecting a few of the photos that seem to be a good representation of the animal. You can see three of them at the left. I will work from those.
I draw the image first on drawing paper until I'm satisfied with it, then transfer to watercolor paper.
Once that is done, I wash in a soft background and start adding shadows to the shadow side of the face and body.

Here you can see the shadows and some of the gray areas of fur. I have not added any details yet, but washed in mixes of blue, red and yellow to make a varying gray color.

Because the shadows are already established, it will be easier when painting in the details to keep a rounded look to the form. If there were no shadows, the image would look flat - great for abstract paintings, but that doesn't work for realism!

I also painted in a pale green base color for the eyes.

Now I begin with some colors.

I painted the eyes, the nose and started some of the orange tabby colors for the fur.

To make the fur colors, I use mixes of burnt sienna, raw sienna and French Ultramarine blue.

Here are more details added including the ears.

Notice the top of the head. It appears to be receding back as it should. To accomplish this, I used blue and lightened the top.

Not only is blue a cool color, which visually recedes, but it is also the color of the sky. Horizontal surfaces outdoors will reflect the blue of the sky to some extent, so if they are painted a bit bluer than vertical surfaces, they will look like they are laying flat.

Here I'm painting the details of fur until they are all painted in using the photos as reference for color and specific markings.

I take quite a bit of time to do this with a dry brush technique. Since watercolor is transparent, the shadows will peek through. However, I usually need to deepen them as I go along. The under painting is a good guide for this.

For the whiskers, I make sure they are drawn in the way I want them and simply paint around them. It would also be a good idea to use masking fluid to mask them out if you prefer to do that.

Below is the finished painting of Woody. I added a bit of green to the background to deepen the color near the bottom of the painting.

Thanks for stopping by for this pet portrait demo. Hope you enjoyed it and learned a thing or two. You can see samples of my portraits at ZehPetPortraits.com. Have a lovely day!

My Interview is on the Home Page of Business Info Guide!

2011-06-03T13:21:00.000-04:00

I am so honored! Was just notified that I am featured on the home page of Business Info Guide.

My interview is here if you would like to read it:

http://businessinfoguide.com/entrepreneur-interview-janet-zeh-of-zeh-original-art/

Open House at Zehland.com

2011-06-01T17:26:00.001-04:00

This is it! Today is the big day of the Open House for the Chicks Ferdinand and Nina and the Zehland Stories at Zehland.com.

If you have a chance to stop by, here are some things you may enjoy:

1. Treasure Hunt. Follow the clues from the home page to find the Treasure page. That will take you to a link where you can claim your prize: a free signed ACEO photo print of Ferdinand and Nina in Honolulu. Click the picture to the left to go there.

2. Animated cartoon - my first! Ferdinand has perfected his surfing skills. Well, almost. He will show you how it's done. Click the picture to the left and it will take you to the video at the new site.

3. Story Time: a video reading from Chapter One of the Adventures on Botanikah Pond. I do the reading.

The story links that are in the sidebar here on this blog will all be moved to Zehland.com. There is an RSS feed link at the top of each page if you'd like to subscribe to new updates and a comments section on almost every page. I'd love to know what you think.

The Open House lasts until midnight tonight Eastern Time. Hope to see you there!

Henri & Henriette, Dragonflies and Hummingbird, Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina

2011-05-25T23:01:00.001-04:00

This is the last post of The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on this blog. By next Wednesday. all the Adventures posts will be moved to a new home just for the Zehland adventures! Very exciting. There will be an open house and I'll post about that on Sunday.

This image is from Chapter 3 Episode 1, The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond. Do you remember the dragonflies in the first few episodes of Chapter One? They had followed the sailboat for some time. Meet Henri and Henriette.

Here is an excerpt from the episode:

It was early the next morning in the Botanikah Gardens when Pissaro the Hummingbird woke with a start. The birds were singing their wake-up song, the sun was playing peek-a-boo through the trees, the fresh morning dew was still on the flower petals.

After taking a few sips from a hibiscus blossom, he headed straight toward the edge of the pond. Sitting on a tree branch, he looked out over the water glistening softly in the early morning sunlight. He had not forgotten Ferdinand and Nina and the friends at Tulipa Farm who were wondering where they were. There were no clues yet, but he knew where he might find some.

Before too long, what he was waiting for appeared darting and skimming in a swooping ballet over the water. Pissaro flew off his branch to hover near some butterfly iris blooming by the edge of the pond.

This is an excerpt from the story. When you purchase an original or a print, you receive the full story that goes with it. The original painting for this episode has sold, but you'll be able to check the new site in a month or so for a print of the image.

Thanks for stopping by today!

East Beach, Rhode Island Watercolor Painting Demonstration

2011-05-24T18:17:00.002-04:00

East Beach is a favorite Rhode Island beach for nature lovers. It's definitely my favorite. This barrier beach runs in a strip for 2 undeveloped miles along the coast, perfect for a long walk at water's edge. Portions of it are designated for wildlife since seabirds nest along its length. On the grassy dunes wild beach roses bloom in summer.

I was delighted to be contacted by someone who found my work on this blog and asked for a larger painting of the beach. I'll share how I painted this watercolor below:

First, as always, I begin with the sky. I wet the sky, then wash in a bit deeper blue at the top adding more water going down the paper until the sky is a very pale blue near the horizon.
I have left some light areas for clouds. While the paper is still wet, I add cloud shadows in a lavender color.

Before the sky totally dries, I paint the water line at the horizon with a cool blue. This makes a soft line which helps it look like it has receded into the far distance.
The color of the water becomes a warmer blue tone as it is closer to shore. I leave white to show surf crashing in.

Next, I wet the sand area and paint it with a mix of yellow, red and blue.

I add a darker tone at the bottom to give the painting a base or as some call it a "threshold" that the eye visually steps over into the lighter areas beyond.

The dunes are next and they are covered with dune grasses.

To paint these, I use a pointed round brush to quickly flick grass onto the paper. When the far tops are painted, I'll add more green grasses in front of them.

Here is the painting so far. I have added grassy dunes to the right and left of a sandy walkway leading onto the beach.

I have carefully painted around the snow fence. With watercolor, light areas need to be masked or painted around. Since watercolor is transparent, there is no way to paint a lighter value over a darker one. I prefer to paint around objects rather than use a masking technique.

I have added some rocks to the right hand side of the painting. These will add interest and provide a backdrop for the beach roses I plan to paint in the right foreground.

I wet each rock first and then add red, blue and yellow mixtures and let them flow together to make a rock-like texture.

Here you can see the different colors in the rocks. (In case you wonder, the dark blue band to the right is painting tape I use to mask the edge of the painting while working on it)

Next I'll paint the snow fencing and the cast shadows.

Shadows and cast shadows help show the time of day. In this scene, it is afternoon. We are facing south toward the ocean so the sun in the west is to the right. This means the shadows will be on the left of any object.

Here I paint the shadow from the fence on the right of the walkway. It is on a slight rise, so the shadow will slant down to show that.

The rocks have been painted behind the left fence. Once they dry, I can paint the cast shadows from the fence running along the sand and up the rocks.

Here is the painting so far. I like the soft mood of this piece especially in the distance where the sand meets the water.

The right foreground still needs to be painted. I have left the area for some rugosa roses.

I love to add beach roses to beach scenes from New England since they are found all along the coast.

These roses will typically grow in the dunes and along pathways to the beach.

Once the roses are done, all that is left is to add details on the flying seagulls: some yellow for their beaks, shadows to give them form and dark feathers on their wingtips.

Now the painting is complete and you can see it below. Click on the image to see it larger.

"East Beach, Rhode Island" is a soft, dreamy painting. The pathway draws your eyes beyond the foreground to the ocean. Perhaps you will dip your toes in the water, jump in for a swim or take a walk on the firm wet sand along the edge of the surf.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the demonstration. You can see more of my seascape paintings at Zeh Original Art seascapes.

Pink Orchid Hawaii Flower Tropical 26

2011-05-20T00:44:00.004-04:00

One more orchid for this collection. Here is a beautiful one I found in the Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu. Isn't it pretty? And just think, as a watercolor painting, it will never fade!

This original painting is #26 in my Tropicals Collection and is part of a series of orchids in that collection. All of them go together since they use the same base colors. To take a look at more selections, see Tropical Flowers and Seascape Paintings.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $45.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Orchids Tropical Flowers from Hawaii - watercolor painting

2011-05-15T15:51:00.005-04:00

Pretty magenta and white orchids cascade gracefully from a single stem in this original watercolor painting with the hint of more orchids in the background. I found these flowers in the botanical garden in Honolulu. So many lovely flowers there!

This original painting is #25 in my Tropicals Collection and is part of a series of orchids in that collection. All of them go together since they use the same base colors. To take a look at more selections, visit my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $45.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Orchid Spray - Hawaii Tropical Flowers watercolor painting

2011-05-14T23:02:00.004-04:00

A spray of delicate orchids in magenta and white caught my eye at the botanical gardens in Hawaii. Their petals seem to dance and move in the tropical air. I painted a deep blue/green background to set off these tiny dancers.

This original painting is #24 in my Tropicals Collection and is part of a series of orchids in that collection. All of them go together since they use the same base colors. To take a look at more selections, visit the Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $45.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Araucana Lullaby , the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina in Zehland

2011-05-11T22:26:00.000-04:00

Part II Episode 6 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botankikah Pond.

" As daylight faded to night, a full moon rose and cast a bright glow over the dark water of Botanikah Pond. The conversation between the three friends had dwindled from an excited chatter to an occasional peep or purr until the only sound was the chirping of crickets and a lone tree frog in the distance.

Berthe got up and stretched...'time to sleep,' she meowed."

This is an excerpt from Part II Episode 6. The original painting is sold, but the limited edition 8"x10" print with story will be available at a future date at Zehland.Etsy.com as well as on Ferdinand and Nina's new website.

Yes, they are getting their very own website and I'll let you know when that is ready. At that time, all of the images and stories will be transferred from this blog to their new home. They can't wait! I'll keep a link to the site here on the blog so you won't lose them. :)

White and Yellow Orchid Flowers Watercolor Tropical 23

2011-05-10T10:31:00.005-04:00

Number 23 of the Tropicals Collection is a delicate white orchid that I discovered in the botanical garden's conservatory. Though orchids bloom outdoors in Honolulu's Foster Botanical Gardens, some require more humidity than is found in Hawaii's perfect climate. They keep these colorful orchids from South America and other tropical places in a steamy hot house in the gardens. The flowers are swinging from the rafters and climbing up small trees. These delicate white orchids with bright yellow centers were blooming close to the ground.

You can see more original paintings currently available by checking the Tropicals Collection Progress chart or my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $45.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Yellow Orchid Flowers watercolor Tropical #22

2011-05-10T10:21:00.002-04:00

This was a fun painting to do - full of bright color. Yellow is the color of sunshine and joy. These little orchids seem to be dancing with joy against a deep blue background.

This original painting is #22 of the Tropicals Collection. This original painting is sold, but you can see which paintings are currently available by checking the Tropicals Collection Progress chart or my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you a joyful day!

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Orange Orchid Flowers watercolor painting - Tropical 21

2011-05-08T20:31:00.001-04:00

Warm and inviting orange flowers glow against a blue background. Did you know that orange is the color of creativity and energy? At any rate, I think these orchids have an energetic feel to them, not only their color but their shape as well.

This original painting is #21 of the Tropicals Collection. It is sold, but you can see which original paintings are currently available by checking the Tropicals Collection Progress chart or my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

Pink Orchid Flowers Watercolor Painting Tropical #20

2011-05-06T00:42:00.003-04:00

Exquisite pale lavender-pink ruffles surround a deep yellow trumpet. These orchids are beautiful and their variegated leaves are pretty too. This original painting is #20 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion. This painting has been sold, but you can see currently available paintings here: orchid flower and tropical seascape paintings.

See the Tropicals Collection progress chart to check how the collection is coming along.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a lovely day!

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

Hawaii Magenta Orchid Flowers Watercolor Painting - Tropical #19

2011-05-03T23:22:00.005-04:00

Here are a pair of pretty orchids which I painted against a deep blue and green background to make the colors pop. The orchids I used for reference were in the Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu. There are so many gorgeous varieties there, it can keep me painting for weeks!

This original painting is #19 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion. You can check the Tropicals Collection progress chart to see how that's coming along and find paintings currently available on my Hawaii Tropical Flowers page.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase through PayPal.

Price: $45.00

All Tropicals
Tropical Flowers
Hawaii Seascapes

White & Magenta Orchid Flower Watercolor Painting Tropical 18

2011-05-03T00:44:00.002-04:00

Here's a pretty orchid from the Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu. I like the ruffles on the petal edges and the blush of magenta that give the flower color.

This orchid is #18 in my Tropicals Collection.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase through PayPal.

Price: $45.00

Purple Orchid Flowers Tropical Collection #17 watercolor painting

2011-04-30T23:39:00.002-04:00

These beautiful purple orchids were in the Foster Botanical Gardens orchid conservatory, a steamy hothouse filled with gorgeous orchids from many parts of the world. Though the Gardens has an orchid section outdoors, there are some that will not do well in Hawaii's comfortable climate. They need it hot and humid!

There is quite a bit of detail to paint in these blooms since the color comes from the veins in the petals. So I painted the petals first with a pale pink-violet color. Then, with a darker violet, I painted the veins leaving pale spots to get the effect you see above.

This painting is #17 in my Tropicals Collection. It will number 100 when completed, so as you can see, there are many more to go. You can check the progress of the Tropicals Collection, and see which pieces are currently available here: Tropical Flower Paintings.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase through PayPal.

Price: $45.00

Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach watercolor painting Tropicals #15

2011-04-30T23:22:00.002-04:00

The subject for this painting was ordered by a collector of the Tropicals series. Like many beach lovers who visit Hawaii, she enjoyed long pleasant days on Waikiki beach. Diamond Head crater can be seen in the distance.
If you visit Oahu and have stamina for climbing, it's a nice hike up to the top of the crater from which there are excellent views. I, for one, was glad that I'd kept in shape all winter by climbing up and down the stairs in my home 10-20 times per day because once we got to Diamond Head, the stairs to the top seemed unending!

This 8"x10" painting is number 15 in my Tropicals Collection. To see other paintings currently available in this series, visit my Tropical Seascape and Flowers page. Mahalo!

Pink Orchid Flowers, Foster Botanical Garden, Honolulu -Tropical 16

2011-04-29T21:15:00.004-04:00

The inspiration for this watercolor was lovely pink orchids from the Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu. When we entered the Gardens, the person who sold us the tickets suggested we start with the orchid gardens. At first, I only saw the green foliage of palm trees and tropical shrubs. But wandering through the pathways, marvelous orchids appeared around every bend like these pink beauties.

This original painting is #16 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion See the Tropicals Collection progress chart to check how that's coming along and find other paintings available from this collection.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase through PayPal.

Price: $45.00

You can see more currently available Tropical Flower paintings here.

White Orchid Flowers Hawaii Tropical Collection #14

2011-04-28T22:00:00.003-04:00

The Tropicals Collection numbers 13 to 25 focus on the beautiful flowers on the island of Oahu.

Some of the flowers such as these orchids, I found in the Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu. Oahu has five botanical gardens I believe, but we only managed to get to one of them. Still it was a full day of gorgeousness. I loved finding beautiful orchids blooming outdoors. Hawaii is a tropical paradise!

The Tropicals Collection will number 100 paintings when it is finished. This piece is #14.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4 inches x 6 inches with a 1/2" white border around the image - paper size is 5"x7". It will fit a standard 5"x7" frame or an 8"x10" frame with a 5"x7" mat opening.
Unframed so you can have it framed to match your decor - conservation framing tips included.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $45.00

Sunset in Araucana, The Adventures of Ferdinana and Nina in Zehland Children's Story Art

2011-04-27T23:34:00.000-04:00

Sunset in Araucana - Part II, episode 5 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina

Berthe the Kitten, it turns out, knows Araucana well. She leads the two chicks back to the spot where they had left their boat earlier in the day.
Here is an excerpt from the story:

"By the time the two adventurers, following Berthe, arrived at the spot where their boat had landed earlier that day, the sky was ablaze with color from the setting sun and the pond was stained with gold, orange and red hues. The ladybugs, butterflies and dragonflies had disappeared and all was quiet except for a splashing sound now and then out on the pond.

Ferdinand was first to see the boat. "At last!" he exclaimed. "There's the boat. We can go home, Nina!"

I aimed to convey a feeling of evening when everything is quiet and peaceful. The two chicks are very tired from the adventures of that long day and would like nothing better than to just sit and chat with their new friend, Berthe the Kitten and watch the sun go down.

The original watercolor of this episode sold before I could post it here. But I'm very excited that soon Ferdinand and Nina will have their very own website and there you will be able to get limited edition prints of the episodes. The site will be at Zehland.com and will be a much bigger version than the current single page on this blog that they now have. I'll let you know when it's up and running.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a magical day!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T10:04:00.000-04:00

I'm so grateful for all the blessings in my life, including you. Hope your Easter is full of delight and joy!

Yellow and Red Tulips Spring Flowers watercolor painting

2011-04-22T16:58:00.001-04:00

With Easter this weekend, the tulips and daffodils are popping up in all their Springtime glory!

I painted the background with a wet-into-wet technique giving the far tulip a soft and out-of-focus look so the foreground flower stands out. Rich blues and greens in the background further enhance the delicate yellow colors of the flower.

The original painting has been sold. Take a peek at more of my flower paintings in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com or let me know if you'd like a custom painting done or a print by contacting me here.

Thanks and have a beautiful day!

Pink Plumeria Flowers Watercolor Painting - Tropicals #13

2011-04-21T00:02:00.004-04:00

Now that the "en Plein Air" paintings (paintings done on site) are finished, it's time to begin some paintings from the over 800 photos I took while in Hawaii. That's a lot of photos! So there are enough to use as reference for the remaining 88 paintings in this collection.

If you've seen my Hawaii video, you may remember seeing a photo of these beautiful plumeria flowers. These are the flowers that Hawaiians use to make lei, the garlands placed around the necks of visitors to welcome them. I noticed that statues of local heroes were also adorned with lei during festivals. Plumeria flowers bloom on small trees or shrubs. They are gorgeous in full flower.

This piece is number 13 in the Tropical Flowers and Seascapes Collection.

This is a hand-painted watercolor inspired by a photo I took in Hawaii. It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 5 inches x 7 inches with an extra 1/4 inch white border around the image to assist in matting
Unframed - framing tips included for best preservation of your art piece.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $49.00

See more Hawaii Tropical Flower Paintings

Sailboat at Kailua Bay, Hawaii - Tropicals #12

2011-04-17T18:28:00.002-04:00

Every morning in Hawaii, sailboats head out from harbor. In this watercolor sketch done on site, I painted one of them just as it sailed out beyond the breakers. In this painting I wanted to capture the beautiful, ever-changing colors that are visible in the waters of Oahu's Kailua Bay: pale green, turquoise and deep blue. This original watercolor painting is #12 in my Tropicals Collection. The Tropicals Collection progress chart shows how that collection is coming along.

Sails at Kailua Bay also appears in the video on that page. Hope you enjoy it!

See currently available Tropicals paintings for sale here: Hawaii Tropical Paintings.

Hawaii Rainbow Watercolor Painting - Tropicals #11

2011-04-16T23:41:00.002-04:00

There's a reason why the license plates in Hawaii bear the image of a rainbow. I have never seen so many rainbows in one place in such a short amount of time. Not only that, but they lasted for a very long time.
Here, when we are lucky to see one, it will generally fade after a few minutes. The really amazing ones might last all of five minutes. But on Oahu, rainbows would appear and 15 or 20 minutes later would be still going strong.

I was painting this scene one day when a rainbow appeared. Originally, I had not thought of adding one to this painting, but could not resist!
This painting is sold, but you can find others from this collection on my Tropical Paintings page. Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by.

Surf at Waikiki Hawaii Watercolor Seascape - Tropicals #10

2011-04-15T10:48:00.003-04:00

Every day from early morning until sunset, I saw a line of small dots out past the breakers in Oahu. Hawaiians invented surfing and those dots were surfers waiting for the perfect wave. Because the temperatures are always in the 70s or low 80s, they are out there all year long I am told. Since I live in the land of skiing, I have never tried surfing, have you? It looks like a lot of fun!

This 5"x7" watercolor painting is #10 of the Zeh Tropicals Collection. It is sold, but you can find more Hawaii paintings here: Tropical Flower and Seascape Paintings. Aloha!

Ferdinand and Nina Chilling on the Beach in Waikiki and Coco Mist recipe

2011-04-13T22:32:00.004-04:00

You've got to watch out for Ferdinand and Nina, the Zehland chicks. You never know where they will turn up next. Here they are on a tropical Waikiki beach in sunny Honolulu with what l thought was a Mai Tai, but they tell me it's Coco Mist. Hope there's no rum in there!

Below is the recipe WITH rum for the Coco Mist they are enjoying courtesy of Beth of Gemworks by Beth on Etsy. Have a sunny spectacular day!

Coco Mist Recipe

2 ounces Coconut Cream

1 ounce Lemon Juice

1 ounce Orange Juice

2 ounces White Rum

6 ounces Milk

Combine in a blender or at high speed in a mixer. Serve chilled with crushed ice in a tall glass. Garnish with Fresh Pineapple (and/or Cherry). Of course you can double/triple the amounts to make more than one drink at a time! ENJOY!

Scene from the Ilikai Marina, Honolulu, Hawaii - Tropicals #9

2011-04-12T13:31:00.006-04:00

Ilikai Marina sits on the western edge of Waikiki. I am told it is the site where the Skipper and crew of Gilligan's Island began their adventure.

I painted this original watercolor from the 11th floor lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina Condos looking down on the boats at anchor. Ilikai Marina is #9 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion See the Tropicals Collection progress chart to see how this collection is coming along.

This piece was painted at a time of day when the sun was higher in the sky than in my early morning scenes. The stronger sunlight turned the water a bright shade of turquoise and created strong shadows and highlights making this a colorful painting!

This is a hand-painted watercolor which I completed outdoors on site (en plein air). It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free handmade watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 7 inches x 4.75 inches with an extra 1/4 - 1/2 inch white border around the image to assist in matting
Unframed - framing tips included for best preservation of your art piece.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $49.00

See more Hawaii Paintings

Boat at Harbor in Waikiki - watercolor painting Tropicals #8

2011-04-11T21:57:00.002-04:00

This original impressionist painting of an early morning scene, shows a boat harbored in a little cove on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. It is #8 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion. You can see the progress in the Tropicals Collection progress chart.

I painted this scene very early one day looking out from the lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina condo where we stayed. The colors are soft and muted since the day is new, but the breeze is strong. The palms tree fronds are rustling and swaying in the wind.

This is a hand-painted watercolor which I completed outdoors on site (en plein air). It is the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches with an extra 1/4 inch white border around the image to assist in matting
Unframed - framing tips included for best preservation of your art piece.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $49.00

Turtle Bay North Shore Oahu, Hawaii - watercolor painting

2011-04-11T14:12:00.005-04:00

The surf crashes in at Turtle Bay on the north shore of Oahu in #7 in my Tropicals Collection which will number 100 paintings at completion.
I painted this impressionist watercolor on handmade paper while sitting on the beach overlooking this beautiful coral bay. An occasional misty rain gave a bit of a mottled look to the painting as I painted it, enhancing the texture already present from the handmade paper. So there is a bit of Hawaiian rain in this watercolor!

This is an original hand-painted watercolor designed and painted outdoors on site (en plein air) by me, Janet Zeh. You are getting the exclusive original of this piece.
Painting is done on acid-free handmade watercolor paper with permanent watercolor pigments to insure lasting color.
Image size - 7 inches x 10.5 inches with an extra 1/4 inch white border around the image to assist in matting
Unframed - framing tips included for best preservation of your art piece.
Click the Add to Cart button to purchase.

Price: $75.00

You can see more currently available Hawaii paintings on my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page.

Honolulu, Hawaii - Ala Moana Park and Beach Cove - Tropicals # 6

2011-04-10T16:43:00.001-04:00

From the 11th floor lanai of the Ilikai Marina Condo, I had a beautiful view east and west along the south shore of Oahu. Depending upon which direction I faced, there was always something new to paint.
This is the second time I painted this scene which includes portions of Ala Moana Park. This is # 6 in my Tropicals Collection. It is painted on handmade paper so there is a lovely random textured effect in the far hills and sky. Because I was looking out on an early morning scene as I painted, colors and contrasts throughout the painting are muted and a mist envelopes the distant hills. Perhaps you can see a couple of people who were strolling on the beach.
You can check the availability of this and other paintings in this collection on my Tropical Flowers and Seascapes page. Mahalo! Thanks for visiting.

Hawaii Palm Trees, Surf and Surfer at Waikiki - Tropicals Collection #5

2011-04-10T13:29:00.002-04:00

Everywhere there is surf, there are surfers on Oahu. In this painting which is #5 in my Tropicals Collection, a surfer stands by the sea ready to go out and catch some waves.
I painted this watercolor outdoors on site (en plein air). It is sold, but you can find see the progress chart here: Tropical Collection Progress Chart. and find currently available paintings here: Hawaii Seascapes and Flower Paintings
Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by today.

Ala Moana Park, Honolulu - watercolor painting

2011-04-09T20:31:00.002-04:00

Here we have an original impressionist watercolor on handmade paper of Ala Moana Park Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii - #3 in my Tropicals collection. I painted this scene looking towards the park from the 11th floor lanai, or balcony, of the Ilikai Marina Condominium.
The waves are breaking at a distance from shore above the coral reef. Due to the reef and clean white sand, the water is a gorgeous shade of turquoise blue.

Handmade paper has its benefits and its challenges. It requires a skilled brush because corrections cannot be made without ruining the surface of the paper. But this very fact means that the piece cannot be overworked, so any successful painting is fresh. Little surprise elements from the irregular surface give it a handmade look.

This piece is sold. See currently available Hawaii paintings.

You can check the Tropicals page to see the progress of this 100-painting collection.

Cove at Waikiki - seascape and palm trees original painting

2011-04-09T20:14:00.001-04:00

Right on the western edge of Waikiki Beach in Honolulu is a small sparkling cove that is shallow and just right for small children or anyone who does not want to brave the surf. Each morning, one can see joggers and walkers strolling or running on the walkways along the beach.

This small watercolor is #2 in my Tropicals collection. I painted this scene one morning looking towards the cove from the lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina - 11th floor.

This painting is sold, but you can see currently available Tropicals for sale here: Hawaii Tropical Paintings. Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by.

Kailua Bay, Oahu - a watercolor sketch

2011-04-08T17:18:00.002-04:00

This lovely watercolor seascape is #1 in my Tropicals collection - paintings of Hawaii which will number 100 when the collection is complete.

I painted this at the beach. It was very windy since Kailua Bay is on the windward side of the island - the east coast. So all the colors in my little palette became full of sand no matter how hard I tried to shield them from the wind.

Actually, it did not matter that I was using sandy paints. Oahu's beach sand is incredibly clean and white which is partly why the colors of the water are so intense. As the paint dried, the wind blew the sand particles off the paper. You cannot tell there was sand there at all!

I am framing this 5"x7" painting for my sister with whom I traveled and who funded the trip. It is her favorite of those I've painted so far.

Pink Lei Flowers and Seascape Original Watercolor

2011-04-07T11:06:00.005-04:00

The spirit of “Aloha” symbolized by lei welcomes visitors to the islands of Hawaii. In Hawaii, garlands of flowers, lei, are placed around the necks of visitors. I painted this piece using as reference real lei of fresh tropical flowers. I included the ocean and beach in the background to indicate the shores of the island upon which a visitor traditionally arrives.

This is # 4 in my Tropicals collection which will number 100 paintings at completion.

You can find more of my tropical paintings here. Mahalo!

Hawaii Tropicals - a Seascape and Flowers Video

2011-04-06T13:38:00.003-04:00

Aloha! Have you ever been to Hawaii? I just returned from my first trip there - a two week vacation on the island of Oahu, visiting relatives and friends and enjoying the ocean, mountains and island culture. We also took a side trip to the Big Island to see the volcanoes.

Fortunately, for me, the condo we rented on Oahu was overlooking the Ilikai Marina and we could look right down on the boats in the marina below, Waikiki Beach to the left and Ala Moana Park to the right as well as a beautiful view of Honolulu.

Almost every morning, I sat on the lanai (which was an 11th floor balcony) and painted. Other times I brought my small palette, paints and brushes with me to paint on site. I took over 800 photographs to use for future reference and plan a collection of 100 original paintings called the Tropicals Collection. Each painting will be numbered from 1 to 100. You can find them as they are listed on eBay here: Hawaii Tropicals. The first 12 to be listed will be the watercolor sketches I painted in Hawaii on site. They appear in the video below along with some of my photos.

I've put together this short video to share my island experience with you. Turn up the volume to hear Kendra Springer's relaxing music and sit back to enjoy the loveliness of Hawaii. Then let me know what you think. Mahalo!

Three Cats Pet Portrait Demonstration Oil Painting

2011-03-17T18:35:00.000-04:00

This pet portrait is a 5"x7" oil painting on panel.

In this demonstration, I'll talk a bit about how I use poses to show the cat's personalities.

The person who belongs to these three cats sent in many pictures so I had lots to choose from to do this portrait. You can see some of the pictures I am working with pasted up around the painting.
She likes blue and green, so I start with some of those colors in the background.

Dexter is an orange tabby. He has beautiful orange-gold eyes.

His big eyes always look like he's wondering "What's next? What's next?" So I chose a photo of him to use as reference that shows his wide-eyed look.

Next is Squirrley, a gray tabby. She is "prim, proper and feminine" so I chose a more demure-looking pose for her.

Squirrley has lovely green-gray eyes and a black nose. She looks so different from Dexter even though they are from the same litter and both are tabbies.

Because of her dark coat, I've lightened the blue in the background so she will stand out better.

When the two tabbies are painted, I begin to work on Echo.

He is a beautiful Siamese cat with blue eyes. I could not see the eye color from the photos, so the pet portrait questionnaire really helped me out here.

Echo is the oldest, "strong-willed and elegant." I put him at the center since he has pride of place in his household. I like this pose for him which balances the composition.

Here are the three sweet kitties. What do you think - Do their personalities come through?

To see more of my pet portraits, visit ZehPetPortraits.com

Gustave the Koi Fish, Original Watercolor Painting ACEO

2011-03-16T22:19:00.001-04:00

Gustave the Koi Fish is an original watercolor and is part of the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond series. This piece has sold and the proceeds donated to the Red Cross for the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

You can find more of my paintings and prints at Zehland.Etsy.com

Here is an excerpt from the story about Gustave:

"Gustave is the oldest inhabitant of Botanikah Pond. He has seen many seasons come and go. He knows when the
new fish will hatch and the baby ducklings and cygnets will make their first swim on the surface. He knows the best places to find tasty water bugs and gnats. He knows when the heron is out hunting for food and when the turtles will be sunning themselves on a rock. He knows when the children will be pushing toy boats out onto the water and splashing in the shallows. He knows the beauty of the waterlilies and of the sunlight streaming shafts of light into the water’s depths. Most importantly, he knows the dangers of the pond and how to stay clear of them..."

Berthe the Kitten - The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina in Zehland Original Watercolor

2011-03-16T20:46:00.001-04:00

"Berthe" Part II Episode 4 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond. There are two paintings that go with this episode. Here is an excerpt from the story:

"On the other side of Botanikah Pond, lost in the land of Araucana, Ferdinand and Nina huddled shivering under a prickly wild rose bush. Two eyes glowing from under some shrubbery had frightened the two little chicks into their hiding place. Now they watched the spot where the eyes had been and waited to see what would happen next, scarcely able to breathe. "

"...suddenly, the leaves rustled, and a creature covered in soft gray fur leapt out and stood stock still in the middle of the clearing. It made a small sound and hunched down on its four white paws, swishing its long tail back and forth."

Find these original paintings or others in my Etsy shop: Zehland.Etsy.com

See more Zehland episodes here: Zehland.com

Rembrandt the Turtle - The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina in Zehland Original Watercolor

2011-03-09T20:51:00.001-05:00

"Rembrandt the Turtle " Part II Episode 3 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond. Here is an excerpt from the story:

Long after Pissaro flew off to look for Ferdinand and Nina, the four chicks stayed at their meeting place taking turns hopping on and off the rock and playing games. No one felt like going home, hungry as they were. Each hoped that the next moment, their two friends would appear around the bend, chatting happily as if nothing had gone wrong, or that Pissaro would come back soon with news that he had found them.
   But as the sun dropped lower in the sky, Edgar decided to take command once more. Hopping back onto the rock, he said "It's time to go home. Who can get there first?"
   With a peep, Georgia and Edouard took off, racing each other noisily towards the barn. But a curious event kept Edgar and Camille from following. Just as Edgar was ready to jump down off the rock, he felt it move under his feet.
   He looked down and was startled to see a leg poke out of the rock. Soon another leg poked out, then another until there were four scaly legs with claws.
   "Camille!" he shouted. "Come look. This rock has legs!"

See more story episodes at zehland.com

Find original paintings and prints of Zehland in my Etsy shop: Zehland.Etsy.com.

Pink Crab Apple Blossoms Oil Flower Painting

2011-03-08T00:41:00.000-05:00

Delicate pink blossoms are inspired by the crab apple tree in front of my studio in this 5"x7" oil painting on panel.

Of course, It's early March and the snow is still on the ground so my tree is not yet in bloom. But the snow has melted down to less than a foot and the ground is visible in some places. Spring seems just around the corner!

This painting is for sale on eBay. Check it out: Pink Apple Blossoms.

Koi in a Lily Pond VI - watercolor painting

2011-03-02T13:29:00.002-05:00

This painting of koi fish in a waterlily pond is a 14"x20" watercolor using only three primary colors with most of the color mixes happening wet-into-wet on the paper. I made a video that you can see below in which I talk a bit about my technique and the composition.

Right now this painting is for sale on my website here: Koi in a Lily Pond.

Pink Rhododendron Watercolor Floral Painting

2011-02-27T23:15:00.001-05:00

Here's a change from the miniature bird paintings that I've been doing. I was cataloging paintings from last year and the flower paintings I did last summer inspired me! Funny, to be inspired by your own work, but I guess that happens sometimes.

So here is a Spring flower - a lovely rhododendron painted at 5"x7" size or 12.7 x 17.8 cm. I'd painted this flower as a white rhodie last year, but it is also beautiful in this rosy pink color.

This 5x7 original watercolor painting is listed in my Etsy shop: Pink Rhododendron. Thanks for stopping by - I hope you have a wonderful day!

Pissaro the Investigator - The Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina in Zehland Original Watercolor

2011-02-23T15:07:00.002-05:00

"Pissaro the Investigator " Part II Episode 2 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond.

"Pisarro flew off on his mission feeling quite confident. He knew the area well and he had a plan: ask every living creature he could find if they had seen Ferdinand and Nina that day. Surely someone had and could give him some clues.

He started at the barnyard. He asked the white ducks, but they had not seen them. He asked the geese, but they flapped their wings and honked, "No-no, they are not here, are not here!" He asked the little piglets who ran squealing to their mother, "The chicks are lost!", but the mother pig rolled over on her side and grunted, "Umph, I have not seen them." Pissaro hummed into the barn where the the cows were munching grain. The cows looked at him with their big brown eyes and sadly shook their heads. "Mooo, nooo...we have not seen them." He asked every creature he could find, even the mice, but the answer was the same..."

The sun is going down fast. Would those two playful dogs know anything? Does he dare go near them to ask? This is an excerpt from episode 1 of Part II. You can click on the images to see them larger.

See more story episodes at zehland.com

Goldfinch in a Crabapple Tree, Watercolor ACEO Painting

2011-02-20T13:33:00.003-05:00

I am so looking forward to Spring since it's been such a snowy winter so far.

So, here is a Springtime painting for you. The crabapple blossoms are just beginning to open and the finch has put on his bright yellow coat after being a drab brownish color all winter.

This painting is sold, but contact me if you would like a print or a painting done just for you.

Thanks for stopping by today to share a breath of Spring!

Pomeranians continued - Dog Pet Portrait in Watercolor

2011-02-19T17:50:00.000-05:00

I've adjusted Huney Bear's coloring to be a bit more muted brown and now it's time to start Ginger's portrait. (click here to see Huney Bear's demonstration)

Ginger is a petite girl Pomeranian, a little under 5 pounds. Like Huney Bear, she is very soft and fluffy with a friendly personality. I'll aim to convey that in this portrait.

Starting out, I paint some of the brown areas of her head then put in the shadows in the white fur areas. I'll need to soften all the edges around her the same way I did with Huney Bear.

You can see some of the softer edges in this picture. I still need to work on the upper left and top of her head.

I've also begun adding details of fur and some of the facial details.

When the eyes are painted, she begins to look like herself!

There is always more to do before the portrait is finished, though, so I spend time adjusting shadows, facial and fur details until I'm satisfied. Not surprisingly, details and final adjustments take the most time.

Here are the two Pomeranians: Ginger and Huney Bear. Aren't they sweet?

You can see more of my pet portraits at ZehPetPortraits.com.

Pomeranians - Dog Pet Portrait in Watercolor

2011-02-17T19:17:00.005-05:00

Two adorable fluff balls are the subject of this pet portrait: Huney Bear and Ginger. I've drawn these two Pomeranians on the watercolor paper adding as much detail as I can.

I'll begin by painting the background. The dogs are a light color, so I paint the background dark to make them show up well.

First I wet the background with plain water, then use blue, rust and rose paint letting the colors mix on the paper.

This will make a more interesting area than if I'd just painted with a flat dark color. I'll probably do another transparent wash over parts of it when it's dry to even out the colors a bit.

Huney Bear is first up! He is the boy dog and the larger of the two.

I'm using the exact same colors that I used in the background to paint his fur: rust, blue and rose with the addition of a pale sandy yellow called raw sienna.

Once facial features are painted in, the portrait really begins to come to life!

Still using the same four colors, I vary the proportions and intensity to create black for the pupils of the eyes, mouth and nose

You can click any of the pictures to see them larger.

Since these dogs are so fluffy, I want that furry quality to come across in this painting.

There are several ways to create a soft, fuzzy impression with watercolor. In this case, I use wet-into-wet technique.

I wet an area near the outside edge of the dog and then pull some of the dark background color into it adding additional color as needed. This will eliminate the "hard" edges and give the impression of fur. Check the picture below to see how this looks.

Here's Huney Bear! The coloring around his head is a bit too red, so I'll work on adjusting the tones and begin working on Ginger's portrait too. Click here to see the rest of the Pomeranian dogs watercolor demonstration.

Thanks for stopping by today. To see more of my pet portraits, visit ZehPetPortraits.com.

Carolina Wren and Milkweed Pods

2011-02-17T11:46:00.003-05:00

Milkweed pods make a perfect background for this Carolina Wren in winter.

I had plucked a stem of these dried pods on one of my walks where I found it growing by the side of the road and was looking for a way to incorporate them into a painting. Their colors work great with this little bird.

This painting is sold, but contact me if you would like a print or a painting done just for you.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Black-capped Chickadees Story - Original Watercolor Painting

2011-02-16T12:17:00.002-05:00

The antics of these little birds are fun to watch. Black-capped chickadees seem so unafraid of humans that they almost seem tame. One can walk right up to the feeder and they will still fly back and forth to it as if you are their best friend.
I have come to believe that is because they are exceptionally smart creatures and realize that you ARE their best friend since you are feeding them!

One year, something happened that brought this home. It was a very busy time for me that winter. More than once, I let the feeders go empty without noticing. One day while at my easel, a chickadee came to the window and started tap-tapping on it. He'd fly away and then come back and tap again. I got up to see what was going on. Sure enough, the feeder was empty!
Now, these birds don't generally tap on the window, so I'm thinking he knew I was there and wanted some attention for the empty feeder situation. He somehow knew, even though I never go inside through the window, that he could tap there and I'd come out.
After filling the feeder, he did not come back to tap until the next time it was empty!

What do you think? Do wild birds communicate with us? Do you have a story?

You can also see my hummingbird story here

This painting has been sold. But you can get other of my bird paintings in my Etsy shop at JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Watercolor Painting

2011-02-14T23:37:00.003-05:00

Have you ever had a close encounter with a hummingbird? It's quite an experience.
One day some years ago while working in my garden on a bright summer day, I heard a loud buzzing noise coming from the direction of my car. It sounded like a gigantic bee.
Curious, I went over to see what it could be and realized the noise was coming from one of the wheel wells. Bending down and looking very closely, I could just make out a tiny wing sticking out from under a flap of plastic. It was then that I realized the noise was coming from a bird which had gotten trapped under the car.
I gently lifted the flap and an exhausted hummingbird hopped out and onto the top of the tire. It sat there for a bit until I put my finger out. Then it hopped onto my finger. I brought it out into the light and let it rest in my hand.
When it had finally recovered, it took off like an arrow toward a tree across the yard. What an experience to hold one of these tiny birds!

What's your hummingbird story?

This painting is sold, but contact me if you would like a print or a painting done just for you.

Thanks for stopping by today!

"Where are Ferdinand and Nina?" Zehland Original Watercolor Painting

2011-02-09T15:50:00.003-05:00

"Where are Ferdinand and Nina?" Part II Episode 1 in the Adventures of Ferdinand and Nina on Botanikah Pond.

"As evening approached at Tulipa Farm, Pissaro, the hummingbird, found the barnyard in a tumult. He had flown by to visit Edouard, the youngest of the chicks. They had met one day in the Botanikah Gardens and become fast friends.

But now, there was no time for a visit. Mother hens were squawking and running about in a frenzy and Edgar had called a meeting of the chicks. Edouard, Camille and Georgia had taken their places, but there were two spots empty.

The problem is," said Edgar as he jumped up onto a rock to get everyone's attention (as the oldest of the chicks, he felt it was his duty to take command in a crisis). "The problem is that two of us are missing. Has anyone seen Ferdinand and Nina?"...
click on the images to see them larger.

This painting is sold. You can get an email alert the next time a new episode or prints are released. Go to Zehland Emails and fill in the form.

See more stories of The Adventures on Botanikah Pond