Fishing Buoys at Block Island Harbor - watercolor seascape painting

"Fishing Buoys" original watercolor - for sale in my Original Art Shop!

Red and blue buoys lay atop colorful coils of rope in a harbor at Block Island, Rhode Island. I can almost smell the salt air just looking at this scene.

This highly detailed piece was created by first doing a careful drawing from a photo taken at the island. Multiple layered washes of color were added to shape the rounded form of the buoys and ropes. Then cast shadows were washed over these layers in the appropriate areas. The final step was to paint the details of the twisted rope and add the darkest details to suggest depth. It took time, but the final result was worth it!

Red Dahlias Botanical Painting

Late summer and fall flowers include pretty dahlias like this stunning red variety. To do this piece, I went out to the gardens to paint these from life in order to see all the details for this botanical painting.

• You can get a print of Dahlias at Prints.ZehOriginalArt.com in the botanical section. Have a beautiful day!

More botanical paintings

Great Egrets in the Marsh - watercolor painting

A beautiful white egret rises silently as dawn breaks over the marsh. Another egret stands reflected in the water. Soft greens, blues and pinks contribute to the quiet atmosphere of this early morning scene.

•  This painting is sold, but you can see more of my bird paintings in my Etsy shop, JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Jewelweed - wildflower watercolor painting

This tiny flower was blooming wild beside the road. You can see how small it is by the blades of grass in this painting. The flower is commonly referred to as Jewelweed, probably for its rich jewel-like color. It is a member of the impatiens family. Jewelweed is a remedy for poison ivy which is a good thing because poison ivy grows in abundance in my area!

I wanted rich, bright colors for this piece so I used a double primary palette: both a cool and a warm of each of the three primary colors - blue, red and yellow.

• This painting is sold, but check my Etsy shop for more of my small original watercolor flower paintings.  Or contact me if you'd like a print made of this one. Thanks for stopping by today.

Pink Phlox oil painting

Pink phlox are lovely in the sunlight on an autumn day.

This painting is done with thick brush strokes in a quick, impressionist style. These colorful flowers from my garden make a lovely painting that will add a bright spot to a small space.
You can find this Pink Phlox painting for sale in Janet Zeh Etsy shop here.

Louisbourg Lighthouse in Nova Scotia - oil painting

The site for Louisbourg Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse site on Nova Scotia which has many, many lighthouses.
I took some liberty in bringing the ocean in the foreground closer to the lighthouse than it actually is to make a more dynamic piece. The lighthouse is painted in detail, but the rocks, grass, trees and water are painted with quick brush strokes in a more impressionist style.
This is a great painting for a lighthouse lover! Check my Etsy shop to see if it is available at JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Nova Scotia Coast - watercolor painting

The beautiful, rugged coast of Nova Scotia is lined with rocks smoothed by weather and surf in this scene.

A lone gull rests on a rock among small evergreens. There is a sense of quiet calm in this little inlet of the sea. One almost wants to clamber up on one of those rocks to sit and enjoy a moment of perfect peace. 

• This painting has been sold. See more of my seascape paintings on my blog or check my Original Art Shop for paintings for sale. Thanks for stopping by.

Painting Autumn Leaves in Watercolor

Here is a painting of colorful autumn leaves found on one of my walks through the countryside. The oak leaf is still green, but the maples have turned lovely shades of red and gold.The leaves are set off by a rich, deep background.


It's easy to do a painting like this:

1. Taking a leaf, paint the underside first with a thin layer of dish soap to make the watercolor stick more easily, then with watercolor. Put the leaf paint side down on the watercolor paper and hold it there with one hand.
2. With your brush and some rich color, paint out from the leaf all around it to do part of the background.  The leaf acts as a template.
3. Remove the leaf - your leaf will be white with splotches - and repeat with another leaf, overlapping a little. Repeat several times.
4. Paint the leaves - they will already have some background color in them - and add veins and other details.
5. Deepen the background color around the leaves to define them and make them pop out.
6. Let me know how your leaf painting turned out. :)

• You can see more of my work at ZehOriginalArt.com. Thanks for stopping by today!

Buoys and Lobster Pots in Nova Scotia

The honor system speaks of a simpler way of life in Nova Scotia. If you need some wooden buoys or lobster pots for a day of fishing, just take what you want and leave the money in the white bucket.

This scene is so colorful and delightful, it makes a  unique seascape painting.

• The original watercolor painting has been sold. Let me know if you would like to order a print of Buoys and Lobster Pots or have one painted just for you. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Autumn Blaze Painting Demonstration - original landscape oil painting

The autumn landscape is such an inspiration in New England! Today, I got out one of the many canvases stashed in my supply room and got to work.

A rocky stream surrounded by brilliant foliage is the goal for this 16x20 inch painting. I will work in broad impressionistic strokes to convey the vigor and energy that comes with the autumn air and the bubbling mountain stream.
Click on images to see them larger.

Autumn Oak Leaves - watercolor painting

Beautiful russet oak leaves are set off by the deep forest behind them. A ray of sunlight lights up the sprig of leaves and acorns still clinging to the branch. 

People sometimes ask how I decide what color to use for the background. In this case, I used a deep blue. Blue is the complement, or opposite color on the color wheel, to orange. Since this russet color is a variation of orange, deep blue is its opposite. When placed next to each other, complementary colors look brighter than they otherwise would appear. This helps to "light up" the leaves showing off the beauty of their color and helping to create the appearance of sunlight upon them.

• The original painting is sold. You can find more of my autumn leaf paintings in my Etsy shop. Thanks for stopping by!

Harbor in Nova Scotia - watercolor seascape painting

Two boats sit quietly in a harbor on the island of Nova Scotia.

The overcast day lends a muted quality to this painting which is set off by the bright colors of the boat house and the red boat. In the lower right hand corner, a few lobster pots stand ready for the next time they will be needed.

• The original has been sold, but you can find more of my seascapes in my Original Art Shop. Thanks for stopping by today!

Black-capped Chickadee in Autumn

A little chickadee alights on a maple tree, it's leaves full of autumn color.

He seems to be turning around to see who is looking at him. These tiny birds are very friendly and a favorite visitor to the bird feeder for many people.

• The original watercolor is sold. You might like to check out my bird paintings currently for sale in my Etsy shop. Or let me know if you'd like one painted just for you!