First Walk on the Beach - Custom Watercolor Painting

Detail of 'First Walk on the Beach'

Sizzling summer days are the perfect time to visit the seashore, and what could be more fun than taking a small child to chase the waves?

In this commissioned watercolor, Grandpa holds tightly to his little granddaughter's hand on her very first visit to the ocean. I had fun painting it. It reminds me of many happy beach days when my own children were small.

To see the finished painting, scroll to the bottom of this post. Meanwhile, I'll show you how I painted it.

Family Memories - Custom Watercolor Painting of Children at a Backyard Wedding

 Study - Click to see this larger

Summer's imminent arrival brings with it plans for outdoor family gatherings. This custom painting is of children playing a game at a backyard wedding reception. It reminds me of my childhood playing with cousins at family reunions.

The client wants an 8x10 watercolor of the photo she sent. As is usual with watercolor (because it's really tough to correct mistakes) I first paint a smaller study of the scene which you can see above. It beats having to paint the larger version twice!

Beached Boat Custom Oil Painting

Detail of 20x16 oil painting

An overturned canoe on a white sand beach is a classic scene for an oil painting and this custom commission has turned out to be one of my favorites!

The lagoon is the same as the one in the lagoon and dock painting I demonstrated last week, but the time of day is different.

While the other showed the scene at midday, the lighting in this scene is reminiscent of the quiet of early morning. I captured that effect using color, light and shadow. Read on to see the results:

Beach, Seascape Lagoon, and Dock Custom Oil Painting

Last summer, I was commissioned to paint a 16x20 oil on canvas of a beautiful beach and lagoon. The view extends from the beach to far out in the distance. Though I am certain that I took pictures while I was painting, today, they cannot be found!

But I can use this piece to show how the use of perspective creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Just read along to see (you can click images for a closer view):

Flower Girl Reflection - Custom Oil Painting of Two Girls at an Ocean Wedding

With Spring here and the flowers beginning to bloom, it's a lovely time to share a wedding painting I did for a client last year. The reference photo she sent of her two girls attending as flower girls, showed them on a grassy bluff overlooking a picturesque ocean scene.

I love painting ocean scenes especially with children, so it was a joy to paint this piece. Keep reading to watch the progress and see the final version:

Cottage by the Sea and Flower Garden Custom Watercolor Painting Demonstration

It's Valentine's Day! And SO cold here in New England - minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill. A good day to stay indoors and snuggle with your sweetheart (or a blanket and a good book). It's also a fine day to remember blooming flowers and tropical climes.

So here is a custom watercolor of a very lovely tropical-looking place. The client wanted two of her photos combined to show the scene. She named the painting "Taronga" which is an Aboriginal word meaning 'beautiful view'. I didn't ask, but perhaps the scene is in southern Australia or Tasmania.

One of her photos shows a flower-covered arbor. Through the arbor are steps leading up to a yellow house with a green door.

The other photo shows the arbor's gates closed so you can't see the house, but you can see a view of the ocean.  She wants both a view of the house through the arbor and the ocean in the painting.  To combine them, all I have to do is open the gate!

To see how I do that, read on.

Day at the Beach - a Custom Oil Painting of a Mom and Her Kids at the Ocean

A Day at the Beach - oil on canvas detail

It's July and a great time for a beach painting, don't you think?

I had a request for a small oil painting of a mother and her two children looking out at the ocean as the waves crash into shore. The client provided three photos of the subject and asked that I use them however I like.

One of the photos made a perfect composition, but it was taken at an angle from above. So I changed the perspective to be closer to the same level as the figures.

To take a look at how I painted this 8x10 oil on canvas, keep reading...

Custom Painting of Children and Mountains Scene in Watercolor

What could be more fun than painting a beautiful landscape with brightly dressed and adorable children in the foreground?

A new client asked me to combine two photographs to make an 11x14 inch custom watercolor painting: one of the children as they sit on the grass, the other of a spectacular scene from the family's mountain home.

So I sketch up a composition with the children in the foreground and transfer it to watercolor paper. In the photo above (click to see larger), are the beginnings of the painting. I have painted a blue sky full of soft clouds and some undertones for the mountains. 

Pet Portrait of an Apricot Poodle in Watercolor

Lars is a cute apricot poodle who likes to wear colorful bandanas with his name on them. It seems that he has quite the wardrobe! His portrait was the last commissioned painting I was able to complete for Christmas delivery (and I was happy to hear from the client that it arrived in time - yay!)

I did not take many photos of the process being so intent on getting the painting done, but I did get a few. So if you'd like to see how this pet portrait is completed, read on... or click here to skip to the finished painting

Pink Hibiscus and Green-breasted Mango Hummingbird

Here is a fun custom painting that I just finished - a pink hibiscus flower and a green-breasted mango hummingbird.

The green-breasted mango is a tropical bird not common in the United States.  I've never seen one in New England, although they visit southern Texas and have traveled farther north on rare occasions. So I had to do some research to find out what they look like. They are so pretty with iridescent black, green and purple feathers!
I'll show you how I did this painting below:

Nelson Lake Custom Landscape Painting in Watercolor

Detail of "Nelson Lake" watercolor

Nelson Lake is a beautiful lake in northern Ontario. The client's family owned property right on the water for decades and she wanted a special gift for her parents. So she ordered a watercolor of the lake as viewed from the property. What a great idea!

Read along and I'll show you how I paint the full scene below. You can click the images to see them larger. Or skip to the finished piece.

Custom Home Portrait in Watercolor

I recently completed a home portrait custom painting. It was ordered as a gift for a family who had to move away from the home they loved. When the client saw the finished piece, she said, "Janet, The portrait is perfect! It will bring some wonderful memories to her and her daughters."
I hope it does!

Read on to see how I painted this portrait. Or skip to the finished piece.

Pet Portrait in Watercolor of a Cat Named Grits

Grits is a great name for a cat, especially one who weighed 22 pounds. I just finished this commission which the client is giving as a Christmas gift to her mom who lost her precious kitty this past year. Hard. But a very thoughtful idea for a gift.

Grits was adopted as an adult and was already a huge size. He had blue eyes that were slightly crossed. He was gentle and sweet. His 'mom' adored him.

Come along and watch while I paint Grits below. Or skip to the finished piece.

Pet Portrait of a Yorkshire Terrier in Watercolor

It's a busy time of year, isn't it? I have been working on commissions nonstop (except for two art shows in the past couple of weeks) so I have not had time to post. But I'll take a moment to show you the latest commission.

Macee is a cute Yorkie whose photo you can see to the left. I like this pose with her head tilted to the side in an inquisitive way. So I decide to use it as reference for her portrait.

I will do a close up of her face and chest since the painting is small (7x5 inches). Let's see how it comes out. Read on and I'll show you how I paint her.
Or you can skip to the finished painting by clicking here.

Three Children on a Beach - watercolor custom painting

Today I finished a custom watercolor painting of three children. I don't yet know what the name of it will be. I'll let the client decide!

She sent me a few photos of her children on a beautiful beach in Destin, Florida where her family has vacationed for 37 years. She wanted them shown from behind sitting in the sand and looking out at the water. 

To the left is a small study I did before beginning the 8x10 watercolor.

I will change the position of the boy on the left a bit. Otherwise, I'll use this composition.

Read on to see how I paint this scene. Or click here to skip to the finished watercolor.

Cuddling Cats Pet Portrait Painting in Watercolor

It's always a delight to paint cats. I like cats and it's fun to try to replicate the softness of their fur.

I just finished a watercolor commission of two cats -  a white cat and his friend, a tabby. Read on and I'll show you how I painted these two kitties. (If you want to skip the demo, see the finished cat portrait here.)

River Painting in Oil on Canvas - a custom commission

This custom painting was requested by a new collector as a gift for her boyfriend. The two enjoy summer days by the river while he fishes (detail to the left) and she relaxes on the shore.

To skip to the finished piece click here. Otherwise, read on as I design and paint this scene.

Watercolor Portrait Painting of a Man and His Dog

It's been a little while since I painted a watercolor portrait, so I was happy to get a commission to paint a gentleman and his dog.

I had several photos to choose from. The first was too small and I could not see the face clearly. An outdoor photo was a possibility as well. But a photo of the two in front of the fireplace won out. The image was good and I could work with it well.

The painting was not going to be large (only 6x9 inches), but I did a small study first even so.
Read on to see how I painted this portrait. Or you can skip the demo and  click here to see the finished portrait.

Saline Beach, St. Barth Custom Watercolor Painting

There are certain places that bring back wonderful memories every time you think of them. Saline Beach on St. Barth in the Caribbean is that type of place for the client who ordered this watercolor.

She has a photo of herself at the scene which her husband loves, and she decided an original painting would make a great gift. I agree!

Below are the 5 steps I took to paint this beautiful scene. Read on...

Three Ducklings and Purple Tulips Watercolor Custom Painting

The latest custom painting I have been working on is a bit different.
A woman who found my ducklings with tulips painting that you see on the left, wanted an image with three ducklings for a tattoo.
(She has three children whom she always called "my ducklings" Sweet? And she loves purple tulips.)

After discussing the idea, we decided that I would paint a 5x7 watercolor of the same scene except with three ducklings.

The tattoo artist will work from the new image after the artist signs a licensing agreement for use of the image. Now the client will have two pieces of art - an original watercolor and a tattoo. How exciting!

I'll show how I did this piece below. Skip to finished painting