Karen McCurtain-Blair

Original Watercolors

Slideshow

I can always see a finished painting in my imagination before I ever start. It's like it wants to be created. There's always that moment of sitting, pencil in hand, looking at the blank white paper, that gives me pause. However, I've long discovered, you just have to jump in, and there does come a point where the painting takes over, and becomes what it wants to be

Sketching from multiple photos.

Getting the composition just right.

Adding water to paint.

The perfect shade of blue sky.

Wet wash, the sky flows.

Adding more frisket, with a Sumie bamboo pen.

Going from broad washes to size zero brush detail.

Working from back to foreground, even on a little magpie.

Popping the hot colors on the Milagro.

His personality comes to life when I finish his eye.

Letting it rest a day, completely dry, its come together.

"Magpie Love"

Donated to this year's Hearts and Stars Benefit show at Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, Taos, New Mexico.

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