Here's my CMYK wheel using just the three primaries, Cad. Yellow Lemon, Magenta, and Thalo Blue. Notice how "orange" resulting from Yellow and Red is rather subtle. Primaries: Magenta, Yellow, Cyan. Secondaries(result from mixing the Primaries): Indigo=C+M; Red=M+Y; Green=C+Y. Tertiaries(result from mixing a primary and a secondary): Blue=100%C+55%M=Indigo+Cyan. Purple=55%C+100%M=Indigo+Magenta. Rose=100%M+55%Y=Magenta+Red. Orange = 100%Y+55%M=Red+Yellow. Lime=100%Y+55%C=Yellow+Green. Aqua=100%C+55%Y=Cyan+Green.

In comparison, I decided to take the ready-made tubed colors and compare them to the above wheel. I left the primaries as they were. As Orange, I used Cad. Orange, and when it reproduced on computer, notice how it has almost pink quality. Beside, is the mixed version

On the photo it's really hard to make out details, unfortunately. This is done in a "painterly" technique, with thick impasto brushstrokes(the paint is raised in high peaks, this is done wet-in-wet manner). The concept behind the picture is romance, so this is an atmosphere I was going for. A friend told me a symbolic story of how one side(of the bridge) represents a woman, and another a man. They are holding hands despite the distance, rainy weather and fog. The painting, of course, stands on its own merit and does not tell a story, as an artist is not a storyteller; however I was inspired by the emotion of the story and this is where it took me.

Airlpane in the Night Sky, 20x16", Oils on a smooth Panel. I was going to add yellow lights on the ground, but we'll see. Right now I like how it is monochromous, and I don't know how introducing yellow will affect the whole picture.

Noteworthy: I have now a couple of people asking me how to buy my art. That's great! The truth is I am not set up for payments(yet) but I am working on it. I have applied for eBay account and their payment system, and once I'm approved with all the paperwork, yes, I will be selling my art in the near future! Obviously I haven't thought about the business part of art, yet, but that's about to change. Tune in! Right now you can "subscribe" to email newsletter(right panel) to receive the latest paintings/blog entries right in your mailbox!(powered by feedblitz, so make sure to mark them as your "approved" senders)

I don't work in watercolors that often. I do have watercolors, but I use them mostly when I travel or sketch. This one amazes me though. I've found leftover Arches 16x20 paper that I use for my portraits and just went for it. The result, is this concept of the trees trying to reach out to each other - like lovers. You can make out a female figure in one of the trees, and all of the trees have wacky "hands". I have to admit that I love trees, especially the spooky, twisted type. We have lot's of those in front of the De Young museum, and especially after they trim them, it becomes a true Halloween spectacle. Trees look to me like sculptures, still figures of people frozen in motion by some wicked wizard. Maybe also because I am a Fire by Feng Shui, trees feed my fascination, they grow, they reach out, they come from the depth of the earth and end up high in the sky! In this painting they are naked, their "autumn clothes" scattered all around. Very romantic picture, and watercolors are brilliant and luminous.

The hummingbird is drinking from Margarita glass. The strawberry margarita remains a focal point as the bird is pointing down with its beak to it and leading the eye toward the center. Celebration, happinness and cheer. Very pleasing composition, and bright scarlet colors make this painting stand out.