Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 30 Self Portrait

Self Portrait   watercolor on paper   6x9

Well, I am at the end of this challenge.   I decided to do a self portrait.   I have never done the full thirty day challenge nor have I done a self portrait so I thought it fitting to end with a self portrait.   I did a variety of mediums but mostly watercolor.  I hadn't painted with my watercolors for about six months so it was good to wet my brush again.   I will use these paintings as reference for years to come.   I have come away with many new techniques I will keep using.  

I hope you enjoyed the journal with me.   Thanks for following along.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 29 Steampunk Starfish

Steampunk Starfish 1    watercolor on paper   5x5   

purchase this  painting for $48 by contacting Yvonne at yvonneham@yahoo.com.

I love the colors in this painting.   The teal blue and purple accent each other in this painting.  I painted the purple thick and let it puddle in the middle.  Then I laid metal gears on top.   I pressed the gears down with my fingers and held them until almost dry.  After they were completely dry I lifted them off.   I like the textured background you get from sprayed paint and masking fluid.   I know this technique will always be a part of my watercolors. 

Thanks for following along with my Steampunk series.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 28 Steampunk Fish 3

Steampunk A Fishes Life    watercolor on paper    size 6x5

I liked adding a setting to the fishes home with coral.   I never know how I will finish up a painting.  These little studies help to discover how to push the limits of the painting process.  I looked at some photos to discover what to put at the bottom of the painting.  It always seems so beautiful and bright in the ocean.   Please go to my website and look at all the paintings in this series.

There are only two more days left in this challenge.  I am glad I stuck with it.   Thirty watercolors done one each day was a challenge.  Thanks for following along.   Please don't forget these painting are for sale on my website. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 27 Steampunk Fish 2

Steampunk Fish 2   watercolor on paper    size 4x5

This is a colorful guy with spikes and a crazy eye.   I used the pattern from the frisket fluid to design this little fish.  

I kept the dark patterns of orange and brown for the sea floor.   I added a variety of greens to make the kelp.   I really enjoy the abstract quality.   The gears were painted on and accented with highlights of dark color.  

I hope you like it.    Thanks for following this challenge.  

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 26 Steampunk Fish 1

Steampunk Fish 1   watercolor on paper    4x5   purchase this painting

 

Poured Rubber Cement

Painted dabs of color over the rubber cement. 

The Steampunk Fish 1 was one of four paintings done on the above poured paper.   They all turned out so differently.  I had know idea what I was going to paint until the paint dried and I removed the rubber cement.   I thought they would look similar do to the beginning colors used.  It didn't turn out that way in the end. 

Stay tuned for the next four days.  I will show you just how different each painting turned out. 

I had fun creating this painting.   I hope you enjoyed it.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 25 Steampunk Mr Buster Dog

Steampunk Mr. Buster Dog

watercolor on paper    9x6

For Sale $48

Purchase this work

Pencil Sketch of Steampunk Mr. Buster Dog

I used a photo I had to draw out the dog without the hat, eye glass, or clothing.   I had finished the drawing and like the way it looked so then I began looking for clothing and the eye glass pictures for reference.  I used three different pictures as reference.  I often combine many reference pictures to create the perfect look.

I added the dark colors first with a large brush.   I worked quickly laying in the dark color then adding water along the edges to soften the paint.   I did the nose, chin, wrinkles and ears first.   I added a light yellow ocher after the dark paint dried.  I continued  layering paint.  I us the one third rule of not going over a first layer more than one third.   I don't scrub to much or it will ruin the paper.  The finishing touches are the lifting of highlights in the wrinkles, and on the nose.  

I hope you like it.  I had fun learning and creating it.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 24 Steampunk Airship 2

               

Steampunk Air Ship 2

watercolor on paper

9x6 $48

Purchase Here

Watercolor pencil was used to draw on purple winds.  Liner Brush was used over the pink for the mesh effects.

This is a beginning process picture.

Pencil line drawing. 

Front of ship painted with watercolor pencils.   First time I used pencils. 

This was the finished piece that needed something to save it.  I chose to add dark water under the ship to make it lay within the painting.

I added the city in the background.  It is always important to look at the whole picture and make it a finished piece. 

I washed bronze paint all over it.  What could I lose.  I didn't like it just plan.  I lifted off the circles and lines on the main body of the ship.  I painted more color on the front of the ship too.

Finished Steampunk Airship 2  watercolor on paper  6x9 

I hope you like this funky airship. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 23 Steampunk Mr. William Dog

Steampunk Mr. William Dog

watercolor on paper

size 6x9,  For Sale $148 here

This little guy was fun to do.  I usually start with a reference drawing without the steampunk items on the figure.  I use other photos of watches and goggles to help in drawing in the needed steampunk design items.   It is important to get the right figures facing in the same direction as reference.   I also looked up popular English dog breeds for reference.   I don't know if anyone can choose one breed, out of so many wonderful dog breeds.  

I think he turned out fantastic!   I love his puppy dog eyes.   I hope you do too.  You can find more works on my website link here.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 22 Steampunk Victorian Lady 2

Victorian Lady 2

watercolor on paper

This is the finished painting above.  I am including some process paintings below. 

Here is the pencil drawing of the hat.  

I painted in the dress by hand.  It just was working better to do it with a brush. 

Close up of the hat.

Victorian Lady 2 with no neck lace. 

Check out the finish lace on the original  above.  

It is much nicer.

I hope you enjoy it.  I had fun creating it for you. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 21 Steampunk Steam Engine

I drew this out on the Strathmore block watercolor paper with a graphite pencil.   I kept the drawing loose.  I usually paint in details with my brush as I paint.  I added light gears at the end by drawing with a wet brush then wiping away the water with a paper towel.   I also painted the tubing dark in front of the light and light in front of the dark paint.  I use this trick to make images stand out.  

Detail of lifted out paint gears

I hope you like following my Thirty paints in Thirty days of Steampunk.   To purchase any item just go to my website here for more information.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 20 Steampunk Victorian Jewelry

Steampunk Victorian Jewelry

watercolor on paper

by Yvonne Ham

I have had these Victorian Earrings for awhile.  This would be a perfect time to paint them.   I have several pictures to post on the process I took to complete this painting.   I used gold, turquoise, moonglow, purple, ultramarine blue and white paint.  The below painting is before I changed the background to a darker purple.  I do think it was a better choice.   The dark purple makes the earrings pop.  It is also very strong.  

I like the softness of the blue and moonglow in the first background.   It just isn't strong enough.  I also like the texture in the first background.  I am not sure which I like better.  

I won't mess with this painting anymore.   I will however, do several quick color studies.   I will just paint a square of turquoise circle it with gold and then change background colors on several squares.   There is always something to learn from each painting you do. 

Victorian Earring Photo for reference

First background

Close up of first background

I enjoyed paint my first ever piece of jewelry!   I always learn something new each time I paint.  I hope you enjoyed the painting.

Here is a link here to more steampunk paintings on my website. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 18 Steampunk Owl

Steampunk Owl

Pen and Ink on paper

by Yvonne Ham

This steampunk owl began with tracing the metal gears.  I guess I just wanted to be spot on with clean lines, so tracing it was the fast option.   I was going to continue with a watercolor painting but started drawing with my .1 micro pen.  I stopped and viewed my progress several time before stopping at this completed drawing.  I used an own picture for reference.  This enabled me to follow the feather patterns of the natural owl when making lines. 

The dark areas that are filled in go from the top around the eyes all the way to the branches of the tree branches.  This is a conscientious choice to fill in specific places.  I looked at the whole drawing not just a part of it in this decision.   The dark areas needed to lead you through the drawing and keep it tied together as one.

Thanks for following my process and thoughts about creating my artwork.   Please follow this link to purchase this drawing for the challenge.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 19 Steampunk Lady

Steampunk Lady, watercolor, 7x9 by Yvonne Ham

Steampunk Lady beginning before eye changes

This latest watercolor painting was drawn out with pencil and then painted.  After I had finished I did not like the dark eyes.   Above is  the finished painting along with the first attempt at a finished painting.  I usually like to view my painting for a week to see if I am completely  comfortable with it.  I have not had the leeway to do this during my 30 day blog post challenge.   I am glad they all seem to be working out.

The steps in this painting began with the drawing itself, then painting in the face and hair.  I bled into the wet paint over the eyes, underneath the nose, over the lips, under the lip shadow, and  the neck and hairline.  I did this at least three times in different places, letting the paint dry each time. 

I had to correct the eyes by finding a good photo of a woman having a similar eye stare.   I was surprised to fined this easily by googling woman eyes.   I had to wet the eye area, let it sit for about a minute then using a paper towel soak up the black color.  I was very careful to not rub to much on the paper.   This would rub off the sizing and ruin the painting.  

Lifting out eye          Finished close up of eye

I hope this little technique will help you save a painting.  It worked for me! Purchase this painting  here on my website.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 17 Steampunk Typewriter

Steampunk Typewriter

watercolor on paper

by Yvonne Ham

I have seen a few typewriters transformed into steampunk sculptures on the internet.   I wanted to try my hand at it.   This somewhat abstract interpretation began with a few beginning strokes with a flat #10 sable brush.   Flat brushes are ideal for a refined straight edges.   I was going to add some swirl decorations in gold but, in the end it wouldn't have matched the aged look.  

The rustic colors bleeding into each other create this worn feeling.  I didn't try to make the buttons exactly the same size or color either.  I did begin this painting by laying gears on the paper and then carefully bleeding rich color around them.  I was careful to keep my water  plentiful around the edges of the pools.   This stopped the paint from drying.  I didn't begin with a drawing in pencil so it kept me painting loosely.   I wasn't held to a predetermined plan.   This overhead view makes the eyes search for clues of form and symbol to determine a name for the object.  

This typewriter has seen many years of use.   Maybe it was strapped to the back of a  time traveling author. 

I hope you like it.  I had fun painting it for you. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 16 Steampunk Time Clock

Steampunk Time Clock

watercolor on paper

This painting is done in watercolor on Stratmore Block paper.   The woman was drawn in pencil and then colors were washed into the dress.

I had seen this Victorian photo of a woman holding a fan and turned away from the viewer.   It made me thinking of time travel tunnels.  I wanted her to be the controller of her own destine.   This is the finished painting after adding the swirling time clock for effect.  

I added dry brush strokes in the yellow face of the clock to help make it look old.   The dry brushed gold on the outside along with the symbolic designs enhanced the cover plate of the time loop.  

I wonder if she is planing to enter a new time or returning to the Victorian age?   Floating in space she is ready for whatever she is preparing for.   Maybe a long lost love is returning to her.  

The Steampunk Challenge is halfway finished.  I am beginning the second half of this series.  All the paintings and drawing have been shared on my Facebook pages and Etsy account.   Many are already sold.    

Thanks for following along.  I have had fun creating these works of art.   I hope you have fun enjoying them and sharing on social media.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 15 Steampunk Officer

 

Steampunk Officer

Graphite Pencil on paper

This drawing began as a study sketch but, I love to draw so it of course became a finished work.   I used about six different photos for reference.   It is much easier for me to draw when I have the image in front of me.  Sometimes I can add little details without a reference but, I usually have drawn it before or know the subject well.   Above is the finished work.

I began by drawing the man in the jacket without a hat.  It looked  much like the reference drawing.   I did not have a copyright for the photo and was unable to track down the holder of the copyright.  This left me with a wonderful drawing but just a copy of someones photo.  I pushed myself to make the drawing my own by adding a hat, bag, dials and tubes, along with the gadget he carries on his back.  It really made it much more steampunk.  I am glad I continued with the drawing.   The legs are cut off from the original photo too.  

I had fun drawing this man and hope you enjoyed it.    Please follow this link if you are interested in purchasing this drawing for $75.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 14 Steampunk Time Queen

I started with a detailed line drawing of this lady from an old Victorian print.   I added the gears to make it feel like she was both human and machine.   I wanted to layer the gears like they were inside her body coming out of her dress.   The clock on the wall gave the element of time. 

The background grayish black is my idea of mist or fog.    I wanted her to be looking off threw the mist into the future.  We all have know idea what tomorrow will bring so living in the "Now"  is very much a part of this painting.  I also think we need keys to open some doors to what we each consider success hence the key in her hand.  

What those keys are we may already have within us so if you are a painter paint!   Don't get to concerned with the what as much as the having fun doing what you enjoy!

Thanks for following my blog.   If you are interested in seeing more steampunk art here is a link to my website.  You can click on any of the paintings to see a larger picture or purchasing links. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 13 Steampunk Captain

This painting  has a kind of comic book feel to it.   After erasing the pencil lines the fingers grasping the arm just popped out.  I think a painting is successful if it teaches you something new.   It also has to have some design elements in place.  I wasn't intentionally going to make this woman a captain of a ship but after finishing her she just seemed to look like one.  I added the background ship wheel to gift the viewer just a bit more information.   I do think she looks stern and focused on something in the distant.   I would have liked to have a life model to work with.   The form needs some work but,  taking and creating a figure from several photos is not the easiest thing to do.  I also like the looseness in the blue dress.  

I hope you liked looking at it.   I had fun painting it for you. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 12 Steampunk Flowers

This is a loose painting done with bleeding colors together.  I lifted some color at the end but, didn't want to over work it to much.  I added the gears and compose during the beginning.   The steampunk items were then accented with a darker color and bronze paint.  The stems were scratched in with my nail and also lifted with a scrap piece of watercolor paper. 

I hope you enjoy it, I had fun creating it for you. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 11 Steampunk Victorian Man 1

This painting is the second painting done on the same paper at the same time.   Please see Steampunk Victorian Lady 1 link here to view the first painting.  These two painting were done together with the same process.  They therefore have the same colors throughout the background.   They would look nice hung together or separate.    Here are the process pictures below for you to enjoy.   I used found objects I had in my studio to lay on the wet paint.  This allowed texture to form.  After everything was lifted off I had to find a pattern that emerged to create the man.   This painting is only $48 through the challenge.   It can be purchased on my website here.

   Objects laid on wet paint.                                Texture formed from objects.

I hope you enjoy it.  I had fun creating it. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 10 Steampunk Victorian Lady 1

I am once again continuing techniques using spattering, spraying, and pouring paint to create a background.  Below are some process pictures of how this painting was created.  I chose to make two paintings at the same time and split them up after the paintings were done.  They could be hung together or separately purchased as individual paintings.  This is my first time making a grouping of paintings that were done on the same paper, at the same time.  

First paint.                                                     Lay down of objects for texture. 

    Background done.

I hope you enjoy looking. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 9 Steampunk Victorian Collage

Victorian Collage began with pouring water onto the paper and adding color.  I used a black pen to draw the figures keeping an eye on the patter created during the pouring earlier.  I added the background green to set the figures in a room.   The process painting is also included so you can see the progress made.  

I hope you enjoy it, I had fun creating it for you.  To purchase this painting for $48 please follow the link here.

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 8 Steampunk Air Ship 1

I began this painting with the same poured frisket technique.   The frisket followed the water lines and formed a nice pattern.  Here is a picture of the frisket dried on the paper.  I then poured watercolor on top of this and let it bleed together.   Then I let it dry.  I was now ready to start the air ship painting.  I had drawn it out on paper earlier so I just used this drawing as a reference.   I just free painted onto the paper without drawing it out in pencil.  You can draw ahead of even the frisket pour if you want to start that way.    

Here is the finished painting.  If you would like to see more of my work just click here and it will take you to the steampunk collection on my website.  I have done seven other steampunk paintings so far.   I plan on finishing the challenge with 30 painting in this subject. 

I hope you have enjoyed the painting.  I enjoyed creating it for you. 

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 7 Steampunk Victorian Man 1

I began this drawing as a quick sketch.  I like to draw and play with texture so it grew into a more composed sketch.  I didn't want this young man to be overly obvious he was into steampunk.   I am sure there will be more graphite drawing in the future with more refined detail.

I had fun drawing it!  I hope you have fun looking over the details.  His hair is just wild!

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days- Day 6 Mr. Grasshopper

This Little Steampunk grasshopper was created with several watercolor techniques.   I used Strathmore watercolor block paper.  First I wet the paper with water and blow the water around with a straw.    Then I poured frisket onto the paper and as it hit the water it bleed out the wet lines.   Here is the paper with the frisket pattern on it. 

  Next I added color and drew out my design of the grasshopper in pencil.  I choose red and green as my primary colors to compliment each other.  Complimentary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel.  I ended up adding blue and a touch of moonglow (Daniel Smith brand)  for the accent color outlines.  I also used a spray bottle of yellow ochre and green.  I decided to use silver paint instead of bronze even though Steampunk is mostly done in bronze to accent the blue. 

I hope you like it!   I had fun creating it for you.   Remember just have fun and keep painting!!