Sea Lion in Watercolor

[Joy]

This is watercolor, 7 x 10 on Arches 140 CP. The limited palette colors were Raw Sienna, Indian Red, and Cobalt Blue. No matter how I try to manipulate the photo, it is not showing the yellow hues as well as the original. A scan produced the same problems.

 

[E.J.H.]

I admit I'm a bit of a biology nerd, but I think that's a sea lion, not a seal.
I love it, great use of that limited palette!

 

[Joy]

I admit I'm a bit of a biology nerd, but I think that's a sea lion, not a seal.
I love it, great use of that limited palette!

Thanks, my ref image was labeled incorrectly. I corrected this.

 

[john]

Great job Joy.

When I use the cell phone camera the yellows are always off/too much.

 

[Joy]

Great job Joy.

When I use the cell phone camera the yellows are always off/too much.

Thank you, John. My photos are taken with a Canon PowerShot A630.

 

[Artyczar]

Excellent job! I love this one. Melted my heart. The background is also really well done, and the whole thing has great lighting and shadow.

 

[Triduana]

This is super work Joy! The blending on the sea lion and the texture of the rock are really well done!

 

[Joy]

Ayin, Kay - thank you! This is still reading kind of pale and washed out to me, even my original painting now that I look at it in natural light. I am going to add some more color in areas and darker values.

 

[CaliAnn]

Beautiful painting Joy!

 

[Joy]

CaliAnn, thank you!

 

[Bartc]

Well, it's gorgeous anyway, Joy! So lush while using understated color. Great work.

 

[Joy]

Bart, thank you! I did darken it a wee bit yesterday.

 

[Terri]

It's beautifully done, Joy! Great job with blending and textures. You've been doing some wonderful work lately with these limited palettes.

It's maddening to have something in front of you that simply does not translate well to a monitor screen. Gah!! I've read a lot of various tips and tricks, but in the end I also know that I can only get it right on MY screen - impossible to know how it will translate to those of others. I'm sympathetic, so just know we all struggle and I think we all "see" each other's work here with a generous eye on color correction!

 

[Joy]

It's beautifully done, Joy! Great job with blending and textures. You've been doing some wonderful work lately with these limited palettes.

It's maddening to have something in front of you that simply does not translate well to a monitor screen. Gah!! I've read a lot of various tips and tricks, but in the end I also know that I can only get it right on MY screen - impossible to know how it will translate to those of others. I'm sympathetic, so just know we all struggle and I think we all "see" each other's work here with a generous eye on color correction!

Plus one! I, too, often wonder how it looks on other screens. I added some darker areas and more hue, and tried to get a better photo. Here is the result. Now the blue on the sea lion looks too bright!

 

[Terri]

I like your modifications! You've given the sea lion a little more definition against the background.

 

[Artyczar]

Wow! Even better!

 

[Joy]

Wow! Even better!

How kind - thank you!