Day 28 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

3 Leather Pump  6x6 WAtercolor and Gouache on Marbled Paper

​Well I'm painting in the "groove" and can't seem to stop.  I know I'm going to go through withdrawals at the end of this Challenge!!  I'm going to post the three paintings I worked on yesterday and today.  Since I started a few days late I might even catch up and get 30 paintings in the Challenge.

​The first one is a more casual pump which attracted me to a different kind of fantasy setting on where you could wear such a shoe.  I love the different leathers he used in the design of the shoe.  I've always like purple and it was an intresting combination of brown, orange, gray and purple leathers on different parts of the shoe.  I used the marbled paper because I thought it would show off the colors and textures better than other papers I could have used.  I did have to highlight the paper to make it all happen and bring the shoe forward.

Summer Watermelon Pump 6x6 on Marbled Paper

The marbled paper was almost like tissue paper and so wetting it again both on the background and in painting the shoe was a little more difficult but because the marbling is acrylic paints I think it held it together.  I like this one a lot better than the one on Yupo.  It speaks to what I wanted to portray.  Summer will be coming and wouldn't it be fun to have a pair of shoes to wear to the first summer party!  It was a little difficult to get the clear part of the shoe to appear with the busy background but watered down white gouache seemed to do the trick on both paintings.  Gene Gill always said to use whatever tools you need to finish a painting and he used gouache a lot in his awesome paintings.  Thanks Gene!! 

​The paint went crazy when I mixed these particular colors for the background -- obviously the characteristics of possibly Skip's Green didn't like the other pigments?  The salt added to the texture which I think is a mistake on Yupo.  There are two versions of this shoe because I really wasn't sure I could even pull this one off.  Sure need to sign it again if I finish it behind glass or acrylic.

Summer Watermelon Pump 2 Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo

Day 31 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge Collages

Yeah --  I did start 3 days into the Challenge and reworked two of my paintings but I managed to get 27 completed.  It was really fun painting them, fun getting likes and comments from people on Facebook that I know and new friends who were following me as well.  I'm looking forward to viewing the artists who participated  on the Challenge blog because when you put them altogether it is really fun to see.

All these paintings are 6x6 except the Ballerina Toe Shoes (20x16) and the Orange and Black Striped Pump is 12x12.  

I like to paint on different surfaces so some are on 

AquaBord 2" cradle

Yupo

Marbled Paper I had done a couple of summers ago on different kinds of paper,

Old paintings were revived by cropping the part I liked for the painting

I love to paint on Fabriano 300 lb paper the best when using Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors.

Most of these will have to be sealed before mounting on a 2" or 3" cradle. The Yupo paintings actually look better under acrylic or glass.  I could put any of the ones on watercolor paper under glass in a frame as well.  We'll have to see if the potential buyers want something specific then I can accommodate their wishes.  I do have three other shoe paintings done this past year which are also available and are mounted and sealed already.

I'm thinking of doing a poster print or some other way of reproducing a grouping of the shoes, not necessarily all 27.  I might also do a calendar for 2017 if any of you are interested, please let me know.

Diana Nadal Shoe Collage

Day 30 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Voila!  Today is the final day of the Challenge and I'm sad and happy at the same time.  My family will definitely be happier when there is not so much painting going on "under the gun," so to speak.  This has been an awesome experience for me and I hope a fun one as you have followed me through the days with different shoes, "pumps" being posted.  When I post the entire collection tomorrow in a collage I hope each of you will take the opportunity to look at them and it would really be fun for me to have a voting of which of the paintings were you top 2.

I started with a Valentine tribute and I wanted to end with a Valentine tribute because what a wonderful holiday to express your love to your family and friends in a special way.  Hopefully it isn't the only day where we focus on those special people in our lives.  I really loved how the marbled design radiates hearts from the shoe -- I used several pinks, reds, magentas and jeune brilliant for the inner sole.

Be My Valentine  Day 30  6x6 Watercolor on Marbled Paper

 I had one more piece of that original painting that I thought would do justice to this beautiful shoe.  The colors aren't quite as bright as I wanted but I was running out of time today.  I do have other things to get done today.  I used phthalo blue, perinone orange, Hansa Yellow Lt, Skip's Green and a touch of black to outline.

Rainbow Python Pump  6x6 Watercolor on 300 lb Watercolor paper

 There is something about this color on Yupo that makes any painting look good.  I had to rewet the background at the end and actually it is still wet when I took the photo .  I love the background and I really love how intricate the pattern on the shoe is considering they were dealing with the materials of the shoe.  Love the open toe as well.  Hmmmm  another shoe I'd love to have in my closet and I already have a few outfits to go with it.

Aqua Snakeskin Geometric Pump  6x6 Watercolor on Yupo

Day 29 30 Paintings in 30 Day Challenge

Today I've worked on two paintings that are painted on different surfaces and the backgrounds were painted earlier.

The Aqua Leopard Pump  6x6 Watercolor on Yupo.  I sprayed the background with several of the turquoise and aqua Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors -- even a little of the Payne's Gray which helped to darken parts of the background.  I babysat my painting and swirled it as often as I could to get a difference in the color as it was drying.  I even applied some additional Aqua after the shoe was completed to get a little different texture on the right side.  The shoe was painted with Lamp Black, Burnt Umber and Blue Aqua.  I do love "slings" so this shoe appealed to me from the beginning.  With a love of Africa as you can see over time in my paintings there had to be some wild animal influence in the shoes as well.

Aqua Leopard Pump  6x6 Watercolor on Yupo

Being resourceful I cut up one of my painting's from last year's challenge that wasn't one I was totally happy with trying to make the design better.  The background was perfect for this shoe when I was trying to match it.  My Mom loved polka dots and as I was growing up she made me a little fur jacket with red polka dot lining and when I saw this shoe I knew it had to be painted.  I also wore a one shoulder black and white polka dot with three tiers of lace short dress to one of our formals in high school -- so the polka dots bring back good memories.

I used Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors:  Ultramarine and mixed a little black with it in the shadowing on the shoe.  I used White Gouache to make the white stand out from the underpainting. I used Vermillion Hue for the red.  It does take several layers of intense paint to cover when you have backgrounds like this one if you don't want it showing through.

Navy Red and White Polka Dot Pump  6x6 Watercolor and Gouache on 300 lb watercolor paper

Day 27 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Well, here is a painting on Yupo (a plastic used by the printing industry) I mentioned several days ago.  It is a very slick and nonporous surface so the paint sits on top.  Most of the time I burnish the wet paint to set it before applying any other colors or layers.  I just let these sit.  The colors always remain exactly as they were applied.  I did move the board around so the pools of color could flow in different directions.  With the wet weather it took awhile to dry.

I was a little disappointed because I did masque the whites in the shoe but the masque didn't want to come off easily on this surface.  I also applied some sea salt to the surface and that isn't what I would do in the future.  Many layers were applied using white gouache and I added more black to the shoe itself.  I really think this pump is outstanding but spending many hours painting it, I'll have to stand back and not look at it for a day -- hope you enjoy looking though.  I still might create a dark shadow under the shoe before finishing and sealing this or putting it under glass -- whichever I decide.  Yupo actually looks great under acrylic or glass.

Black and Whte Striped Pump  6x6 Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo

Day 26 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I actually painted ahead a day in the event since I was so motivated.  This really is a fun and comfortable pump.  I brought out the colors a little more than the original shoe.  I don't think it is for sale any longer but I will check it out before going on my shoe shopping trip some day very soon.  It reminds me of Oregon State colors -- for all you alumni!

This is one of the backgrounds I painted at the beginning of the Challenge using the webbing and spraying with Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors.  I did enhance the background with a little of the Quin Coral from Daniel Smith.  I also used about three different orange reds to make the shoe "pop":  Quin Coral, Perinone Orange, and Cad Red Light--first wash.  These colors were fairly transparent and needed many layers to paint over the background.  Sometimes I like to leave it showing through but this time I was trying to paint over it.

Striped Orange and Black Platform 6x6 Watercolor on 300 lb Fabriano

Day 25 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

This is one of the paintings where the background was from when I did marbling with Susie Cowan.  It was really fun but I have never found a way to use what I did that day on paper in a new painting.  I love the design that was formed with the combing techniques and I also thought the colors all complemented the black shoe with lace and stones.  I could see myself wearing this shoe comfortably and that made it fun to paint today.  I used gold, iresdescent and interference silver in addition to lamp black.

Black and Lace Slipper Pump  6x6 Watercolor on Marbled Paper

Day 24 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I was excited to paint this pump today because I personally like to wear a sling heel and have an open toe.  Turquoise is one of my favorite colors on my palette as well.  I decided to take a look in my old paintings to see if there were any good backgrounds to use the rest of the way in the Challenge.  Yeah, I found quite a few to use.  The problem with this background was I didn't realize that there was still fluid on the paper.  It was this great grayish color and so I had to do a little maneuvering to get it to be similar.  The heel was different from any other shoe I've seen and it certainly would keep me stable -- gosh, another shoe I think I need to own......

I used Quiller's turquoise and also Cobalt Teal Daniel Smith.  I used Moonlight Interference and Silver Interferace by Daniel Smith to give the heel and background a little glow.  Jeaune Brilliant for the sole.

I spent the morning getting the paintings lined up for the rest of the Challenge and worked on seeing if I could pull off a mostly white shoe on Yupo to my satisfaction -- stay tuned.

When I think of Turquoise I think of the SW desert and so it is named.

SW Desert Platform Pump  6x6 Watercolor on 300 lb rough

Day 23 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

It was somewhat of a challenge to get the right shoe to work with this background because parts of the background I wanted to highlight the pump.  I'm not sure where I would wear this pump but what a kick it would be to have a pair.  There were several catchy phrases which popped into my mind but I thought I should reject them when it comes to flames and putting out the fire.....

Anyway, I had to really lay on the jeune brilliant to have it show up on the darker background -- many layers and then finding two colors to blend with it to delineate the shadows and darker colors on the insole.  All in all it was a lot of detail work but I'm happy with the result. I think I'll resign it -- signature looks a little weak.

Hope you like it too.

Blazing Pump  6x6 Watercolor on Fabriano 300 lb

Day 22 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I spent several hours this morning matching the backgrounds I have painted over the Challenge with the shoes I had selected as potential prospects.  It was a fun morning deciding if I could come up with the next 8 days of paintings and which backgrounds need to be painted.

This background had lots of potential to shine with several of the pumps but in the end I chose another shoe that I would love to own in my closet.  I really like the combination of the red and black--no wonder since I am a Black Tornado!  The shimmery cast of a silverish glow made it a little more difficult to paint but I learned a lot in the process.

I painted the entire shoe Brilliant Cad Red and then Carbon Black in the parts of the shoe that were black.  I placed some netting over the shoe while it was still damp and lightly brushed over the areas to be cast in the shimmer with a broader brush.  I weighted the netting down with another matboard and let it dry.  I wanted it to be very subtle so I could build on it or lift depending on what needed to be done.  I did decide that the red should be Quinacridone Coral and lightly brought out the background to match the more brilliant color.

Red and Black Shimmer Pump  6x6 Watercolor

Day 21 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I picked this shoe to paint last year as one I would love to really have in my closet to wear.  I liked the darker reddish hue to the shoe's python leather and of course the trademark of the red inside heel and sole.  It was a tougher color with all the shadows to paint than I thought earlier.  I tried a number of reds, dark reds, red browns and used a number of them mixed to try and get the variety of colors in the shoe but remain homogenious(sp).  I also decided to outline with darker watercolor pencils.  In the end I also used interference red to give the color a little lift.  The background reminded me of trees in a tropical jungle where the pythons might live--safe with this painting.

Red Python Pump   Watercolor 6x6 

Day 20 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I loved this background from the first day of this challenge and rediscovered this shoe which not only fit with the color but it afforded me the opportunity to even "wow" it more with the faint sunburst behind the shoe.  Too much fun.  I used a little colored watercolor pencil to outline and add interest on the shoe itself.  Really a quick one today because I needed some time to work on my other business.  The sun wasn't shining today but it wasn't raining most of the day either so this subject is timely.  Hoping to bring sunshine into your life.......

Colorburst Pump  Watercolor on 6x6 Fabriano 300 lb. Watercolor paper

Day 19 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I had completed this background in the first week and decided to use it with a shoe rather than what I had originally planned since I'm on this shoe "kick" for this Challenge.  Love the background and this shoe fits is perfectly.  I might have to darken the background in a few places to bring the shoe forward -- but that will be before I put it on the website for sale.  It is a very rainy day outside for day and many days to come so I needed to think about bright colors and spring coming soon.  Hope you like the colors and the shoe too.

"Spring in Your Step Pump"  Watercolor on 6x6 300 lb Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper.  I used both Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors (Brilliant Cad Red , Hansa Yellow Light,  Hansa Deep Yellow, Indian Red and Red Oxide) as well as Cadmium Yellow Pale for the final layer of yellow and Jeune brilliant for the sole of the shoe.  
​

Spring in Your Step Pump  6x6 Watercolor

Day 17 30 Paintings in 30 Days ChallengeLittle

This is a painting I started about a month ago.  There was light coming from two sources and I had to decide which source I was going to use to finish the painting.  The aquabord surface often takes the paint differently when adding layers of watercolor washes.  I did quite a few before I could get the floor dark enough to make the shoes shine.  I might still have some tweaking to do in the shoes themselves but am happy with the floor and background.  We will see what my critique group has to say tomorrow.

I really do appreciate Lindsey Curry sharing this photo of her daughter's toe shoes for me to paint.  She owns a Footnotes dance studio in Ceres CA.  We have become friends through Visi and she also is a very good photographer..

I can either put it behind glass if it is going to an exhibition or will seal it so it can be framed without glass.

Little Ballerina Toe Shoes  20x16 Watercolor on AquaBord

Day 15 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I didn't want anyone to think I haven't been in my studio today painting for Day 15.  I've been preparing and modifying the pieces to be in this painting so not only the design will be good but the color pattern in the purses and clutches will be right.  This shoe is a knockout and you don't get any clues from the sketch.  You'll have to wait......  I'll be painting tonight but don't want to rush it.  I'll post here tomorrow the finished result.  This painting isn't titled yet and is a 12x12 watercolor on Fabriano 300 lb watercolor paper.

Sketch for Painting Day 15

Alana's Dream Pump 12x12 Watercolor

Well it took me most of today to get the details and change a few things until I got this the way I wanted.  This shoe is currently sold out of all the outlets around the world.  Alana and I both think it is really an exciting and striking shoe even for the price of $1200+.  This painting will be $120 -- what a deal, especially since you can't get this shoe anywhere else right now.  Love the designer clutches and purses from the top designers as well to make this design exactly the way I wanted to promote the shoe.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

Day 14 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I decided to have a little fun and go from a simple design to something more geometric in the design.  This was fun and a lot more work for a small painting.  Wouldn't it just be great to have a closet full of awesome purses to choose from when we are going out in our Classic Snakeskin Pump for the evening?  Well it is kind of a fantasy since I only wear pumps on special occasions but I'm ready for one.

A lot of times I mix my blacks but not in this painting.  I used Lunar Black (Daniel Smith).  I used a blend of different reds already on my palette (not sure which was which).  Then I mixed in the Interference and Iridescent colors from Daniel Smith to give the painting some "BLING".  My idea is to paint this again larger before the end of the Challenge.  It was really fun.  Any favorite purses you think would be appropriate -- send me the photos please.

Classic Snakeskin Pump  6x6 Watercolor on 300 lb. Fabriano watercolor paper

Classic Snakeskin Pump -- Which purse  6x6 Watercolor

Day 13 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Well I love this background - several of my favorite colors--magenta, gray blue, and black.  I would buy this shoe in an instant because it makes me feel "classy" and "sassy" just looking at it.  It was late last night when I finished painting but I'm very happy with the result.  Can you ever have enough shoes?  or shoe paintings?  Stay tuned.   

This painting is done on 300 lb Fabriano which takes the Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus watercolors very well although the shoe itself was painted with tube paints.  I used Opera, Payne's Gray and Smalt Genuine.

Classy Sassy Pump  - 6x6 Watercolor

Day 12 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Wow - can't believe we are all well on our way into this Challenge.  I am having so much more fun this time with this subject.  Wait until you see them all hung above my closet doors!  Great decorating idea and talk about saving money......  just kidding.  

I didn't get a photo of the background before starting on this yesterday.  Finally got all my Xmas decorations down and put away so that took most of my day.  

Anyway  I am in such a great place in my life that dreaming of being somewhere tropical on a vacation was high on my "dream" list today.  I am going to be wearing a shoe like this in June when I go to Cabo!  If you are interested in how an artist can afford to do that you'll have to message me to find out.  I did use my artistic license to change a few things on the shoe I was referencing but overall I love it......  I will need to be painting some more backgrounds today.  Please comment......

Fun in the Sun Pump  Watercolor 6x6

Day 11 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

This selection takes me back to my ancestry in Scotland and early American settlers in Maryland.  I would love to own a pair of these shoes for just that reason -- but I'll settle for this painting for now.  Maybe since there is a personal connection to the "tartan" plaid I had little trouble on this one from the start.  I knew I wanted a more even webbed background using two greens, permanent red and quin magenta with the white lines added on top when I put the shoe into the background.  I could rename this for St. Patrick's Day as well.  What do you think?

Tartan Pump  6x6 Watercolor on AquaBord

Day 10 30 Paintings in 30 DaysSt

I really liked the flowers on this shoe and had an idea which had to be changed because my blues got too dark.  That's life when you paint.  Now could I make this a "happy" mistake.  As I've said before Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus watercolors are staining -- especially the darker pigments.  Even though these are diluted when sprayed they take to the clay surface and penetrate it so even though it can be lifted with scrubbing without damaging the surface, I didn't want to go there.  So I let the colors be the colors of the flowers on the shoe.  I did lift out the whites as much as possible and brought out more brilliant pinks for the toe.  The webbing suggests crystals like frost so that gave me the idea for which the name reflects -- this shoe is stepping out of winter into spring.  I'm happy with the result and the flowers will have to emerge on another shoe some day -- maybe even during the Challenge.

Stepping into Spring Pump  Watercolor 6x6 AquaBord 2" Cradle

Day 9 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

My Easter Pump  Watercolor 6x6 AquaBord 2" cradle

As I was lifting as my second step after spraying the background I probably could have masked more of the shoe so it wasn't so dark from the purple.  Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus watercolors are very staining and even on AquaBord which you can usually lift back to the white doesn't lift all the way when you've used the darker staining colors.  I tried yellow first on the lifted areas but finally decided to go with the chrome yellow so the shoe would even come forward.  I might try this one again and drip the colors down the shoe as a second spraying.  Anyway, this one is done for today's painting.  I would still wear this on Easter Sunday if I had the money to buy a pair of pumps - instead it can hang it above my closet doors until someone else decides to take it to their house.  Not a bad decorating idea when you have several......  I'll post when I'm finished with this series at the end of the 30 days....

Day 8 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

"Icy Winter Pump" Watercolor 6x6AquaBord 2" Cradle

This painting went through another stage in creating the painting I had envisioned from the beginning.  It has a totally different feel which I hope the viewer sees.  It was a little more work than I really had anticipated but I'm finished.  I didn't like the shape of the first shoe and had to add to the toe.  I wanted the background to represent a winter scene so added some white and then ended up spraying with toothbrush pearl white and the same blue in the shoe which is an Iridescent Electric Blue.  It is difficult with the shine coming off the shoe to photograph it.  It will be interesting to see when it is varnished (sealed) how that affects the color.  I learned a thing or two on this one.

Day 7 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I decided to improve upon my first painting which was posted on Jan 4th.  I will show the progression below of the three photos.  I am finally pleased with the outcome.  Will post on Day 7
I decided that the background needed some "heart" sentiments to push the shoe forward and I didn't particularly like the pink in the background around the shoe.  I added more of gamboge and yellow to the background around the lower part of the painting since the supper left corner had some so achieve some unity of color.  It will need to be sealed with Archival Varnish.  When you paint on AquaBord the colors will be even more brillant after spraying and adding layers using brushed layers of the same medium.  Comments anyone?  Don't we all love Valendtine's Day -- what a nice gift for a special lady......

Be My Valentine Pump  6x6 Watercolor on AquaBord 2" Cradle

Day 4 and Day 5 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I might want to do a little more work on the background of the Valentine Pump and also the photos were from my cell phone so need to be adjusted slightly.  It was fun to lift out the sole of the pumps and then intensify the colors on the pump itself.

Day 4 6x6 Watercolor on AquaBord "Be My Valentine Pump"

Day 5  6x6 Watercolor on AquaBord  I"cy Winter Pump"

Day 4 and Day 5 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge Diana Nadal

2016 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge Day 4

Unfortunately I couldn't start on January 1st but decided I should still join the Challenge today.  I do really like how it makes you inspired and since I already paint every day it doesn't put that much more pressure on my schedule.

I hope you will enjoy my posts here and on my blog on my website.  Take a peek at Leslie's website where almost a thousand artists are posting as part of this Challenge.  I would love to see your comments and if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

It is easier for me to do 4 at a time when using the 6x6 AquaBord cradles.  Here I've selected four"pumps" which goes along with my series from last year. I next decided on the webbing pattern and which colors I wanted to use.  Tomorrow I will add the details of the shoe to the background.  It is so much fun......  and let me be the first to get your thinking about Valentine's day.  I'll post the progress.

Day 1 6x6 AquaBord cradle "Be My Valentine Pump"

Day 2 6x6 AquaBord cradle "Icy Winter Pump"

Day 3 6x6 AquaBord cradle "Spring Flowers Please pump"

Day 4 6x6 AquaBord cradle "Easter pump"