Sketches

A couple of sketches I recently added to my Arches travel book. Made during my last visit to Chicago.
Chicago is totally amazing. The skyscrapers are grand and gorgeous as they stand in front of the scenic Michigan lake, sail boats, green parks and beautiful fountains.

Letters from Provence

Letters about summer, vast expanses and lavender fields, about sun and southern wind, about heady smell of grass and small houses bathed in warm sunshine...
I've never been to Provence but I dream about that wonderful place often and like to paint the pictures that I imagine.

Lionfish

This amazing lionfish caught my eye in the "Shark reef" aquarium in Las Vegas. Lionfish embodies both the beauty and danger. It looks so cute with it's gracefully flowing fins and bright coloration, but it's venomous spines can produce very painful stings.
This painting is 12'' x 16'' in size on Arches rough paper.



And that's how it was looking at me from the aquarium:)

Crocuses

12'' x 9''

Watercolor fantasy

Sometimes I take a piece of my favorite paper and brightest watercolors, then start painting impulsively, letting my emotions flow. I don't use a drawing pensil in the process and have absolutely no idea how the result will look like in the end. It's always a lot of fun:)



And here are some fragments:)

The Bird of Paradise

The first time I saw this beautiful tropical flower was on my vacation in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Back then I thought it would make a perfect object for watercolor picture. My decision became solid when I saw it for the second time, in the San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers.
16'' x 12''

Garden roses

9'' x 12''