Red Pops – Quickpaint

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“Red Pops” watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 11 x 14)

“Red Pops” was yet another tough quick paint for me. Besides it only being a 2 hour window for painting and framing, it had to be 90 degrees in town. I found a bit of shade and a few red poppies and gave it a go. Luckily before I had my paper stamped I found my palette missing, quick trip home and I was good to go, or so I thought.

2 hours goes quick, I was just about running up the street with my framed painting to make the time cutoff. So I lived to paint another day at the Cedarburg Plein Air competition! Eventually I will master these quick paints! Till then, they are memories which make me laugh, roll my eyes, and cringe at the same time!

©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. All rights reserved. Do not copy or reproduce site contents without my written permission.

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Bright Spots – Watercolor

image I sketched out these flowers while I was waiting around at a show.  I neglected to take a few photos and found myself painting from memory for a class demo. It reminded me that you don’t want to be a slave to your photo references.  I knew the colors and light direction from memory, so I felt freedom in painting without the photo reference.  Great fun pushing the color vibrancy in this watercolor.

This watercolor painting is available.
Frame size is 11 x 14, mat opening is 8.5 x 11
Inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. All rights reserved. Do not copy or reproduce site contents without my written permission.  

Sundowner – Watercolor

Sundowner watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 11 x 15, Available)

Sundowner watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 11 x 15, sold)

This Sundowner rose grows in the flower bed next to my home.  As the trees around me have grown, so has the lack of sun. Because of the abundant shade, this rose bush produced only two blooms. Looks like I will be moving it to a sunnier location come spring! Lots of glazing was used to create the glowing color of this sundowner rose watercolor. It is one of my smaller paintings, only 8 x 10 before framing.  It is painted on 140# Arches cold press watercolor paper. Painting inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. All rights reserved. Do not copy or reproduce site contents without my written permission.

Apple Blossoms Watercolor

Apple Blossoms Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 24 x 16)

Apple Blossoms Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 24 x 16)

Every year in late spring the apple trees in our backyard burst with flowers and color.  This watercolor is something that I’ve wanted to paint for several years.  What interested me were the shadows cast on the pale petals.  It is painted on 140lb Arches coldpress watercolor paper.

Click on the painting for a larger view.

Painting inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without permission.

Spring Tulips Watercolor

Spring Tulips Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Spring Tulips Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 15 x 16)

These tulips were a gift and they reminded me how enjoyable it is to paint directly instead of from a photograph.  For me it is easier to see color, light and dark when painting directly.  You don’t always have that opportunity, but when it presents itself, you have to go with it.

Click on the painting to see the details.

Painting inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

 

Sunflowers Watercolor

Sunflowers Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Sunflowers Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (Framed 18 x 24)

The past couple weeks we have had lots of snow and it’s too cold outside to be enjoyable.  That is what prompted me to paint Sunflowers.  I tried to capture the beautiful contrast of bright yellows against a blue sky.  Looking forward to warmer days!

Click on the painting to see more detail.

Inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Loves me, Loves me not – Watercolor

Loves me, Loves me not Watercolor (Framed 15 x 18) By Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Loves me, Loves me not – Watercolor (Framed 15 x 18) By Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Who hasn’t pulled off daisy petals asking that question at some time in their youth.

This daisy plant was photographed during a trip to Wisconsin.  I liked the way the light caught the flowers against a dark background.  Originally the background was of other plantings, but I thought the contrast of blue against the bright white and orange centers would make the painting a little more interesting.  The background and leaves were painted very loosely to keep the focus on the daisy flowers.

Click on the painting to see closer detail.

Inquires on all paintings mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Love Blooms – Pink Peony Watercolor

Love Blooms – Pink Peony (Framed 18 x 24) Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Love Blooms – Pink Peony (Framed 18 x 24) Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci (sold)

Across the street from my father’s home is a well-tended patch of peonies.  They were lit up by the sunlight which I thought would make a lovely watercolor painting.

I like the way artist Soon Warren mixes her pigments to achieve an intense dark background without using black.  The peonies were the perfect subject.  I mixed Hooker’s Green, Burnt Sienna and Prussian Blue, leaning towards the green and blue to achieve this color.  It took me a couple applications to get it right.

Click on the painting to enlarge.

Inquiries to mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Plein Air Season!

Hanging Basket Watercolor 14w x 18d

Hanging Basket Watercolor 14w x 18d

Painting en plein air is great.  Gets you out of the studio and into the sunlight.  It also forces you into painting more freely due to time constraints.  I participated in the Arts In Bloom weekend by painting en plein air at a local greenhouse.  Great day!

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Spring Crocus Watercolor

Spring Crocus (Framed 20 x 16) by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Spring Crocus (Framed 20 x 16) by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

I took a walk on a sunny day with my camera earlier this month and saw a wide variety of crocus flowers throughout the neighborhood.  In this watercolor painting I wanted a very muted background to emphasize the change from winter to spring.  It is painted on Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper.

This painting is part of an exhibition showing from May 4th through the first week in June at the Gloucester County College.

Giclée prints are available on most watercolors. Email mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Pink Oleander Watercolor

Pink Oleanders Watercolor by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Pink Oleanders (Framed 18 x 14) By Yvonne Pecor Mucci

These pink oleander flourish down south and in the islands.  This close up view of the flowers gives the painting a little more of an abstract feeling.  It is painted on 140 lb Arches cold press watercolor paper.  The flowers were masked and a large flat brush was used to paint the background.  The leaves were painted and more glazes of color were added to soften and push the foliage into the background.  I wanted the odd centers of the flowers to stand out.

Click on the image for a closer detail view.

Inquiries via email mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Palm Tree Watercolor Study

Palm Tree Watercolor (Framed 20 x 24) By Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Palm Tree Watercolor (Framed 20 x 24) By Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Palm trees are really complex.  This watercolor study is painted on Arches 140 lb cold press paper.  Masking fluid was not used on this painting giving me slightly softer edges.  The whispy sky was painted in several glazes using cerulean and ultramarine blues, painted through the palms and lifted from the trunk while damp.  A yellow underpainting gave me warmer and stronger darks.

You can click on the above painting, and the build below to see the detail.Palm tree watercolor study by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Please contact me via email at mucciyvonne@yahoo.com with any questions about paintings.

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Hibiscus Study

Hibiscus Study Watercolor (16 x 20 Framed) by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Hibiscus Study Watercolor (16 x 20 Framed) by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

I’ve started the watercolor paintings from the St. Thomas sketches. Above is the Hibiscus, which are everywhere in a variety of shapes and colors. I liked this variety because it was not your typical hibiscus.  As a botanical study it works, but I may try another with a more tropical colored background.

This painting is currently on exhibit at Gloucester County College.

Giclee prints are available on most paintings. Please contact me via email mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Hibiscus Study

Hibiscus Flower Study by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Hibiscus Flower Study by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

I was intrigued by the great variety of shape and color of the Hibiscus flowers while in St Thomas.  For the final painting I’ll add a few buds to round out the composition.

Trade Winds Palm Tree

Trade Winds Palm Tree by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Trade Winds Palm Tree by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

I never realized how complicated a Palm tree is until I proceeded to put it down on paper.  The fronds are in constant movement changing the light continuously.  It was a challenge to sketch and I am sure it will be more of one once I begin the painting.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea – 16 x 20 Framed

Hydrangea – 16 x 20 Framed

This hydrangea watercolor was completed this past summer.  It is a tough subject because of the complexity of the flowers.  The composition was arranged so that you come into the painting from the bottom left and move up through the blooms with the honeysuckle bringing your eye across and back down into the blooms.

I have a small plant in the back corner of our yard.  For a few months in the summer the blooms change colors starting with a bright lime green and moving from pinks to blues and finishing with a dark green to burgundy.  Honeysuckle is winding through the fence in the background.

For more information on paintings please email mucciyvonne@yahoo.com

This is a second try on the Hydrangea watercolor.  I wanted to simplify it and make an attempt at painting in a loose style.  There are elements I like about each version.  Some like the first and some prefer the second which tells me there is not enough of a change.

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.

Second Try

Second Try

 

Florals

Whitegarden at Longwood by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Whitegarden at Longwood by Yvonne Pecor Mucci

Painting florals in watercolor is a very popular subject which gives the artist and the viewer great pleasure.  Keeping them light and loose is a difficult thing to accomplish.  The branch was rotated and the background was kept out of focus to keep the viewer involved with the blossoms.

Longwood Gardens is a beautiful place to go for a walk.  There are endless subjects which make beautiful paintings.  I have a great many photos of flowers and trees which would take a lifetime to paint. I especially enjoy painting flowers during those gray winter months.

Once you have your photos and sketches, it is great to have a live cutting of the flower you are trying to capture.  Your eyes are much better than a camera lense at capturing complex details.

 

All artwork is ©Yvonne Pecor Mucci. No reproduction without written permission.