When I’m on the road, I pack a watercolor kit. It’s incredibly portable. It’s restaurant friendly! I can pull it out and paint a scene without drawing too much attention… but usually, my waitress stops by to ask to check it out.
At Blarney’s Stone Pub, the food is fantastic. I highly recommend it. They also happen to be open on Sundays so when I found myself in downtown Bismarck where nearly every other business has closed for the seventh day, I knew Blarney’s would welcome me in for a bite and a space to paint. The atmosphere there is enjoyable with low, golden lighting and lively Irish music playing as the friendly staff whip around taking care of the place like they own it. I’m a fan!
This painting was a challenge because the water glass had so many subtle value shifts in it. I managed to capture the gist, but it ended a little too tinted for what I actually saw.
I started this painting by drawing the scene in pencil. Then, I added a golden wash over the whole painting except for the napkin, glass, and reflection spots on the salt and pepper shakers. Next, I went in with the tabletop and darkest bits. I painted in the glass and shakers, then the dark background, and finished by matching the foreground values as closely as I could to what I was looking at. This includes the little white highlights (thank you, again, to my white gel pen!)
I’m very pleased with this 1.5 hour watercolor… And the salmon lox appetizer I enjoyed during my stay!
