Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

2020 Day14 Kept my promise and came back to paint the red boat at the Coyote Point Recreation park. Mike the boat owner was there, and we chatted a little bit. It was gray with wind, and I couldn't finish it, because of another figure drawing class. Ate a cracker for lunch. Did two sketches from the model in limited watercolor pallet. I thought I could have the red boat painting completed tonight, but starving and exhausted, just wanted to go to bed...

2020 Day13 Instantly decided to go and paint at Alviso after looking out of window and seeing those dramatic clouds in the early afternoon. I changed my strategy to avoid rush hour traffic. Came for the landscape for sure, but also any unique subject that I couldn't see often I would do it. I discovered a group of mushrooms and did a watercolor sketch. I didn't bring a chair, couldn't sit on the wet ground. You could imagine it wasn't easy to do. It was a beautiful day. We don't usually see clouds, only during our winter rainy season. The wet land looked amazing with the reflection of the clouds in the water. Suddenly, hundreds birds started flying together. Super bright white birds against the mountains with the shadow of the clouds in the background. That precious moment what I saw really took my breath away. Then I parked my car, decided to wait to see the birds flying together again. Did a sketch while I was waiting. What I was waiting for did not happen, ...

2020 Day11 No matter how busy during the weekend, I did not forget to do a watercolor sketch today... 2020 Day12 This watercolor sketch was what I did today. Are you a multitasking person? Can you create art while chatting? I have noticed there are people who manage time very well. I wish that I could be that way. But I feel time is chasing me all around, because I only can do one thing at the time, .. Time management is so important in life. I've known about it a long time, still have to learn how to manage mine better.

2020 Day10 "You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over." -- Richard Branson Started a bit late. Each time I came here to paint boats, but not today. After one painting was done, the light and shadows made the same landscape dramatic, so I had to paint another one. It was cold after sun went down, the second one didn't work out the way I wanted, just because the Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140p Watercolor paper I used couldn't dry in such weather condition. I was inpatient and ruined it... Well, learned and try not to make the same mistake...

2020 Day9 Two years ago I bought this drawing pad and wanted to do figure drawings. I found this pad hiding under my table when I cleaned up my studio room before the new year. It was raining a little bit and good excuse not painting outdoors. I've only had a couple of time figure drawing experiences, totally a beginner. Sat next to a very experienced artist, wanted to learn from him. Ended up directly facing the model was super-difficult for me to draw. Also I was too busy working on my own drawing to talk to the other artist. Pretty tough for three hours, not mentioned I didn't have the right pencils and charcoals. Hopefully I will be able to get better soon. Any feedback?

2020 Day8 What a busy day staying at home! Thought about how to create an auspicious work for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year - the Year of Rat. Actually I had been thinking about it since last Christmas. I used to be very good and fast when I worked as a graphic/web designer a long time ago... I had forgotten how much I had to go through with the design process, it made my head ache. Focused on the limited items I had, using traditional colors, meaningful symbols, and symmetrical layout. I enlarged an ancient coin, which means prosperity, wrote Fu, Lu, Shou and Xi, those mean Luck, Prosperity, Longevity and Happiness on the coin in an ancient writing style. I only had one little rat, so I drew one, then flipped it to draw it again on the other side, made them look like they are communicating to each other by changing the shapes slightly, so one looks like a male, the other a female. They could be a couple, lovers or love at first sight. My most challenging part was to draw tw...

2020 Day7 Over an hour driving instead of thirty minutes on 101 this morning. Sunny day, came to one of my favorite spots to paint boats. There were clouds, air planes flying overhead, boats, birds and reflections in the water, trees and mountains in distance... I thought a boat on the ground being fixed was an interesting subject. Tried wet into wet technique. I know it is one of the tougher parts to master - using the right amount of water to paint spontaneously. I was happy with the study result. Mike, who was fixing the boat, told me that boat would be here next week. So I think I will be back to paint it again next week. Hopefully it only rains during the evening time, California needs it🌧.

2020 Day6 Came to the Saint Clare Parish, we used to live nearby. It is a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose in California, but is located in Santa Clara, California. Looked like good weather, The winter sun shone on the church wall making it super-white and contrasted the blue sky. But it was really cold in the morning. Took me longer to finish the drawing. I didn't used the wet into wet technique to paint, otherwise the Fabriano Artistico Extra White Watercolor paper I used could not be dry fast enough in the shade on a day like today. Cars passing by, I only saw a few people walking in the street. One young guy on his skateboard skating by told me that my work was great in a very positive voice. Another person drove by opened his window and asked me where the Mission was. It was a quiet place. Do you know that artist mostly live the life of solitude?

2020 Day5 Tried to create another one for the upcoming Lunar New Year - Year of the Rat. Just a watercolor wash. Still thinking, will continue trying a couple more ideas...

2020 Day4 We bought this simple coffee espresso maker at least fifteen years ago. I painted it, because I was inspired by Keiko Tanabe' s demo a couple of months ago at our location. Her source was a local car wash, had the misty atmosphere which she recreated. It was a great idea! And finally I did this watercolor sketch by seeing my husband making coffee where the steam came out around the cup, which he bought recently from Starbucks Christmas sale. Just because he loved the cup had fox painted on it and it made him happy. I can not drink coffee nor tea, I mean the good quality ones. I tried thousands of times and ended up to just upset my stomach. Because I couldn't stand the tempting smells, had to experience the taste since I was young. Strong flavor or light fragrant coffee, green tea or black, you name them... Getting older, married to a guy who cannot live cannot coffee nor tea every day. He has to have them all super-strong too.