Sketching Out Blog: Sketches of art, watercolor, photos, recipes, books, interviews, Jewish topics, and Highland Park, New Jersey

Chanukah Pattern Watercolor

monochromatic pattern painting
Finally, I have a little more time for watercolor painting. This is exercise 24 in One Watercolor a Day: Playing with Patterns – “Paint an element in one color and its different values…Create a square, then tile it…do a simple repeat.”

I created the initial illustration in Illustrator. Then I flipped the pattern both vertically and horizontally, so you have four versions of the tile. Next I printed the graphic on watercolor paper. I mixed various shades and tints of purple watercolor on my palette. I painted using thin watercolor brushes. Once the painting was dry, I scanned it back into my computer and cropped it with Photoshop.

watercolor painting painterly pattern Chanukah
For fun, using Photoshop, I decided to add a little more color (changed a bit of the purple to pale blue). I also added something that looks like a watercolor effect. It might be fun to reprint my Chanukah Pattern Watercolor in black and white and then paint it in multitude of colors. Or perhaps just a palette of blue, red and yellow. Both look a little messy to me, but they are just exercises.

What do you see in the pattern?

Daniel Saunders says

Dreidels and candles!

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Leora says

Yes! I like the enthusiasm of your comment - it's still a month away, but I'm thinking about how to make the holiday special.

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Ramblingwoods says

I also see leaves and windows...

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Leora says

Oh, you see something that others don't, Michelle! How wonderful.

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Lorri M. says

I love this...love the Dreidels and the candles, love the tones in both paintings. I really love how the flames seem to be floating...reminding me a bit of Marc Chagall's work.

I enjoy the "watercolor effect" in Photoshop, also. It's fun to use!

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Lorri M. says

I also see where the "border" line, or center point is in each one, and how you reconfigured the pattern by flipping it.

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Leora says

Illustrator magic - though you can do similar with Photoshop.

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Susan Cooper says

Gosh I too see daddies and candles. I love how you can flip and add a bit of color to get a different and unique affect. Messy or not, it's very cool. :)

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Susan Cooper says

I meant Dreidles ... Sigh. A one handed dyslexic can be interesting at times. ?

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Leora says

Oh, Susan, with phones, we all type funny things.

And here I thought 'daddies' was something I didn't know about it... maybe you penned a new word!

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Donna@GardensEyeView says

I love the effect of the candles, flames and dreidels...

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Leora says

Glad you like it, Donna!

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Carver says

Beautiful Chanukah pattern watercolor. I like the tones of the color as well as the pattern.

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Leora says

Thanks, Carver! I had fun making this. Now maybe sometime soon I will have time for the next one, too! I think I may do an art nouveau study (the exercise is on textile patterns).

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EG CameraGirl says

You are so wonderfully creative, Leora!

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Leora says

I so appreciate the encouragement. Maybe this afternoon, if I have time ...

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