The Beerze at Spoordonk, North Brabant - Netherlands

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The Beerze at Spoordonk, North Brabant - Netherlands 

SIZE: 15 in. x 15 in. - 38 x 38 cm

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE ANDALUCIA DOUBLE FACED 500 g/m² 

COLORS: SCHMINCKE HORODAM SUPER GRANULATION SERIES 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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January 2021 Challenge at the Facebook Watercolour Group - Watercolour Art on Paper

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The Beginning

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 The Beginning

SIZE: 15 in. x 15 in. - 38 x 38 cm

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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The Beginning is the most important part of the work.
- Plato

Painting a kingfisher was my very first contact with the life-changing work of Jean Haines www.watercolourinspiration.com and it's many years ago. I was deeply impressed by the looseness of her style and the gorgeous modern and vibrant colors she used and I am until today. Learning from her and discover more and more my own way in art is such an amazing experience that it helps to live with the complicated social situation during Covid-19 time. 

Forever and ever and ever

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Forever and Ever and Ever

SIZE:  16 in. x 12 in. - 41 x 31 cm 

PAPER: DALER ROWNEY - THE LANGTON 425 g/m²

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

And God asked the feline spirit

Are you ready to come home?

Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul

And, as a cat, you know I am most able

To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.

Soon, replied the whiskered angel

But I must come slowly

For my human friends are troubled

For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don’t they understand? asked God

That you’ll never leave them?

That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?

That nothing is created or destroyed?

It just is…forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,

Replied the glorious cat

For I will whisper into their hearts

That I am always with them

I just am…forever and ever and ever.

  

  Unknown Author 

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dedicated to a good friend and generous teacher...

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I could hear you

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I could hear you... 

SIZE:   16,5 in. x 22 in. - 42 x 56 cm 

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE MOULD MADE MATT 300 g/m² - 140 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

I could hear you, talking to the daffodils and tulips, whispering to the fairies that lived inside their petals. Each separate flower had a different family inside it.

- Lucy Christopher 

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 Inspired by Jean Haines Online Art School - www.watercolourinspiration.com 

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If you please... Draw me a sheep!

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If you please... Draw me a Sheep! 

SIZE:  16 in. x 12 in. - 41 x 31 cm 

PAPER: DALER ROWNEY - THE LANGTON 425 g/m²

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

One more sheep for classwork at Jean Haines Online Art School. I have always loved watching and photographing sheep so I have a rich number of inspirational photographs. 


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Emmental in Winter

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Emmental in Winter

SIZE:   16,5 in. x 22 in. - 42 x 56 cm 

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE MOULD MADE MATT 300 g/m² - 140 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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 Truly a Switzerland region for our little sheep in the snow at Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolourinspiration.com, and here they have such wonderful cozy barns to stay warm during this cold season. I couldn't resist painting a winter landscape during my next sheep wash is drying.

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Dear Deer!

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Dear Deer! 

SIZE:   15 in. x 22 in. - 38 x 56 cm (half sheet)

PAPER: BOCKINGFORD ROUGH 425 g/m² - 200 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors and SCHMINCKE HORODAM watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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Planned as a background wash for a sheep painting today I looked at it and a deer appears. 

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Mary's Little Lamb

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Mary's Little Lamb

SIZE:  11 in. x 15 in. - 28 x 38 cm (quarter sheet)

PAPER: BOCKINGFORD ROUGH 425 g/m² - 200 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors and SCHMINCKE HORODAM watercolors

2020 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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Today's tutorial at Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolourinspiration.com

painting a little lamb in the snow using and applying all techniques that we've learned during the last months. Disconnection is the magic word of today's lesson.  

  “Mary Had a Little Lamb” Lyrics by Sarah Josepha Hale

Mary had a little lamb,
whose fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,
the lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day
which was against the rules.

It made the children laugh and play,
to see a lamb at school.

And so the teacher turned it out,
but still it lingered near,

And waited patiently about,
till Mary did appear.

“Why does the lamb love Mary so?”
the eager children cry.

“Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know.”
the teacher did reply

  

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I love Winter!

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I love Winter! 

SIZE: 15 in. x 22 in. - 38 x 56 cm (half sheet)

PAPER: SAUNDERS WATERFORD ROUGH 425 g/m² - 200 lbs
COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors - SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

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One more for my Women all over the World series. As you know I'm a winter girl, so I like to show you the depth of my love for this season. 

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Pussy Willow Catkins

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Pussy Willow Catkins

SIZE:  16 in. x 12 in. - 41 x 31 cm 

PAPER: DALER ROWNEY - THE LANGTON 425 g/m²

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors - SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER

They are always the very first signs of Winter's end. Okay, at the moment is much too early for them, but if you look closely you can see, they are nearly there. This is painted on a new brand DALER & ROWNEY - THE LANGTON watercolor paper and it's really perfect with it's two different sides, perfect for wet in wet, but also wet on dry technics. Okay, you must stretch it, because it buckles a lot, but drys very flat too. 


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Bannetzer Moor in Winter

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Bannetzer Moor in Winter

SIZE:  16,5 in. x 16,5 in. - 42 x 42 cm

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE  MOULD-MADE  MATT 300 g/m²

COLORS: SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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Inspired by a wonderful New Year's walk this year, amazing beauty and peaceful atmosphere there and as always a lot of wild birds resting.  

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Miracles start to happen

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Miracles start to happen

SIZE:  14,1 in. x 14,1 in. - 36 x 36 cm 

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE LEONARDO MOULD-MADE  ROUGH 600 g/m²

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors - SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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Miracles Start to Happen
When you Give as Much
Energy to Your Dreams
as You do to Your Fears 

- Buddha

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You, Yourself

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You, Yourself 

SIZE:  14,1 in. x 14,1 in. - 36 x 36 cm 

PAPER: HAHNEMUEHLE TURNER 300g/m² - 140 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors - SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, 
deserve your love and affection

- Gautama Buddha 

One more Buddha for my new series, paint portraits on loose background washes is absolutely addictive. Inspired by Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolorinspiration.com 

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Be quiet!

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Be Quiet! 

SIZE:  14,1 in. x 14,1 in. - 36 x 36 cm 

PAPER: SAUNDERS WATERFORD NOT 425 g/m² - 200 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors - SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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“If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.”

- Gautama Buddha 

To paint Buddha portraits on loose background washes is absolutely addictive. Inspired by Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolorinspiration.com 

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Budai - Laughing Buddha

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Budai - Laughing Buddha

SIZE:  14,1 in. x 14,1 in. - 36 x 36 cm 

PAPER: SAUNDERS WATERFORD NOT 425 g/m² - 200 lbs

COLORS: DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors 

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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"There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.” 

– Buddha

 Portrait painting starts at Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolorinspiration.com with a lovely Buddha's head. I took my own photo of the gorgeous Buddha statue at Worpswede as inspiration. 

This special laughing Buddha lives really nearby my home at an Artist Village, located near the city of Bremen at Worpswede. Many famous artists have worked there as Paula Modersohn Becker, Clara Westhoff, Fritz Mackensen, Otto Modersohn, Hans am Ende, Bernhard Hoetger, Fritz Overbeck, Heinrich Vogeler, the famous author Rainer Maria Rilke, and others. Inside the park around the museum this friendly buddha lives. I love to take our visitors there, as you can see 😆

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braveheart I + II

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Braveheart

SIZE: 5,1 in. x 5,1 in. - 13 x 13 cm
PAPER: BOCKINGFORD RKB  FatPad NOT 425g/m² (200lb)

COLORS:  DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors   

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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 "Simple Things" monthly flowers exercise at Jean Haines's Online Art School www.watercolorinspiration.com
 I've always loved painting snowdrops and to reduce the motive on only the important shapes is a very relaxing and wonderful little funny moment. I must do some more and will add it to this post. 

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Happiness is fresh snow and a sled

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Happiness is fresh snow and a sled

SIZE: 14,5 in. x 11 in. - 37 x 28 cm
PAPER: BOCKINGFORD RKB  FatPad NOT 425g/m² (200lb)

COLORS: SCHMINCKE HORADAM granulation watercolors + DANIEL SMITH extra fine watercolors   

2021 © ISABELLA KRAMER 

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 The first painting in 2021 is a winter fun scene filled with a lot of memories of the lovely winters in my childhood. From morning to evening we're on our sleighs and nothing could stop our fun, no cold, no totally wet clothes, only the early darkness set an end to our happy days. 

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