Occasionally I like to donate Custom Watercolor Renderings for Charity Auctions benefiting local causes that are important to me. The winning bidder of the Auction gets an original painting of their house, I get the pleasure of meeting nice people and allowing myself a couple of days to paint strictly for the sake of painting (not just to convey and present a new Design - although that's equally gratifying!), and, of course, there's the financial aspect given to a good cause...

This past spring, I did so for the Atlanta Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Just this week, I finished the rendering for a very nice couple who live in an incredibly charming 1920's house in Peachtree Hills here in Atlanta - right up my alley for sure. There was a nice intimacy between the house and the street that I wanted to capture, and the front gardens are such a nice complement to the somewhat simple nature of the architecture.

Here's the final rendering, which will be given as a surprise Christmas gift to one of the homeowners this year. Everyone who knows me knows how strongly I feel that a house is much more than wood, bricks, and mortar; I believe that a house can become a part of someone, and certainly a real part of the life of those who inhabit it. So what a privilege it is to help someone honor their house in this way. I love the thought of this painting calling to mind great memories and experiences that have happened in this house, and can only hope that it remains a cherished piece for many many years to come...

CBI

House in Peachtree Hills, Atlanta - 12-2012

The process of creating a rendering like this one is really quite simple. I start by visiting the site and taking lots of pictures. Already at this point, I'm picturing the final rendering in my head - and thinking about what creative license I can use to make the painting even better; eliminating utilities, neighboring houses, overly dominating landscape, and unattractive elements that would detract from the overall presentation.

From there, I go back to my studio and create an ink drawing that captures the direction of the rendering - often this starts as an overlay on top of a photograph to capture the true perspective. From there, I free hand all of the softer elements. Once I'm satisfied with this ink "block-out", I transfer the image lightly to watercolor paper and begin painting.

Here's a look at the steps for this rendering...

From Photo to Ink Sketch to Final Rendering