Watercolor Versus Oil

"On the Rocks" 7"x 5" oil on gessobord © 2014

Watercolor versus oil paint.  Sometimes it's a challenge to decide which medium I want to use to paint a subject.  After painting so much with oils, it was a nice break to try the last three paintings in watercolor.  I was curious to see if the watercolor would be faster.  The result, the watercolor of this same seal and rocks was faster.  My "Farewell" seal took five and a half hours, this same baby seal in oils took me almost three times longer, a total of sixteen hours!  I was really surprised.  I have had other watercolor paintings take almost as long as an oil painting of the same size and subject.  I think I must have been "in the zone" with that first seal painting.

The next question is, which one do you like better? (Scroll down three posts to see the "Farewell" seal)  Team watercolor or team oil?  I like both of them for different reasons, but I do feel like my seal in the oil looks better to me.  What is your vote?  If you were buying one of them, which one would you choose? 

Kaikoura Coast Inspiration

"Farewell" 7"x 5" watercolor ©2014

Part of our journey when we were traveling north from Christchurch to catch the ferry at Picton, involved driving along the Kaikoura coast.  It was a grey day, but the steep rocks on one side and the ocean on the other kept it quite interesting visually.

I don't remember if we saw the signs for seals or just saw the people gathered at one of the pull-offs at the side of the road, but we decided to stop and take a look too.  Looking down the steep embankment, we could see and hear mother seals and their pups on the rocks below.  So exciting!  I didn't know if I could get a good picture with a grey day and such a long distance, but I saw this young one looking up at us just before he turned to go down the rocks.

The look in that little seal's eyes captured me!  I knew if the picture was any good at all, I wanted it to be my first painting inspired by New Zealand.  Similar to how the swans captured my attention in Germany.  Since I had been painting so much in watercolor lately, I thought it would be interesting to try a watercolor painting before tried one with my oil paints.

This painting also gets the honor of being the first item I listed in my Etsy shop I just opened on-line.  Setting up an Etsy shop has been a goal for me for at least a year.  Thanks little seal for your inspiration!

My "farewell" baby seal turns to go.

"Farewell" at my Etsy shop