ASHLEY STUART
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Sketchbook

A happy flower for a rainy day

12/5/2022

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Watercolor floral of primary colors with white paper surrounding the edges
Final piece before gluing
Detail of the overlapping flower pieces
Construction detail
Color palette test strip with medium gray, mustards, poppy red, french blue, and oatmeal
Color palette
Details of the yellows, blues, and reds washes
Watercolor wash detail
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The Rainmaker

11/5/2022

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A field of red and gold watered by a woman looming overhead and holding a Japanese tea pot.
The final placement before gluing.
A detail of red flowers laying overtop a field of red and gold texture.
Detail
All art is ©Ashley Stuart and may not be used without explicit permission.
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Week 8 #coloricombo

26/2/2022

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Final image of pink and purple flower with yellow stems
Final piece
I have been wanting to try my hand at collage for a while now. Starting with watercolor washes, I didn't have a plan for the final piece. Organically assembling the pieces, two flowers growing from the same place began to appear. I've really enjoyed this and would love to explore more.
Pieces of cut paper before being assembled
Beginning of Process
Assembled pieces into two flowers connected to one stem
End of Process
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Week 7 #coloricombo

21/2/2022

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Week 6 #Coloricombo

10/2/2022

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Watercolor painting and pencil drawing of a cozy homestead during a storm.
Final piece
I have been wanting to use a cozy homestead as the focus of an illustration for a long time. The palette in this week's challenge seemed to suit the mood of a cozy, indoors moment. I sometimes wonder if I should begin illustrating more often as I find so much joy in creating worlds rather than mimicking what I see on a landscape. What you see is somewhat of a dream home for me: kitty cat by the wood burner, comfy chair and clothes, warm cuppa, Georgian window, a sweater waiting to be knit, stacks of books to be read, and socks warming naturally. Hope you feel cozy and at home when you look through.
Detail of knitting basket, drying socks over the wood burner, and heating the kettle.
Detail of Left
Detail of the leaf lines in decorative blue pot.
Detail of Right
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Creative Process

I sketched in the darkest color on the palette so I would have the definition at the end (see picture one). Then working in thirds I applied the three additional colors. What I mean by "working in thirds" is I added three locations for each color to make the piece feel balanced. Then I could add dabs here and there to create more depth (see pictures two and three). Once the initial watercolor was painted I then went in with watercolor pencil to add details to items like the flower pot, curtains, and yarn. It was somewhat difficult to mix the colors correctly but made it in the end!
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Week 3 #Coloricombo

22/1/2022

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Wildflower Painting
Final Painting
Practice sketch of wildflowers
Practice Sketch
Detail of Painting of Wildflowers
Detail of Final Painting
Color Palette of Greens, blues, pinks and yellows
Palette Testing (turned characters!)
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Week 2 #Coloricombo with Esté MacLeod

11/1/2022

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I've joined up with artists around the world and one very special Esté MacLeod for the #coloricombo 2022 weekly color palette prompts. I did not sign up in time for Week #1, but here are the sketches from Week #2.
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Sunflowers in Progress

27/8/2021

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Thank You Note

5/4/2021

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Red-roofed Norwegian cottage sitting on a backdrop of turquoise water and mountains, with a field of hay in the front.
"Norwegian Cottage" original watercolor by Ashley Stuart
Coming up on a year of running my online art shop and I'm still in awe when someone buys my work. The surprise and excitement hits me like a ton of bricks every single time. Every piece has a story behind it, so when someone else appreciates the piece as well, oh gosh, it makes my day.

The piece pictured is the latest to sell. It was made before the sun rose. Hot coffee in front of me, tempting my paint brush to rinse itself as usual. I have an affinity for cottages and love the Scandinavian color palette (bright and muted in just the right places). Birdsong was playing from my iTunes and only two small lamps lit. Inspired by some photos as we traveled Norway in... well, it seems like another lifetime now. During the creation, my block-out ripped the paper. Although gutted, I tried fixing the piece with a 3-dimensional effect making the cottage removable. The result is wonderful. More to come!

This piece will continue its story in a new space and my heart is full.
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Latest Commission

19/3/2021

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The latest commission with the dearest birdbath in the garden. Really love the control and outcome of the washes for each of the tree spaces. The house is made of brick and stone, but I didn't want to add too many details as it would take away from the whole piece. Looks like a lovely and inviting home! Can't wait to see my client's faces when they see it in person.
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The Final 2020 Commission Reveal

28/12/2020

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Initial quick sketch of the building
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Final Painting
I'm pleased to reveal the final 2020 commission piece. It was the sole project for the last two months and I'm so incredibly pleased and proud of how it has come to life.

​I have to be honest – it was incredibly difficult to keep this commission a secret for so long. The piece was a Christmas gift and it had to be kept a secret as its for one of my amazing friends. During our last catch-up he mentioned wanting something for his house and I had to steer him into not buying something until "after Christmas". I'm not one to be devious so this was terribly difficult!
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Detail of the doorway
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Sketches for the building sign lettering
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Building sign lettering
I created some quick sketches of the building and some components as all photos of the building were seen at an angle, but I wanted the painting to be straight on. ​Starting with a light architectural sketch using vanishing points, the watercolors were applied in washes that became more and more detailed.
Many parts of the initial sketch were blocked out to retain vibrancy. The entire piece was finished with detailed watercolor and graphite to help create dimension and depth.

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Block out applied to the windows and door
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Final layers being applied
​My biggest struggle was the trees. I was afraid they would overtake the building. Keeping the foliage washes of primary colors without detail helps them become part of the building in a constructive way. This also allowed for the windows behind the foliage to peek through.

​The absolute best part of the process was working with the client. She was amazing, understanding, and supportive. We were in touch with progress every two weeks. And the recipient's message made the entire process complete. 
We love the painting so much! I can't wait to get it framed. I was totally surprised!!! It's gorgeous... It's literally so beautiful – your talent is amazing. 
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View from Belvoir Castle, a Landscape

22/10/2020

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We visited Belvoir Castle this past weekend. It is a family favorite. The home is so lovely and who doesn't love visiting a film set? (The Crown was filmed here!) We always end up with an arm load of future presents for the girls, goodies for a delicious meal, and one-of-a-kind loose leaf tea from the Engine Yard. As we drove into the car park, there is a rolling view of the fields below the castle that are magnificent. In an artist daze, I left my family and wandered towards the view snapping photos as I traveled. Don't worry, my husband is used to this by now :) Below is the first painting created the day afterwards.
Process picture of Original Watercolor by Ashley Stuart
The first ultramarine layer applied to create the basic shadows and skeleton of the painting.
A light sketch was drawn as a guide. Using ultramarine blue, I layered the first shapes and washes to create the basic shadows. Then I applied to lemon yellow to achieve the greens and highlights of the landscape. A small bit of cadmium red was last and only served as a highlight to the fields.
Details from an Original Watercolor by Ashley Stuart
The last of the washes applied before a final layer of ultramarine was painted.
Original Watercolor of the View from Belvoir Castle by Ashley Stuart
The final watercolor painting. I added the water in the foreground though it is not in the landscape at Belvoir Castle.
Paints:
Windsor & Newton Cotman 
Cadmium Red Pale Hue 103
Windsor & Newton Cotman Lemon Yellow Hue
Windsor & Newton Professional Ultramarine (Green Shade)
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Two Landscapes, Different Times

21/10/2020

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A sunrise and sunset landscape duo will be entered into the Peterborough City Gallery exhibition. I love watching the watercolor washes interact. New colors emerge and shapes are defined by saturation and transparency. One more painting to make for the exhibition and then will be submitting the last week of October. Exciting!!
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Fabrics, Decor + Wallpaper on Spoonflower.com

15/9/2020

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In addition to my paintings and collections, my watercolors can be found on fabrics, where you can make what you'd like, or homewares, decor, and wallpaper. I'll be updating this shop frequently and will release new patterns within The Collector community.
Visit Spoonflower Shop
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Studio: Wash Exploration

14/9/2020

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  • About
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