Day 4 - World Watercolor Month - Red White And Blue Strawberries Blueberries Dessert - #doodlewash
By Charlie

World Watercolor Month – Day 4 – Red, White And Blue

Written by Charlie O'Shields

Since today’s prompt was perfectly fitting to celebrate the 4th of July here in America today, I’ve made some red, white, and blue dessert. Well, in watercolor, of course, as any attempt to make an actual dessert, with my complete lack of kitchen skills, would produce rather unappetizing results. What’s not been fitting today is the weather here, which has been a bit rainy and gloomy. We’ve hidden inside much of the day being blissfully lazy and doing not much at all. In the end, it’s actually been a rather wonderful day after all. As a kid, I would be nearly losing my mind at this point, wanting it to get dark so I could set off fireworks. After being told kids shouldn’t play with fire, somehow it was okay once a year. I liked those little sticks best, called sparklers, which seemed almost magical. We’d have a blast whipping them around to create shapes and words in the air, all while trying to avoid getting severe burns. Ah, the joys of childhood!

Another less fiery option for celebrating this day here as a kid were bang snaps. These are little white pouches that you could fling at the ground to make a satisfying bang. Of course, kids being kids, the immediate reaction was to fling them at each other instead. They were the only things I can recall that didn’t require a match or a lighter, but they were still rather fun. Another fave was black snakes which were little pucks that you lit and watched as an angry snake appeared and then fell away into ashes. Super fun! I also remember our driveway was completely covered in bits of junk and debris by the end of the celebration. It looked more like the foundation where a house had been standing before it was carried off in a tornado. A total mess. But making a mess was all part of the fun of childhood. It didn’t matter if everything was in its perfect place, as making mistakes and making things up as you went along was what made life perfectly wonderful.

For those of you reading my full posts (hey thanks!), I once again have some more awesomeness to give away! Today, I have Cheap Joe’s American Journey Top 10 Color Sample Sets for you. The first 10 people who add “I love Cheap Joe’s” to their comment below (be sure to comment directly on doodlewash.com) will receive one! Again, there are some limitations on shipping so apologies in advance if we can’t ship to your location. It’s been so cool being able to give away art supplies this year to really make the month fun! And also, be sure to please, please donate to The Dreaming Zebra Foundation to help get art supplies for underprivileged kids who need them! (yep, our sponsors are donating supplies as well!) There’s also a couple giveaways running now, so if you missed the posts on social for those, you can find links in the sidebar of this site (please check the rules first to see if you’re eligible as not all sponsors can ship to all locations). And most of all, I hope you’re all having a blast painting each and every day! We’re making this world more beautiful, with each color we paint!

Join Us For WORLD WATERCOLOR MONTH in July by tagging
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About the Doodlewash

M. Graham Watercolors: Pyrrol Red, Gamboge, Quinacridone Gold, Azo Orange, Burnt Sienna, and Ultramarine Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A6 Hahnemühle Watercolor Book.
  Day 4 - World Watercolor Month - Red White And Blue Strawberries Blueberries Dessert - #doodlewash

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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47 thoughts on “World Watercolor Month – Day 4 – Red, White And Blue”

  2. I love Cheap Joe’s. They are one of my favorite art stores. I also love their paints. Wonderful dessert painting today! Looks yummy1

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  5. I’ve had strawberry shortcake (albeit without blueberries) and always love it. I haven’t tried CHeap Joes, but once I do I’m sure I’ll say “I love Cheap Joe’s”!

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  7. I love Cheap Joe’s. I am an avid customer of theirs. I also love your dessert, Charlie. Especially the amount of calories in it 😜

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  8. That dessert looks soooo good! I’m loving these giveaways! Can you tell I love games and challenges?!?!! 🙂 You are the best Charlie O! This is so fun!

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    1. Your posts do make me laugh and they sure do bring back forgotten memories! I was always afraid of fireworks but my older brother wasn’t and I had forgotten about all the debris left on the driveway or that my dad use to give us yard duty the next day picking up all the debris flung everywhere. And hey, would you look at that, I just squeezed as #10 🙂

      Reply

  12. Charlie, that cake is awesomely good! Looks so sweet and colorful! Thanks for sharing what it’s like to celebrate July 4th. I love cheap joe’s and i hope I could try their paints!

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  13. I think I’m late but I love Cheap Joes, too. 🙂 And you watercolors – do you realize how much you have improved – not that you didn’t already have good painting skills – just that you are even better! Very inspiring!

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    1. Aww, that’s the sweet compliment ever, Lora!! Thanks so much! 😊💕 I guess all the daily painting pays off then! Glad you think so! And yep… you just missed the samples today, but check back each day this month!!

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  16. Snaps, sparklers, and snakes for us in the late 60s and early 70s. Bigger fireworks are a bit scary to me, unless it is a professional display. I’d much rather celebrate with a slice of this lovely dessert :). I know I am late again but that’s okay – I love cheap joe’s, jerry’s artarama, blick, and plaza art! Happy 4th, Charlie!!

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  18. I love Dick Blick – OK, I realize this isn’t the give away but I just had to be weird! After all, I just finished my weird bird for tomorrow’s post so I’m in a weird mood! Lol! 😄 I’d also like to slice of your dessert! Yum! 🍰 And YAY for the red, white and blue! 🇺🇸❤

    Reply

  19. July fourth is a big day around this house. My husband’s photo is huge on front page of local section of our newspaper – his Uncle Sam on Snoopy’s Biplane float is an icon of the city’s 4th of July parade. So that’s his contribution. Mine is deviled eggs – secret recipe – and fresh fruit salad. Now you know why I didn’t even turn on my computer yesterday. But celebration is not temporary – it can live forever in our hearts. Happy Independence Day to everyone at Doodlewash. (That includes you, Phineas.)

    And I’m late late late but I still love Cheap Joe’s.

    Reply

    1. Yeah, the samples went quick today! But glad to know you’re a Cheap Joe’s fan as well, Sharon. And WOW! I LOVE your story! 😍 That sounds awesome… cool that he made the front page! I love deviled eggs… hmmm… secret recipe eh? yep… the same in my family! hehe

      Reply

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