My first foray into watercolours after decades was huge fun. I just didn’t know where to start as I had no references, so I made up a scene. I really wanted to paint some sort of landscape so I had to make it up so who knows what type of tree this is as I certainly don’t recognise it, nor do I recognise the terrain from any of my travels. A pastiche of sorts, I suppose. I can see so many mistakes, especially with the composition. I should have brought the top branches and leaves forward more, but I am not perturbed about them at all and I just love the way watercolour dries immediately. This instant drying of the substance was quite a shock and I had to stop putting so much gouache on the tray - rather reminiscent of acrylics. A change of pace was what I needed and I think if I can keep up with a couple of sketches during the week, I will feel that I am progressing with my art. I am only painting on weekends and it does take some warming up on a Saturday morning to get into the swing of things and feel as though the process is seamless. It isn’t seamless, so I need to do more during the week. This is such a basic work, I hesitate to post it, but I promised myself. Now, I'm on to start, and hopefully finish, a long-outstanding charcoal sketch project that has been languishing in the corner of my mind.
"Imaginary Landscape with Tree" Watercolour & Gouache on Paper - 11" x 11" (Approx.)
8 comments:
Hey cool. I'm scared to death of WC. You are most adventurous! I can see echoes of your oil technique in it.
Thanks Charlotte. It felt a bit wussy at first but I got the hang of 'something' that worked early on. I have a 'technique'? Good, that means things are developing. Ta.
Charlotte - another point - is WC not very like acrylic when it's thinned out? I felt that a bit today with the quick drying.
I don't know what Gouache is??? can you paint a light color over a dark color with it? The watercolor I'm familiar with is absolutely dark over light, so you have to plan plan plan, a thing I have no knowledge of....when I inspect your painting it looks as if you have painted light over some dark??? anyway, YES, you have a technique LOL
Gouache is watercolour but opaque, not transparent, so they do remind me of acrylics. They come in tubes only, and you can mix them with water to create washes. Fabulous for dark areas and highlights. Yes, I have painted light over dark e.g. leaves. I'm using traditional watercolour as well in this work. Having fun I tellya!
Anne, I think this is lovely. It reminds me of a children's book illustration. Told you you'd do well with the watercolor!
Well now you have almost tempted me to drag through my cupboard and find my waterclours. I put them away was never very good at tehm but I think maybe till the pain goes I could at least have go. I am amazed at that tree trunk it is so life like.
Thanks Ralph - yes, give it a go - it has many pleasant surprises. One of them being that it dries almost immediately and more paintings can be churned off the "conveyor belt"!
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