Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Okey, dokey, Maurice. I admit it. The plan failed.

Painting with watercolors, for me, has a big choke factor.
When I'm working in my sketch book on inexpensive paper
with no pressure except to play, I can come up with some
pretty loose and appealing material.

This is a study I did from instructions in Watercolor Artist
magazine on carving out lights by painting around them.

Then I go to expensive paper and start on something I hope to put up for sale.
I'm working on a picture of a guy fishing in a lake.
I start with the mountains in the background and lay in
an underpainting of color for the water.

I add the trees and more detail to the mountains.  I'm feeling pretty good
about it, but the next step is to wet the paper and drop in pigment to 
indicate the trees' reflections.  My timing is wrong plus I tried to
keep the purple of the mountains going with the green of the trees.
Long story short, the pigments spread too fast and the colors turned
to mud.  The more I tried to fix it, the worse it got.
I admit it.  The plan failed.

Back to the drawing board.  Same drawing.  This time no purple
to muck up the green.  This time I have the brilliant idea of
putting in the reflections first, then painting the trees to match
instead of the other way around.

I add the trees and more details.  I protect the fisherman
from the wet flow of paint by blocking him out with
liquid masking fluid.

I remove the masking and finish the painting.This time the plan worked!
The plan worked, Maurice!

20 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

how clever! and beautiful!!!

Sarah said...

Oh wow! How you do that I don't know. The water looks so real! The plan really did work! Beautiful work. Love the sketch book picture too.

Buttons Thoughts said...

I love it you fixed it perfect. I love hearing about the whole process I know nothing about watercolour I know a little about Litho print making as my brother is a Master printmaker but that is it.
It is beautiful. B

Susan said...

Very beautiful ... you've really captured a moment and so lovely to see the process - I LOVE seeing an artist's process. cheers, Susan & Gang

Jeannelle said...

Because I know nothing about painting a picture, seeing the steps is very interesting. Please do this again sometime!

Anzu said...

Wow! Wow! I admire your talent.
I'm surprised to know how to paint the beautiful picture from your lecture. However, difference between how to do and how I can do is a lot. ε=´Д`;

Debbie said...

you are so very talented!! in so many ways!!

susan m hinckley said...

Beautiful! Watercolor is a terrifying unknown medium for me, and this post did little to solve the mystery, I have to say. But way to un-choke! I live with someone who would really, really like to own that painting...

Linda Sue said...

Oh so that's how you do it! Hmmm let me try...I'll get back to you.

Linda Sue said...

You tricked- some measure of talent and skill is required! I made army green everything with black sticks poking out. Thanks for telling us how you do it but ...nope. You have magic in you!

Samantha said...

Absolute fascinating..and GORGEOUS finished result!

Carla said...

I don't know one thing about watercolors, except that they run. It's so interesting to me to learn something new. My daughter is working with pastels in her class right now. Not her favorite medium. :)

Your painting is beautiful!!! A glass blower once told me, "You have to be willing to fail or you can't call yourself a real artist."

Pearl said...

Oh, but I love it!

You're very talented. I'm a great admirer of artists...

Pearl

Linda Sue said...

Oh and i absolutely LOVE the first shot of your weeping fruit. Very cool!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous - the best bit for me is the rings of water around the fisherman - I haven't the least clue how you would do that!!!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Oh I enjoyed the step by step process..you are very talented! I took one painting class a long time ago..and one drawing class..I was so disappointed because all he had us do was look at objects and draw them without looking at the paper..I should have demanded a refund:(

The Weaver of Grass said...

I am struggling with drawing and painting as new skills to learn - and finding it very difficult, so it was interesting to read your comments - especially to see the photos.

Terry and Linda said...

Very beautiful! You are extremely talented, my friend!

Linda

snowwhite said...

It is very interesting to see how to make painting with watercolors. I was amazed and fascinated!! Especially I love the blur reflection of the trees in the river. So beautiful!!
Best wishes,
keiko

Deborah Moore said...

Brilliant, and a wonderful way to bring across a point. I feel the same way when I'm writing a story. It seems like the most inspired ideas are the ones that are ephemeral.