"Notice" (draft 2)

(draft 2)

Since I explained the quote in the first draft, I will not repeat it again today. The final will be posted tomorrow with the quote written in white to the left of the feather. The values are the biggest change since yesterday.

It is a temptation in watercolor to keep the values on the light side and have that extreme "watercolor" look as in the first posting. However, it is the range of values that brings a piece together. If everything is too much at one end of the gray scale, then the piece falls short of having balanced visual weight. It was a bit scary, but I did (4) separate glazes over the darkest area in this piece...losing one edge with a brush dipped in water.

You can clearly see today that the masking fluid used in the second layer never gets completely lost, even under the darkest areas. In fact, those areas can look luminous after they're glazed with a dark tint. The only area that remained virtually untouched with the exception of one and then another partial glaze is the shape to the right of the feather.

In looking back at some of my earliest work in the first year of blogging, I realized that I habitually like to create shapes using a "plaid" pattern approach. By using different sized brushes and creating bands of color from edge to edge in both directions, many shapes are created...with a range of rectangular shapes.

And this is what it is interesting about every artist. Each one has their own habitual marks that seem to crop up in any style or medium. It might be a fun exercise to look at all of your work together and see what habitual marks keep showing up. It definitely will give you an insight into your own personal voice. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

"Destination" (sold)

"Choices determine destination." This can be an exhilarating and terrifying thought at the same time. It is true that we all make choices that take us down a particular path. We need to make sure it's the right one.

This piece marks a return to a gesso layering technique that creates a mysterious "veiled" effect. It is very satisfying to do and requires a reaction to what is going on as you work far more than other techniques. It is important to continue realizing that paintings are made up of shapes.  The shapes in this piece were created with many layers, alternating between gesso and washes of gouache and lettering.  (I also sprayed the paper and prepared it to receive the next layer with diluted gel matte medium three separate times.)

I deliberately kept the color subdued, but also paid attention to the values which led to the olive green connecting to the edge from top to bottom in an erratic sort of line. Edge to edge creates a division of the entire design space right off the bat and is a very important part of having a good foundation to the painting. And it doesn't need to even be as prominent as I made it in this piece, but there needs to be a division created by color, line, or different shapes.

Another design decision that goes well with gesso is all of the pencil lines. All of the lettering in this piece was written with a normal .05 mechanical pencil sharpened on a sandpaper block. It is also good to hold the pencil vertically. If you are holding it at a slant, you are not writing with the sharpest point of the pencil. Just a few more things to think about.

"Caliente" (unavailable)

(unavailable......in the permanent collection of dee day)






This particular color combination is fresh and exciting because it's a new twist on an old favorite. Red and green are the two most recognized complementaries on the color wheel. What you see here is a derivative of this classic favorite. Enjoy this "colorist" piece and these "hot" (caliente) colors!

As I have mentioned numerous times on my blog, most of my pieces, after the first month of blogging, begin with paste paper. (Recipes of this paste can be found if you google "paste paper".) After making your paste, the next step is to mix some of the paste with a portion of acrylic paint or any other water media or powdered pigments. I use Golden Acrylics with an ocassional tube of Liquitex. The advantage of paste paper are the textures that can be created in the paste before it dries.

The "hot" red in this piece was created with Napthol Red, Cadmium Orange, and a bit of Raw Umber and White. The green was created with Green Gold plus a bit of Raw Umber and White. If you also want some of the olive green, just add more Raw Umber and leave the white out. Color is an exciting thing to experiment with and playing around with it by referring to a color wheel is a great first step.

The gestural writing was written with Perylene Violet Gouache (WN). It's an excellent choice rather than always going for black or brown, especially when using a "hot" combination like this. Just something to think about.

"Paradise" (unavailable)

(unavailable)

So often we think a planned trip to a "cool" place is paradise. (In this Texas heat wave, that's probably true!)  But a deeper truth is realizing that any place where mind and body can relax is called paradise. This thought gives a new appreciation for that favorite chair, patio, or porch setting where you enjoy relaxing on a daily basis.

There are numerous ways to portray an image or establish a mood. An artist has the option of going completely abstract or completely real or some combination of the two. I enjoy bouncing back and forth with different combinations of the two. It could actually be said that even a photograph is abstract because the viewer is seeing a flattened image of what they would see if they had the opportunity to view the real thing.

In this piece, there were lovely textures in the background. The decision to let the greens and blues represent trees and water was an easy one. And even though the lawn chair image looks real, there are only two values represented...actual hue and slightly darker hue. A more realistic image would have midtones, direct light, reflected light, etc.

This piece makes the case for gouache if you want a solid matte coverage of color. It is the best choice. Even acrylics and oils will not give you this kind of coverage with one coat. This is also the reason why it is the best choice for lettering. If you have not used gouache (opaque watercolor) for lettering, there is a simple way to achieve the right proportion of water. Mix enough water to achieve the consistency of melted ice cream. You might also want to add a drop of gum arabic. Test it by writing with it. If it doesn't flow from the pen, add more water. If it's too thin, add more gouache. Try painting and writing with gouache on a regular basis and you will soon see for yourself what a treasure it is.

Winsor Newton Gouache is reliable and can be found in most art stores. However, M. Graham & Co. makes a superior gouache. It must be ordered from Paper & Ink Arts (www.paperinkarts.com)