Watercolor Wed.12

I’m pushing a little farther into watercolor world with a figure + back round.  While I’m not absolutely thrilled with the outcome, I’m sort of pleased that I’m getting braver with the medium. Frankly, there are still a few stumbling blocks for me.

Over -noodling is certainly a problem . I sometimes don’t know when to leave well enough alone. Case in point is the water. I’ve no experience with watercolor water, so it’s a real challenge.

I also tried a touch of liquid frisket on the leaves of the weeds to try and create a little dimension. Eh-I’ve a long way to go if I choose to move into serious watercolor landscape. And while I know that I should make it my next big challenge, I have trouble finding landscape painting as exciting as painting faces and figures. I’ll be fighting that one out with myself. Don’t know if landscapes will win;)

Watercolor Wed. 8

As a portrait painter, my new challenge in watercolor is to quickly capture a natural  likeness.

When I work in oils, the process is forgiving, because I am able to walk away, reevaluate, and layer corrections to please both myself and the client.   The loose watercolor portraits of sisters above, were executed very quickly.  And because they were not commissioned work, I had the freedom to get very close to the likeness I’m always after, without worrying about nailing a likeness.  The upside is that with watercolor, the paintings are quick, and I can make many.  I’m hoping that in a relatively short amount of work time, if I paint several watercolors of a subject, I will be able to yield at least one likeness that will hit. We’ll see;)

Watercolor Wed. 7

Another watercolor portrait, really quick and loose.

Watercolor Wed.

Watercolor & Sepia ink w/crow quill nib on Strathmore Windpower Watercolor Pad                                                   Attempt #1

It’s no secret that watercolor is not my thing.  It evades me, it makes me crazy.  There are no backsies in watercolor.  I’ve worked with silk dyes and gutta, and made it work, even though there are no opportunities to fix mistakes with opacities in that medium.  BUT, I can’t seem to make watercolor really work for me:

*I want to take advantage of the energy and spontaneity of watercolor-the flexibility within bounds.

*I’m familiar with all of the cool techniques, and know how to apply them…but..I certainly haven’t mastered them.

*Some of my favorite illustrators wield a watercolor brush with an expertise that I dearly envy.  I want to do some of what they can do.

*In addition, the universe has gifted me with a bulk of watercolor paint and paper. Thank you Frieda and Sue.

So, it’s time.  I’m committing myself to tackling watercolor-sketches only mind you, at least until I leach the watercolor envy out of my system, or run short of supplies, whichever comes first:)

Anybody else share a love/hate with watercolor?             All you watercolorists, help, is welcome:)