May 10,2010

Finally got to the studio today and started a series of full size watercolors. I wanted to do animals as usual but I wanted to use watercolor and create a colorful background for the animals. I want to finish at least 6 large watercolors to have matted and framed for the June venue at the bookstore. I have been struggling with the watercolors and was not sure what I wanted to do. I used to do watercolors many years ago that had lovely transparent color and I have such a heavier hand after woring in oils for so long! And I tend to want to experiment with the color and using things to create texture etc. I started these 2 last week by using 300lb. hot press watercolor paper , spraying it with water then adding washes of a base color which I added 1 to two other complementary colors to create an abstracted horizon line and field of color and texture. Using plastic wrap on the "ground" then going back in today with drops of color, some stenciling, salt and water spray to break the horizon and create some active background to the the animals that I am adding. I am not finished with the animals and am weighing using color ink to delineate the animals in an oriental way or just using more opaque paint to give the animals finish details. But here are my efforts so far.