Latest posts by michael wilson (see all)
- JORDAN RIVER - February 5, 2019
- Inspired Art - August 2, 2018
- Waiting for Inspiration - July 31, 2018
- The Bridge between Painting and Photography - July 31, 2018
There is no better two-dimensional medium for showing the wonderful effects of sunlight, than watercolor. We have only to look at Singer Sargent’s playful watercolors painted out of doors to realize how delightful bright sunlight can be. Oils do not render the spontaneous capricious character of sunlight nearly as well as watercolor.
So then, why have we been told that watercolors need to be painted fast? New students chafe at having no time! The water is drying as we speak, on the paper! Well, it simply is not necessary to paint watercolors with any degree of forced activity. Only the highly sophisticated and may I say snobbish, stress out over overlapping watermarks as if some sin has been woefully committed. To escape this boorish attitude to the fine art of watercolor begin to see your work existing in quadrants, in distinct areas and work in that one area before moving to the next. To enhance the play of pigment, pre-wet that particular area only and add the painted design or affect gradually, thoughtfully as the wetness slowly absorbs in to the paper. Even after the wetness is absorbed I come back often with opaque details that still blend and fuse with the more shaded hues behind.
Broad washes, yes. Large heavy paper, yes. But for now buy cheaper paper, cut it in half and begin to work in sections. Little by little you will see patterns emerging related to this one, first section. It is in this way that the painting develops. Sections though painted by themselves are integrated in to adjoining spaces. The saturated paper often leads to some fascinating effects that blend all of supposed independent sections together in one unified whole. And if a certain cohesiveness is lost, by looking you will see many very excellent passages. In time and following multiple experiments, that balanced cohesive watercolor full of light and brightness will mysteriously emerge. I have been painting watercolors on and off for forty-five years. After producing five or six I will hit on something that strikes me as fresh, bright and cohesive. It is not over-worked. The various areas are entirely unified with all other sections. The effect is a harmonious statement which is succinct and accurate and authentic. The idea that painting watercolors must be done in great, broad sweeps is ridiculous. I have a wonderful edition of architectural watercolors, in color and one quickly realizes that slow, careful workmanship will lead to a beautiful effect- buildings bathed carefully and wonderfully in evening sunlight. This is not my style but proves the point.pain