watercolour techniques - splattering and drawing with paint - and extra static pages added to the blog

A quick demo done for my class of splattering watercolour wet-in-wet and drawing through with the brush handle as a pen

One of my students, just starting watercolours, was doing some very heavy, one dimensional trees. This was a quick demo to encourage him to consider them as 3 dimenstional, with branches coming towards him as well as sideways :>) and to leave 'sky holes'; to consider colour variation, texture, light and shade and different intervals/areas of colour. It's very important not to let marks become same-y and standard sized.

Colours were splattered wet-in-wet by holding the paintbrush horizontally, only an inch or two above the paper and tapping it sharply with the forefinger of the same hand. This means the area that the drops land in is fairly controlled but with the lovely randomness of nature. 'Throwing' the brush Jackson Pollock style results in more directional marks - and more mess :>) and isn't always suitable for small paintings - though never say never in painting.

The 'wrong' end of the brush was used to drag the lines for the branches before the paint dried.

I've added a couple of static pages at last, something I've been meaning to do for ages. I thought I'd create some galleries of particular subjects ..... and who knows what else with time ? :>)

Comments

Sarah said…
Great stuff viv, love the static pages, I might do the same. It's good to see images on one subject all together.
So how much more fun did your student have splashing paint? It's a lovely technique I can see myself doing this down at the river.
The static pages are really interesting, great to see all the Cornish work together and the colours in the poppy at the top of the other page are delicious.
Robyn Sinclair said…
Excellent demo, Vivien. Makes me want to leap out and paint autumn trees. Congratulations on getting up your static pages too - I've been meaning to. Now you've inspired me. :)
vivien said…
mmm I'll look forward to seeing all these static pages done :>)

Yep they enjoyed the splashing!

Today was working in acrylic and oil pastel much more thickly but I have to photograph it and the camera battery is flat.
All it takes is a bit of confidence (which you obviously have in buckets, and the student has yet to find). I can imagine the students saying to themselves - BRILLIANT, I can do that!
Then your work is done!!!!
Well done.
vivien said…
oh David I wish I did have confidence in buckets!!!!!!!!

I'm loving the sketches you've done recently
Lunar Hine said…
Hi. Just found you through Nicki Paints.
I've been put off watercolour by endless very careful paintings of pastel flower arrangements, but this looks so much fun!
Thanks for the inspiration.
vivien said…
Hi Lunar - oh no! watercolour can be dynamic and gorgeous too - take a look at Sarah's work, I have a link to it in my side bar. She's a master of watercolour (comment of hers above too)

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