Watercolour lessons (on Duncan's 22nd Birthday)

One of my happy times during the hard times when Arta was sick (back in 2021) was having Wyona give watercolour lessons to Bonnie, Duncan and me.  When we would ask her for more help, she would just say, "Go online!  you can find so many lessons there!"   Fine.   But what I wanted was Wyona as my personal tutor.  Damn her, for having her own life and her own obligations that come ahead of my needs!  :-).   So, I finally did just give up, and sign up for some online lessons (Scott Swinton, if anyone is wondering).   And Wyona was right.  I am loving the online lessons.  

Today was Duncan's 22nd birthday.   The two of us set ourselves up at the table to do art:  him working on Warhammer figurines, me working on watercolour.

The kitchen table transformed to art studio for two!

Today's lesson was a simple landscape using only two colours (cobalt blue; and a mix of cobablt blue and red).   Because I am a sucker for process, here is the painting at each step of the process (that is, how got from bare paper, to a painting I am happy with).

First, tape down and thoroughly wet the paper, and then add some sweeps of both colours for the sky.  Use a tissue to swipe through the paint before to give the effect of rain falling.  Dry.

Then, lightly sketch in the line of a mountain, and fill it in the with blue/red mix (and lots of water).  Dry.

Mark off a horizon line (with tape) to create the space of a lake, and use a damp brush to lift off pigment to create the feeling of waves and reflections on the water.   Dry.

Using a fan brush, create a swoop across the lower corner, to create the sense of a grassy foreground.  Again, use a tissue to swipe off some of the paint to create a sense of light breaking across the grasses.   Dry.

 

And then.... working slowly and carefully, remove the tape (without ripping the paper).  Ta da!

And since I still had paintbrushes full of pigment, I followed the instructor's advice to just try another copy!  Here it is!

What is so interesting about the process is that I can totally see all the places where it is not quite what I wanted, but I am also starting to see why it is not what I wanted.  Or rather, I am starting to better see what people say when they tell you to pay attention to the 'water' in the water colour.  hahah.  Such an interesting lesson in learning where you can keep working, and where you need to stop.  And I do love the 'transient' nature of it (water and paper... not as serious as canvas and oil/acryllic).  It seems somehow less demanding, and more .... I don't know.... inviting?  

Just so I can keep track of the process, here are the other pieces I completed today.  This one was a "10 stroke painting".  The goal was to do an entire piece using only 10 brushstrokes!   I put this lesson off for a long time (I kept watching the video, but it made me nervous to try).  Finally, reminding myself that it was an 'exercise', I just went for it. Six sweeps of cobablt blue; 3 of cobalt blue/red blend; 1 of yellow ocher.   All on wet paper.  And then, once done, I couldn't figure out what had made me so nervous.  I really loved just letting the sweep of brush and pigment do what it was going to do.  :-)

Two weeks ago, the module ended with a little landscape to apply the techniques we had been practicing (of graded washes).   I set myself up to do four of them instead of just one (why not... more chances to practice!)

After it was finished, I cut them up into small pieces that i can use as postcards (helping me to feel more relaxed about mistakes and imperfections... the pieces can just carry other messages off into the universe!)

This week, I tried the lesson again, but seeing if i could change the sky from a blue one to one with more purple tones.  Here was the result:

When I compare the first to the second set, I can see why the instructor had us working with the more restricted colours (the first version is more 'coherent' in some way).  Still, it was fun branching out and trying something different (in part so I can practice, and start 'seeing' how and why i might pick out different colours, or use less water, or take more time, or move more quickly).   And fun to do that with pigment and water on paper, rather than words on paper!   I love the moment when the tape comes off, and the pieces are cut apart.   

Possibly coming soon to a mailbox near you?

And thus, my report on Duncan's 22nd birthday!  Happy birthday to Duncan!   And happy birthing day to me!  Because lets be honest..... given that I am the one who did all the hard work on his day of birthing, it has always seemed to me that really his birthday should be a celebration of me, no? [Steve reminds me that the birthing day was a bit of a workout for him too.  That made me smile.   It is true... after 'procastinating' for an unbearable number of hours, Duncan came rushing into the world so fast, and Steve's hands were just waiting there to catch him!  Duncan says 'Nothing has changed!  Still the same mixture of procrastination followed by a panicked racing forward']