Painting, drawing, films, stories, travel and other odds and ends
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This paper, which is not truly a self-described watercolour paper, becomes slightly bothered and worn after being touched by about three brush touches or washes.
It's on 200 gsm Canson paper.
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Still life really is an excellent way of experimenting with art materials as well as thoughts: you work patiently in your studio, or wherever, hassle free. The elements don't trouble you and the motif doesn't change too much over a few hours.
The sort of still life that interests me is usually quite personal. It's about the stuff lying around where I live: a kind of private documentation.
I love many types of objects especially boxes, seeds, coins, bowls and books. I prefer objects which have a certain solidity and a clear geometry to them: eggs are wonderful. I do also like coloured fabrics, however...
I am not fond of fluffiness. I usually find dolls unpleasant. Also, I generally do not like cuteness, as is often seen little porcelain figures.
I like the notion that any meanings that might issue from the objects depicted, and their relations, might unconsciously. I'm not excited by the formalised arrangements of objects with their standardised symbolism that came to dominate the European tradition: the skulls, wine bottles, candles and so forth.
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This is on a heavier Canson paper- 200 gsm. I feel that i am getting the hang of this: having a larger (almost A3) paper means I have more space for gestural effects and that I don't overwork the painting.
Tomorrow, I'm going to go up to A3 and see what happens. I hope the sun shines as that (obviously!) makes the paint dry faster and allows easier layering.
I feel that watercolour necessitates a kind of understanding an patience with the medium that isn't required in oils, where one can make mistakes with impunity, as the paint can always be scraped off.
I'm not sure about the but at the top centre: it seems a bit messy to me.
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This one is a little dense, and a bit bigger than the watercolour previous. It's on a light, 90 gsm paper.
I will next work on a larger sheet and try to leave more un-detailed spaces.
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This is on light, 90 gsm paper, which I stretched using masking tape- the paper has warped a little, but I think it is okay.
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This is the first watercolour I have done for many years- perhaps as many as twenty. I'm looking forward to painting with watercolours in Colombia and Ecuador.
Oils are so cumbersome in comparison, and the cleaning of brushes and the drying of paint is always an issue when you are travelling.
It's delightful to return, this time with another perspective, one which is more accepting of the medium's qualities- especially it's lightness.
I need to find a bigger sheets of paper: I want to use washes.
This paper is 250 gsm. I think this is probably the minimum weight not to have buckling. It's a pity how expensive the good papers are.
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