I decided to try what Linda describes, on Vulture Peak Muse, as her method for starting some watercolors. Wet the paper here and there, drop in some color, see what happens, react to it, etc. Follow where it leads. I usually start with lines that suggest forms, here the forms suggest themselves without lines. I only got to work about 15 minutes on this - busy day today on other things - but I'm looking forward to my next bit of time with it.I wonder how Emil Nolde worked - did he start with the form and then add the colors? Or did he work directly with color first and then define the forms that emerged. I'd bet the latter mostly, but I would LOVE to have seen him work. Since his work was strictly forbidden, and he painted most of his watercolors in secret, in fear for his life since the Nazi's had declared him a "degenerate" artist, I doubt much of anyone saw him paint.
I'm using an Arches watercolor block (pages glued together like a pad, but on all four sides except a half inch space at the top, to help you separate a page when you're done). It doesn't keep the paper quite as flat and smooth as my stretching method, and it wouldn't work for larger pages, but it seems OK for now on this size (31 x 41 cm - about 12 x 16 inches). It's my favorite - hot press. So no texture to interfere with the jewel like clarity of the colors.
This is my contribution for AEDM 28.
And now to sleep. Probably only a little art tomorrow, as well. Family in town, and having holidays early.
7 comments:
I like it. Looking forward to seeing what it turns into.
Abstractly speaking I see a woman bending over to smell the flower, or maybe she is a flower also? It's fun just to imagine. I too look forward to your post tomorrow! :o)
you have a good thing going but it's much too early for me to say much else but good morning...be back later maybe..love the colors and happy to see you trying it my way...wow
well, now I'm back later, awake and looking at your paper right now and LOVE your choice of colors you threw on there, thinking there's something wonderful in there for you--the lime green yellow and magenta violet blue is particularly interesting with my favorite orange...I am "almost" inspired to start one of my own besides everything else "in progress"!
happiness...
I meant to say something about your artist choice today, Emil Nolde...I enjoy this as I know practically nothing about these artists you introduce us to on your blog...I was looking hard at his work, some sense of "bleak" there , understandably, and I think he had an idea in his head but put down the color on wet first and then proceeded....too impatient for the planning or maybe, had to be fast at getting it onto the paper....intriguing and also very sad!
i love working in this way. i don't always start this way, but i enjoy the process of starting and then responding to what i see. it makes for an intuitive process and allows subconscious ideas to spring forth.
hope you had a great time with family!!
Jul - Thanks! We'll see.
Carol - with more done (later post) I wonder if you still see the woman?
Linda - Thanks! Emil Nolde's life was very sad. His work wasn't, though - that's something I find inspiring.
Leah - we did - too much for us, I think, but it was a good time.
Post a Comment