Monday, June 13, 2011

Experimental Matters


Its well known that I like to be in control - or rather that I don't like to be out of control. So watercolours always pose a considerable challenge to me as it seems like there is zero control with this medium! I definitely am not yet in a place to do massive washes and then just work with what appears but I did allow a dribble of paint from this tomato without totally freaking out!



Back on my windowsill and sketching in the other direction.



Lazy Monday holiday watching television.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Anita, why on earth do we paint in a medium that just wants to go absolutely everywhere but where we want it to go?

Speaking of window sills, I was painting one of mine yesterday. Hmmm, not as enjoyable an experience or as beautiful a result as your sill painting :)

Anita said...

Michael - it's probably why I have avoided watercolour for so long! Determined to give it a go now.

Unknown said...

Anita - just enjoy it! If you don't it will show - watercolour is the worst medium for showing lack of enthusiasm but is also so rewarding when you have it under your control. I think Ron Ranson said "Be prepared to waste lots of perfectly good paper"! I use both sides of cheap 100 sheet blocks of Goldline 90lb paper :)

Unknown said...

Also, I felt the same about charcoal but once I'd 'kind of' mastered it, I couldn't believe I'd avoided it for so long! That was worth the effort for me and I think it will be the same for you with watercolour. Have fun :-)

JANE MINTER said...

anita the tomato looks excellent !

Anita said...

Wow, Jane - Mistress of Watercolour - thank you!!!!

Stacy said...

The secret to controlling watercolor is painting on dry paper. You lose some of the wonderful things watercolor does on its own, but it doesn't go anywhere you don't want it to. The trick is to master both - painting on wet paper and dry paper.