Well here we are. Well, here I am, captured by my photographer man whilst reviving an ancient love of mine. Pete has decided to take up his photography again and I’m thrilled. He’s amazing. I decided that to help him by not waiting impatiently for him to take the photo, for heaven’s sake, I needed to do something of my own when out on our image seeking. Watercolor. It’s hard to say how excited I am. Whilst the world turns and feels to sway from one catastrophe to another, I can breathe and renew. I found a fabulous Windsor and Newton Field Set of 14 ½ size paint pots in a small case laid out with room to mix paints and space to put some water. I got heavy watercolor paper in a pad glued at the edges so that when I wet the paper to start painting, the paper doesn’t wrinkle or shrink back at the sides. This means that I don’t have to prep before I go out (masking taping the paper to a drawing board first). All I need is my usual water bottle, my pad, my box of paint and the fabulous brush that came with the kit. I can go anywhere. This sounds a little duh, but you have to understand the time it takes to set up for oil painting and to clean up afterwards to appreciate the contrast. I need an hour each studio session just to open and close any painting moments I have. Now, I can sit down, take five minutes each side and hey presto, I’m painting. Delighted I am. Delighted.
In the pic, I’m sitting on a car rug on a log being kept company by a few ants and sheltered by the Eucalypts. The oil filled air is heaven to breathe and deeply restful. I rekindled my watery skies, layers of light to dark, transparent v opaque. The formal rule of watercolor painting is to never add white, but to leave the paper as the white. It’s a wonderful discipline to paint shadows not shapes and to let the objects emerge. My newsletter will have more pictures of the set up and a hint of the emerging woodland 😊
Happy E. Just saying.
