I have become addicted to One Hundred Washes, a blog created by Maggie Latham to challenge the participants to practice watercolor washes. If you love watercolor, you will fall in love with the work being done there.
There was one painting done by Jane Minter on there that just blew me away. Washes of color and salt...no, not the usual salt for salt's sake type of thing but using salt as a medium to make the pigment shape itself into....well, go over and see it and you'll know (http://onehundredwashes.blogspot.com/2011/01/wash-30.html).
And I wanted to try it. So I did.
NOT as easy as Jane made it look!
Here is my feeble attempt and, at this stage, it actually looked pretty good. Using cerulean on the right side (paper still very damp and rumpled) with Indigo on the left side and a touch of raw sienna and quin burnt orange in the middle.
But I couldn't leave it alone.
So I worked a bit more and came up with this.
I wanted the center piece to look like sand that was being uncovered a bit by the rolling waves. Not sure I accomplished that.
Now go back to Jane's version and see how it should be done :) And spend some time pondering the beautiful work done on the blog - it's what watercolor is all about.
And thanks so much for all the birthday wishes you sent yesterday! My Sweetie brought home not one but THREE different versions of brownies with various icings and other delicious ingredients - he does know what I like! ha ha I got plenty of chocolate and flowers and a beautiful card...and a check for whatever else I wanted but didn't get plus a couple of art books coming soon AND
this beautiful mermaid's purse created by Jeanette Jobson. It's made from a soft wood, painted in watercolor and then varnished with a lovely sea biscuit on top with a leather string. She included 2 whelk shells from her home in Newfoundland (also painted and varnished). It's not to be used but couldn't you see a mermaid having this for her little bag of goodies when she steps onto land and becomes a human for a while? It will have a place on my bookcase in the living room as a reminder of the days of sea and sand...
There was one painting done by Jane Minter on there that just blew me away. Washes of color and salt...no, not the usual salt for salt's sake type of thing but using salt as a medium to make the pigment shape itself into....well, go over and see it and you'll know (http://onehundredwashes.blogspot.com/2011/01/wash-30.html).
And I wanted to try it. So I did.
NOT as easy as Jane made it look!
Here is my feeble attempt and, at this stage, it actually looked pretty good. Using cerulean on the right side (paper still very damp and rumpled) with Indigo on the left side and a touch of raw sienna and quin burnt orange in the middle.
But I couldn't leave it alone.
So I worked a bit more and came up with this.
I wanted the center piece to look like sand that was being uncovered a bit by the rolling waves. Not sure I accomplished that.
Now go back to Jane's version and see how it should be done :) And spend some time pondering the beautiful work done on the blog - it's what watercolor is all about.
And thanks so much for all the birthday wishes you sent yesterday! My Sweetie brought home not one but THREE different versions of brownies with various icings and other delicious ingredients - he does know what I like! ha ha I got plenty of chocolate and flowers and a beautiful card...and a check for whatever else I wanted but didn't get plus a couple of art books coming soon AND
this beautiful mermaid's purse created by Jeanette Jobson. It's made from a soft wood, painted in watercolor and then varnished with a lovely sea biscuit on top with a leather string. She included 2 whelk shells from her home in Newfoundland (also painted and varnished). It's not to be used but couldn't you see a mermaid having this for her little bag of goodies when she steps onto land and becomes a human for a while? It will have a place on my bookcase in the living room as a reminder of the days of sea and sand...
24 comments:
Cute pic, Rhonda. So tickled you had a wonderful birthday. Are you on chocolate overdrive? Gorgeous purse too, talented artist that created it.
Brava Rhonda! Your attempt with salt went really well. The first one is beautiful, but I know , it is not always easy to stop at the right moment. Glad to know , that after all you had a nice birthday.
I like what you have done with that wash! Jeanette's purse is absolutely wonderful! Enjoy!
A belated happy birthday Rhonda. It sounds like you're stocked up with chocolate and goodies there. I'm glad the Mermaid's purse will provide pleasure.
Your rendition of salt and watercolour looks lovely. It reminds me a bit of that image you were working on of Morning Glory at Yellowstone? The colours and crystallization could work well in that instance.
I too am addicted to 100 washes ,,,I just love seeing what they come up with....always something to admire,,,and your version is stunning too. Next they´ll be hiring you over there:)
ooo happy belated b-day too....ugh, all that chocolate. That is enough to give me a headache just reading about all the various brownie assortments.
How do you feel today with that choco hangover?
Thanks Ann - isn't that creation of Jeanette's just great?
Jane, thanks! Yes, knowing when to just STOP is a failing of mine - some day I hope to crush that need to just fiddle a little more :)
Christiane, thanks. I love that purse - it even has sayings about the sea written on the sides.
Thanks, Jeanette, I think I can put enough chocolates in the purse to get me through the day :) ha ha
Hmmm...the morning glory pool - that's a good idea (although I didn't use any salt on that, I used a lot of granulating colors and that may be the way to go with this, too).
Cynnie, you don't like chocolate? Or you like it and it gives you a headache? I'm doing fine so far but won't push my luck (we ate half of the orange-brownie treat and half of the mint-chocolate brownie treat and just a taste of the regular brownie so plenty for today and tomorrow and...probably won't last much longer than that, though!)
belated happy birtday rhonda... jeanette very is so gifted...your wash looks wonderful to me...you said you were going to try it out ... the raw sienna and quin burnt orange is super in the middle ...your post and enthusiam made my day thankyou rhonda
I LOVE what you are doing with the salt! It is beautiful and such neat birthday presents. You go girl.....
Hi Rhonda, Happy belated birthday! Yummm, brownies! I like your experiment with salt and paint. The orange streak works and the blues are lovely. I'm going to have to go check out the website!
Thanks so much, Jane :) I'm still trying to get the look you did using different blues - I think I may be too heavy-handed with the salt (and I'm using large kosher salt so maybe smaller bits would work better).
Thanks, Vicki!
Peggy, thanks, and do check out that blog - it's beautiful :)
Happy belated Birthday! You received very wonderful goodies. And, a creations from Jeanette! Wow!
The first thing I thought when I looked at your piece was ocean waves :) You did it :)
This is interesting.
Rhonda, I like the look and flow of your salt wash. If you haven't found out already, try using different types of salt; each type will give you a different looking result. All of them create interest and texture. Sprinkling some sand works well on beach pictures but patience is required on that, it has to dry before moving on. I love these blogs and learn so much from each blogger. Thanks for linking to others blogs too.
I am finally getting around to commenting - I love what you have been doing - the crow painting is awesome - I love it and it is very well painted. The watercolor and salt post is very interesting and you know that I am going to pay it a visit very soon. I think you accomplished the ocean/sand combination very well.
Great!!
Thanks, Pam. I was going for waves and sand :)
Thanks, Tim and Linda. Linda, I did use kosher and table salt - I like the large kosher on the dark areas and the table salt on the lighter areas but it's fun to play (although I normally don't play with salt in my paintings - I can never get every bit of the salt off and worry about the longevity of the paper with salt on it).
Thanks, Barb. I hope you give it a try.
Gracias, Carlos!
Those colors are amazing together. I love this! Write down the combination for yourself so you can use it again and again in backgrounds and abstracts and such! Beautiful!
Thanks so much, Katherine :) I should keep a journal of colors since I love them so much...I used to do things like that but got out of the habit.
really beautiful - it's pretty hard as an artist to compete with what watercolor does on its own, if you allow it to. For me, some combination of that and imaginative subject matter is what attracts and holds my interest.
Nick, you are right - but it's hard for a stiff, control freak like me to let go and just let the pigment, water and paper do it's thing. I hope to be better and better at that, the older and older :( I get! The beauty of watercolor is in the flow and I have to step into the flow...
your washes are fantastic. I'm RUNNING over to your recommended blog. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Thanks, Carol. You will enjoy that blog!
I love this wash, it is very pretty. Maybe not what you intended, but beautiful anyway!
And belated Happy Birthday. Hope the years brings you many smiles :)
Thanks, Mary Beth :) I hate having my birthday in January - but it's better than not having one at all! ha ha I think I was comparing my outcome to Jane Minter's and her painting was so gorgeous - how could I compete with that?
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