There is a definite learning curve to this wet-in-wet style with lots of patience playing into it. You can't just go in and paint and watch the pigment diffuse and lighten over and over. At some point, you have to wait until the paper is more matte dry (not dry but drier than when you first put down all that water and pigment) and then sharpen some areas. And if you don't wait, you just get blurred, muddy stuff. Like this one became. A mess, really.
So...I started over, following the directions in the Ewa Karpinska book more carefully and this is the start of the new one...
I'll darken and shape this one more. I'm not crazy about that lime green background but blame myself for not thinking enough about that (I was concentrating on the leaves and rosehips). Maybe I can go in and drop some more darker and varied color in the background later?
I guess what I'd like is somewhere between the top and bottom painting - not so soft but not so hard-edged, either. Ugh! OK, keep trying...
6 comments:
"Ugh" pretty much sums up what we all experience, especially when working with watercolor and trying something new. Your determination will get you there.
But still, ...these are both really lovely, Rhonda.
Yes, this is not easy to do.. I should know,,,, I've tried it a gazillion times..
It seems like there is a fine line between dry and drier or slightly dry. ?
But once you get it right, and it looks like your almost there, the trick is to remember what you did. LOL !
Looking good Rhonda so keep going..
What great colors, Rhonda. The violet stem in the top one is a stroke of genius!
I also like the crucifrom "composition" of these studies ... I can see a whole grid of them in various colors!
Been there, done that! More than once.
nice fall colours to your leaves :) def try to drop some darker green onto the background, but not too much, dont want to take away from the leaves :)
Thanks, Chris - yeah, sometimes UGH is all we get after putting in time on something. But have to keep thinking; I’m learning as I go.
Barbra Joan, thanks :). Yes, I have to get over my inclination to “finish” things that don’t need more.
Thanks, Laura, Elizabeth and Jennifer Rose :).
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