WINTER 2013 WATERCOLOR CLASS

Project: Clay Pots and Chilies – Torrance edition

As promised, I did a variation of a theme with the Torrance version of the pots and chilies. In many ways it is very similar to what I did at PV because you always work from light to dark but in this version rather than working with shades of grey, I worked with color and established my center of interest with a first wash that looked something like a spot light in the fog rather than a wash of grey over the whole paper. Everything else is basically the same, using layers of thin washes to create value and intensify color.

First off, I did use a bit of masking fluid to protect my brightest highlights on my chilies, a spot on the rim of the tallest vase and a few spots on the frayed ends of the knot, that was all because EVERYTHING ELSE will be a part of the color wash I will put on once the masking is dry.

Under paint light with color.

It is easier to do this technique if you wet the paper first either by spraying and/or with your big wash or hake brush so you can work wet into wet. Use enough water so that your paper is good and damp but you shouldn’t have any pools of standing water, elevating the top even a couple of inches will help here. Because I have to work vertically, I worked wet on dry the results are similar but you need to work much faster.

I first had to decide where I wanted my viewer to look when they are looking at my painting and for me with my design and where I was standing, it was the tallest vase that will be where I want people to focus. Starting in that area I took a thin mix of cad yellow and applied it in a rough circle working from the center out and inch or two in diameter. I use just water along the outside edges to soften them but if you have wet your paper this step should not be necessary, however, if you see a hard line forming you may need to use a bit of water to prevent it from forming.

The next color I used was cad orange that I mixed into what was left of the yellow on my palette. Again I used a lot of water to thin the color before I applied it to my paper. Starting just outside the yellow color, I applied the orange color about an inch wide all around the yellow, like target rings, then I rinsed my brush and with just a damp brush I blended the two areas together. If your paper was wet they may have already started to blend and that is a good thing, just help them along. Each successive ring of color will be done in this manner, working to the darker corners. My next mix of colors are as follows: to the orange I added a touch of red again lots of water. The next mix I added burnt sienna to the mix and lots of water and finally, in the corners I added purple to my burnt sienna and lots of water.

Paint your subject as you normally would.

When you are done your whole paper should be covered in this colorful under tone, let it dry completely and then forget it is there and paint as you usually do with thin layers of color or you can do value washes, just paint as usual. Most of this will get covered but it will influence the layers above it.

I also need to add that you can do this with any colors you choose, the key is to go from light where you want people to look, to dark around the edges to focus them in on your subject. You can use it on your whole paper or just in certain areas, experiment with it and combine it with other techniques to suit your needs.

Please try to have your drawing on your paper and if possible this first wash of color for next time when we will continue working on our project. See you in class.