Friday, January 22, 2010

Winter Newsletter Now Available

After lauding transparent watercolor, I just wrote and uploaded my 2009/20 Winter Newletter on using iridescent and metallic paints (a/k/a opaques) in watercolors. Pictures included. For a very different effect, you might give them a try. Best of luck!


Monday, January 11, 2010

Transparent vs Anything Goes

Learning to paint watercolor in the late 60's, I watched an evolution from pure and transparent to the almost anything goes spirit of today's watermedia. In full honesty, I can do things opaquely that I could never do in transparent watercolor and I'm thankful for the progress. Yet I wish to pay homage to the purist ways. When I see a good transparent watercolor handled in the classical way, it's a joy to behold: fresh, crisp, luminous as if lit from within. Whenever I can achieve it, I'm thankful and "Dive Boats" is an example of this. Direct and to the point, not overworked, what a former teacher called a "watercolor statement".
So, go for the glow, and if you miss, there are always alternatives.