Today I had to come to terms with an odd kick in my gallop. Again. Although the title of this entry may make you think I'm going to compare the studies I've done so far, I'm not. Keep reading and you'll see what the issue is.
First a reminder of the second (first was the pencil sketch with notes at the bottom of the paper) study done while blind (forgot my glasses). I commented on the fact that I was using the back of the paper which really makes a difference and not a good one.
Since it was a busy week followed by being away over the weekend, there were no painting days until today. So here is study #3 which was started in class today. This one is hard to see so I will describe what is going on. I will say that it is one the correct side of the paper and the paint flowed much better than on the back, but . . . Do you see all the dark places that look like shadows or smudges? Those are places that are warped from water. First, what medium am I using? watercolor. What paper was a painting on? watercolor paper. So why is it buckling? It isn't very good paper.
Sharon finally said that I absolutely have to do my studies on good paper. The point is that in addition to practice, a study is supposed to inform the final paper. It's awfully hard if one is constantly distracted by lumps and bumps and by paper that even on the good side doesn't allow the paint to glide through the water. Of course, if I had taped the paper to the surface the water wouldn't have caused such bad buckles. Still humps and bumps but not as bad.
So I took out my bound pad (all edges are glued down) and started over.
By the time I started on this one, I didn't have a great deal of time. But given that and the practice, I was able to get the first washes down quickly. No grainy-ness, no buckling, and the painting flowed like a dream. Now I'm really looking forward to going on with this one.
If one, i.e., read Noël, is going to get the best results, that one needs to use the best materials that she can afford. I have to stop trying to penny-pinch with things that will affect my work. I bought really good artist quality paints and sable brushes for the studies so it doesn't make any sense to save the best paper until the end.
After all, I need all the help I can get!
sounds a bit like quilting, doesn't it? Use the best materials you can afford. That being said - I think the last one shows a lot of promise and I am looking forward to following your progress!!
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