In this 25th of The Art of Watercolor, we begin the News by the Baltic Bridges 2016, held in Lithuania and the 15th Biennial of the New England Watercolor Society . Finally, the exhibition organized at the Shenzhen Museum, in tribute to Xidan Chen.
Two Americans are revealed, L.S. Eldridge and Vickie Nelson, as well as the South African Kate Graham and the Australian Yvonne Overton , French Véronique Sustrac.
Peggi Habets makes us meet the heart of humanity, and Polina Egorushkina gives us a sense of freedom with an abstract painting. Diane Boilard also represents nature in its color scheme.
The life of an artist is that of the JapaneseKeiko Tanabe , portfolio is Mark Elsmore's who transcends the everyday. Jacques Villares Castillo and Michael Reardon also are urban watercolorists.
We visit color in its raw state in the workshop of Lyn Evans and take a lesson on values with Lois Wolford. Demo on the street stage with Miguel Linares Rios and Maya-inspired portraits for the American Jan Ledbetter.
The News
Ken Goldman, Totally Fried. 56 x 56 cm
International Master Watercolor Exhibition
The exhibition is held at the Puyao Art Gallery in Jimo. It places the artist at the center of its concerns. It was devoted to both Asian masters and Western artists.
The curator of the exhibition is the Chinese watercolourist Tianya (See previous issue, AoW24).If the artist is ready to donate an exhibited work, the organizers must pay for his trip to China.
Brian Stratton, Green Stones, 54 x 73,5 cm
John Yardley, Canalside, Venice. 36 x 50 cm.
Stanislaw Zoladz, Sälviken, 56 x 76 cm.
Baltic Bridges 2016
This International Watercolor Biennial has been held in Lithuania since 2006. Selected by a jury, more than 200 works are exhibited in Kaunas. Eugenijus Nalevaika explains the theme for this year 2016.
The theme of the Biennale, “Challenges and Issues”, was announced in February 2016. All artists working in watercolor were invited to submit high quality photos of their works. The main selection criteria were as follows: excellent technical mastery, originality, compliance of the works with the theme. In addition, the works must not have been painted before 2014 and at least one of the watercolors proposed must be 50 cm or more. It was possible to propose up to 5 painting. More than 110 artists from 15 countries submitted their work: the jury viewed 500 images and selected 60 artists.
Page 14 Eugenijus Nalevaika
6 artists received the diploma of the International Watercolor Biennial Baltic Bridges: Irena Breiviene (Lithuania, opposite painting), Girmantas Rudokas (Lithuania), Mall Paris (Estonia), Dainis Gudovskis (Latvia), Friederike Graben (Germany) and Lena Johansson Fahlén (Sweden). These prizes reward the diversity of approaches to watercolor and the modes of expression of each of the artists.
Irena Breiviene, Am inos melodijos. 70 x 100 cm.
New England Watercolor Society (News)
Cobweb Patrol by Gerarde Doucette, 2nd price
What is News? Not so new, since the first exhibition took place in 1885, under the original name of Boston Watercolor Society. Exhibitions were held annually until 1892, when the society was reorganized and renamed the Boston Society of Watercolor Painters. Among the 27 founding members were Thomas Allen, president until his death in 1924, and John Singer Sargent, honorary member.
To become a signatory member, artists must be accepted in 4 exhibitions (within ten years) in what must be one of the most demanding biennials in North America. We have approximately 200 active signatory members, with 5-7 more every year. Artists must submit works in water-based mediums on watercolor or synthetic papers. They must also reside – or be represented by a gallery – in one of the New England states.
Page 16 Dawn Evans Scaltreto, présidente de la News
Pack Ice 4, Antarctica, by Lisa Goren
Révélations
Tooled up 49x70cm
L'Américaine LS Eldridge
Art has always been part of my life. For my seventh birthday, I asked my parents to get a bike and go visit the Tate Gallery in London. By studying both mechanical art and drawing, I discovered the power of dynamic spatial relationships. So it is not surprising that I explore and integrate these two disciplines in my works. My work focuses on representation, the construction of the work being there to tell the story while the components used allow to deliver symbols and clues to the viewer. While I am drawn to many subjects, those that I favor include bold elements that I find inherently charismatic.
Page 20 LS Eldridge
ZOOM SUR… TOOLED UP : This work received the Gibson Luckenbill RBC Wealth Management Realism Award at the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society International Exhibition in 2015.
In Tooled Up, colored shadows symbolize the ethereal yet transient nature of objects and memory. To achieve a luminous, transparent look, I ran multiple color washes over my sheet, wet-on-wet, then finished with a wet-on-dry glaze. I was careful to reserve the white of the paper for the light highlights, but I also used a wet brush to remove paint and thus reduce certain effects.
Iris Sun 51 x 56 cm
American Vickie Nelson
Watercolor captured my heart from the moment I put paint on paper. That was in 1982, and that love at first sight continues to this day.
Page 22 Vickie Nelson
Impressionist-style flowers, animals and clowns are the subjects that I paint most currently, although I have already tried my hand at all subjects.
It is really the act of painting that fuels my passion for watercolour. I consider myself a purist and try to capture the look of what I want without adding other elements, such as gouache, gesso or collages.
But I'm also not opposed to using it to make a work viable. It is the beauty of pure watercolor that fires my imagination and comforts my spirit.
I live in Camas, Washington, and I also teach. I trained in art through workshops and internships with well-known artists, such as Irving Shapiro, Charles Reid, Eric Wiegardt, Frank Webb, Mary White, to name a few.
Frost over Apsley. 35 x 53 cm
Australian Yvonne Overton
It was while attending a two-day workshop that my interest in the watercolor medium was born; I had never considered painting before, although I had drawn all my life and had a career in styling, design and teaching.
Page 23 Yvonne Overton
Once retired, we left our isolated farm to settle in a rural town, where I was able to begin a university education, which ended in obtaining a diploma from the Newcastle University, where acrylic and oil were popular mediums. The real journey could then begin with the challenge of watercolour, this technique that is at once beautiful, exciting but oh so frustrating at times.
Because I have always been an isolated artist, I mainly acquired my knowledge and know-how through books and magazines, supplemented by a few internships here and there. As I have affinities with the countryside, I paint traditional landscapes, in particular the rivers and water points of our region where the weather is often hot and dry, emphasizing more particularly the fluidity and transparency of painting in order to obtain this subtlety of light and form.
In general, I mix the paint with a large quantity of water then I apply a wash quickly on the entire surface of the paper. Then, with less water, I build forms in positive while the paper, while drying, goes through all the phases of humidity and semi-humidity.
Snails.2014. 20 x 22 cm,
French Véronique Sustrac
AoW 24 contest winner, Véronique is an engraver, illustrator and watercolourist. She was born in Avignon. Today, she lives and works in the Paris region, in Chilly-Mazarin. A graduate of the National School of Fine Arts in Paris, she won the Pierre Cardin (1999), Joop Stoop (2004) and Paul Gonnand Prizes (Taylor Foundation, 2009).
I am often surprised, in view of exhibitions, magazines, artists practicing watercolor, the diversity of possible renderings, both very complex in technique and rich in adventure and discovery. I inscribe my approach in this perspective of technical mastery and creative momentum by leaving the door open to improvisation, to "accidents", to the transgression of established rules. I can, for example, in a spirit of discovery, make a watercolor using a mixture of dark, almost saturated shades, and in the wet, deposit bright, luminous colors, in creamy touches, find whites by sculpting the material and on the dry, paint in glaze to accentuate, modify a color or amplify a form to make it more realistic. I am working on this technical complexity at the moment, tackling the theme of roots, intertwining lianas and various plants. It's risky, but the result can be very satisfying, a touch close to velvet, a texture that I particularly like.
Page 94 Véronique Sustrac
Still life on a garden table, Watercolor and graphite, 45 x 38 cm
Shirley Trevena's favorite painting of
My favorite painting case this indoor/outdoor theme is something that shows up in a lot of my paintings. Views through doors, windows onto open spaces are depicted in many of my still lifes. I have wide windows in my house and lots of plants, both inside and outside; the living room and the garden are only separated by a window.
MY WORKING METHOD: The only preparatory drawing I did for this painting is a small sketch of the white lilies. I like to work with a pencil outline; this gives me the freedom to add or remove colors as I work. The objects and flowers are mainly arranged on the right of the image, but the composition is balanced by the white bench, as well as by the wall and the banner in the upper part.
THE RESULT: I sought in this work to find a way to add mystery to the formalism of a still life; this interior painting gives the viewer a simple glimpse of the garden outside. The ornate bench and porcelain provide more clues to this delicate position, not quite inside, nor outside. But the crimson amaryllis are the real stars of this show…and they shine in the sun. Page 86 Shirley Trevena
My last painting
These artists have already been published in the Art of Watercolor, we find their last painting.
Monkstone point
Naomi Tydeman
48 x 48 cm
The view is of Monkstone Point, which I see most mornings and evenings.
Scissor Bridge,
Peter Jablokow
66 X 104 cm
Since the wheels of the wagon were very impressive, I decided to give them a lot of importance, in the foreground.
Blue Boy,
Carol Carter
76,2 X 56 cm
I try to remain expressive without feeling constrained by the anatomy of the animal or the details.
Everything and nothing,
Jean Vigué
18 X 28 cm.
These notebooks give me a certain freedom, without a priori and without external judgment, quite simply the pleasure of the moment
The Jacobin Fountain,
Franck Hérété
60x80 + 80X80 + 60x80
Constantly renewing itself: subjects, colors, textures, but also formats.
The River Meon, Hampshire
Joe Dowden
36x59cm
The previous version lacked symmetry, and the river was brushed a bit too fast.
Symphony of Rust n°14,
Lok Kerk Hwang
56x76 cm cm
My goal is to draw their charms and the hidden beauty of our daily lives.
Li River,
Michal Jasiewicz
35x54 cm
I had found a beautiful location, a dam on the Li River.
P.Habets
What Plagues Us, 89 x 71 cm
At the heart of humanity with Peggi Habets
While I would like each of my paintings to flow easily, I appreciate the effort that some paintings take that are more complex than others. And I enjoy seeing my work evolve. The more I paint, the more I want to go beyond mere description and have something to say with my painting.
I am an observer by nature and I find myself drawn to street people interacting in their everyday world. I may initially be drawn to a person's gesture, expression or feelings, but very often a story will emerge as I work through design and composition.
Page 31 Peggi Habets
Disconnected: Here is an example of a painting that went without a hitch.
After having found the idea of associating the Madonna and her child with the stained glass window representing the same two characters, the composition of the painting was made by itself. The finished painting is very close to the small colored sketch that preceded it. It is a reflection of the feeling of inadequacy that many people may feel towards their religion or their community, because of the color of their skin, their sexual identity or other...
Disconnected. 81 x 61 cm
I am currently working on a series on dancers; I have several works in mind. I recently moved to the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I discovered that the suburbs are a bottomless pit of inspiration. The population is very diverse and the city is filled with intriguing characters who have stories to tell. My neighborhood is made up of historic streets, winding alleys and beautiful old buildings.
I have created a series of snapshots of everyday life which, taken together, will hopefully provide a comprehensive view of this extraordinary city.
My ballerina paintings were created for a particular exhibition. I continued this series on the dancers long after the exhibition, because I liked the idea of experimenting with colors, technique and styles… and I think my painting benefited from it. This work will be on display at the National Watercolor Society's 96th International Exhibition in San Pedro, California through December 18, 2016.
The process of creation
1
SIMPLIFY PHOTO VALUES
The photo has been posterized, i.e. the number of values and colors have been decreased, a process also known as posterized. This new image allows me to determine the values of the array.
2
STUDY OF VALUES
My idea here was to recreate the atmosphere of a quiet game of chess in the morning, with no one around; as if two friends had found themselves in secret to play together.
3
COLOR STUDY
It was finally time to try out the colors I had in mind, a combination of warm and cool tones.
4
FINAL TABLE
In my final painting, I combined the poses of the two different photos. An artist must go beyond mere description and say something personal through their art.
Light, 86 x 76 cm
Demo : Thank you for Your Service
I start with a color study. I added enough detail to give the viewer a taste of the model's life. I scattered clues through the veteran's hat, the items he was selling, including his own medals - as well as clues to his living conditions.
I start with the background, because this is the most complex part of the painting. Creating large areas that are interesting, but don't distract the viewer's attention, is more complex than creating detailed foreground elements.
In this work, I wanted to communicate the idea, through the title, that this veteran fought for his country, but that his country is not about to fight for him.
I removed a good part of the background in order to create its own reality.
I hope that each time a viewer looks at the painting, he discovers a little Dave, it's his name, as well as his story.
Once the background is created, I now focus on the character. I use a wide variety of round and flat brushes: from 6cm wide brushes, down to tiny 0's for finer details.
I continue by adding the character and the table. This is where the strongest value contrasts and most detail are found, as this is the focal point of my painting. Then I completed the rest of the background. At the very end, I removed the flag behind the character, because once the painting was finished, I felt it added nothing more to the composition.
A TIP TO ENERGIZE SHADOWS
For the shadow areas of my portraits, I apply an ultramarine blue or phthalo wash and I quickly add a few drops of sienna, quinacridone rose, pyrrole red or gummy yellow. The colors blend together, creating more interesting shadows than if the colors were mixed directly on the palette.
P.Egorushkina
Polina Egorushkina: A sense of freedom
Beach 4, 2015, 50 x 133 cm
Empty, 2015. 60 x 80 cm
I chose watercolor because it is the best technique to express my ideas. I love working with watercolors for the feeling of freedom it gives me – something I need in my work. I also paint in acrylics and with inks; I often mix them together.
Page 38 Polina Egorushkina Polina Egorushkina
I always work in series. I am never completely satisfied with the result, which pushes me to always move forward.
Before starting, I focus on my idea and the central theme. During the creative process, however, my idea may take a different direction. I don't follow my original plan strictly.
Comment on Empty: This watercolor is part of the “Moskwarelle” series, inspired by the city of Moscow.
THE SUBJECT. The painting depicts a road leading to the suburbs of Moscow, on the outskirts of the city center. The day has fallen and the darkness gives a feeling of detachment from the stress of life in the city.
WHAT THE ARTIST WANTED TO EXPRESS. Everyone has to find their own inner space. It can be a space empty of all buildings and characters, but one that gives us the opportunity to step back and reflect, and also to think inwardly about ourselves.
MY DARK SHADES. For my blacks, I do not use black watercolor, I rather mix Van Dyck brown and indigo.
A TECHNICAL GESTURE. Scratching the sheet allows me to find blanks - it's a technique that many artists use!
White Square, 2015, 60 x 80 cm
Frunzenskaya, 2015, 60 x 80cm
Hide Me, 2015, 19 x 30 cm
D.Boilard
Diane Boilard: Bringing out the subject
Symbiosis 50 x 25 cm
The subject emerges according to the color that moves on my sheet.
I always seek to move away from photographic representation by seeking depth. I need to say more. The subject emerges according to the color that moves on my sheet. If there is a balance, on the other hand, it is not conscious. I don't do any analysis. A painting must astonish me, it must be balanced, that's for sure and at the same time, I must feel a form of magic; I want to get out of reality. But more often than not, we are more dissatisfied than satisfied with our painting. This is what drives me to continue, to move forward. I love the challenge that watercolor brings to me.
I have been painting for thirty years. My discovery of the technique was made during interior design classes, with renderings of furniture and textures, such as leather and fur. Since then, I have never stopped! I also tested other techniques during my studies, such as sumi-e, Japanese ink drawing, or oil – which I had to stop because I have asthma. Watercolor, a technique that is not harmful to health, has remained.
Page 78 Diane Boilard
My subjects always revolve around the living and nature: flowers, animals... I have recently been very inspired by the Magdalen Islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with their amazing fauna: herons, terns; there are more than 500 different species. I always discover something new. I will never have finished going around this vast subject. I also sometimes paint still lifes, but it is rarer. In general, my subjects always come from ideas found at the water's edge.
Painting under the magnifying glass: Geese
THE COMPOSITION. Here, as so often, the composition comes at the end. I initially seek to create an atmosphere, I paint areas and I push my values.
THE COLOURS. These are the ones that inspire me at the moment, with a predominance of blues. I first choose a rather cold trend with then contrasts of warm colors.
THE EMERGENCE OF THE SUBJECT. Geese appeared towards the end. I decided to bring them out: one negative, the other positive. Trying to translate a subject is not always easy. Even if I try to get out of reality, I have to respect the proportions. We must be able to recognize the bird.
DIFFICULTIES AND EASINESS. The most difficult aspect for this painting – and in general – is to be able to put an end to it. I don't want to say too much. I try to keep a restraint. The simplest is the initial phase: positioning the colors is an intuitive process.
Sacred flowers, 60 x 15 cm, Aquarelle sur papier japonais
Frost, 28 x 38 cm
Fish, 24 x 24 cm
Geese, 30 x 30 cm.
Kingfisher, 24 x 24 cm.
K.Tanabe
Winter Sky over Sunset Cliffs III, 2016
Sevilla, Spain XIV, 2013
Keiko Tanabe Simplicity above all
I always knew that I wanted to paint in a freer way, like the Impressionists.
Keiko Tanabe was born in Japan. She studied communication, before working in public relations, first in Tokyo, then in San Francisco and San Diego. In 2003, she made the decision to become a full-time artist and wrote a book with her father entitled Through the Azure Sea and sky of Provence, a tribute to her joie de vivre. She exhibits regularly since 2005. She has published 5 books and regularly organizes workshops in the United States, Asia and Europe.
When I decided to learn to paint, I didn't know which technique to choose, so I experimented with almost all the techniques. None were easy, but I happened to feel an attraction to the unpredictable nature of watercolor. Its elusive quality puzzled me. It was even frustrating, but it made me want to train even more. I found similarities between watercolor and calligraphy, which I practiced with pleasure during my childhood, which established, in a way, a link between the technique and me.
Today, I realize that in my dealings with this technique, there is a parallel with life itself. It is a fact that I appreciate and embrace with all my heart. It's simple, in watercolor as in life: the more we give, the more we receive and if we love, we will be loved in return. And she always surprises!
My childhood dream was to be able to build bridges between different cultures. I have always traveled, and I am very grateful to my parents for giving me this opportunity from an early age. What an enriching experience and at the same time what a lesson in humility to see these distant places and to meet people from all over the world!
The knowledge and insight gained during these travels taught me to respect differences, to be patient and more open.
The more I see the world, the more I feel deep inside that we are all the same. And that almost everywhere, man appreciates art. There is no place in art for prejudices or stereotypes.
When I am in front of my subject, brush in hand, I do not see borders, nor walls which separate us.
I am a tonal painter. For me, being able to see the values correctly is fundamental. It is one of the key elements for creating depth and light in a painting. I don't worry too much about colors.
Page 42 Keiko Tanabe
In fact, I am wary of them because their visual appeal can distract the eye and deviate from values. However, colors are important.
You need to know how to use them and how to mix them so you don't waste time looking at your sheet of paper. To manage your values well, you need to be able to understand colors and how they behave on paper.
Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto, Japan IV, 2013.
Roma, Italia, XXII.
La Luz de Sevilla, Spain, 2016.
Demo : Day's End Moldova
2016, 45 x 60 cm
I make one or more small tonal studies, each with a different composition, using a simple tonal pattern – light, mid and dark tones. I often do them with graphite, pen, watercolor markers, charcoal, watercolor pencils or just watercolors.
After drawing the composition on paper, I start painting from the top. As I work quickly and want to paint the sky in one go, I use a large brush that holds water well. I lay cobalt blue and Winsor orange across the sky, while reserving the whites to suggest smoke coming from chimneys.
I progress downwards using a precise tone in each shot. I pay the greatest attention to the places where I want to show the white of the paper, carefully painting around them. The mountains are a mix of cobalt blue, Winsor orange and burnt sienna. I use Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Sienna, Winsor Orange, and some blues for the trees and the field, to portray the fall colors.
I try to paint as much as I can in areas around buildings and animals, mostly using soft edges. I also define houses better. In the foreground, my desire is to show a grassy field without adding too many details. At this point, I try to put in a lot of texture, which I create by splattering and quick pull-outs with a good-water-holding brush.
I use darker tones to give more definition to the houses and trees in the middle ground. The colors of the houses are mainly cobalt blue, permanent alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. In trees, I use quinacridone gold, olive green, burnt umber, French ultramarine and Winsor orange.
To finish, I use a fine-tipped synthetic round brush to add animals, shepherd, branches, and architectural details. I make sure that the painting has harmony in terms of color temperature, contours, textures and atmosphere.
M.Elsmore
Friedrichstrasse Bridge 58 x 96 cm
One Man’s Ceiling is Another Man’s Floor, 65 x 88 cm
Mark Elsmore, The everyday transcended
Mark Elsmore fast and works in Staffordshire, England. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists in 2007, and of the Wirral Society of Arts in 2004. He exhibits throughout Great Britain. His work, selected fifteen times for the Sunday Times Watercolor Competition, won first prize in 2012.
Underground Innards. 73 x 92 cm
I am my own arbiter in the constant struggle between spontaneity of idea and painstaking execution. At the start, I take a few notes. Having a reason to paint is the best place to start. Before starting, I usually know what I'm going towards in my final work. Liquid watercolor happy accidents don't happen. My work is opaque and thoughtful. Spontaneity is sacrificed in favor of the message.
Page 54 Mark Elsmore
About Underground Innards
If public transport breathes life, then the metro acts a bit like the arteries; the pipes and cables are like veins and lungs, all around us, hidden in the ellipse of the spiral staircase. This is Tottenham Court Road tube station, the day it closed for renovations: its secrets, its guts unfolding in the unknown.
About Midnight Copenhagen
My hotel overlooked Copenhagen Central Station with gardens beyond. I had heard that a fireworks display would be organized there, so I made myself comfortable while waiting for it to be set off. Sitting, I could see the big clock on the roof of the station. 8 p.m., nothing. 9 p.m., nothing. 10 p.m., 11 p.m., still nothing. At midnight, I said to myself that there was material there for a painting. This painting is mysterious like a thriller. Who are these people ? These cars ?
Karlskirche, Stairway to Heaven. 75 x 100 cm
Mischief Makers, Collection privée
Midnight Copenhagen 74 x 95 cm
Perspectives
Two visions of perspective with J.Villares and M.Reardon
Vida interior. 51 x 36 cm.
Jacques Villares, my life as an artist
In my opinion, in urban subjects, a bad perspective can ruin a painting. Whether you are painting from a photograph or in the open air, you need to translate your view of perspective. And the most important thing is to stick to your vision until the end of the painting. It is much more important, in fact, than the accuracy of your perspective. I think that painting always expresses something interior. It is a bit like a window that reveals our state of mind.
Page 58 Jacques Villares
MAGNIFYING TABLE: the view from my apartment
THE CHOICE OF COMPOSITION: I used a centered zenithal perspective… It’s something both simple and very effective. I never try to respect my original drawing, only the color and the network of lines coexist.
WHAT I WANTED TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PAINTING: A SENSE OF VERTIGO: My intention was to create a feeling of vertigo. Several elements in the foreground – such as the ropes, for example – delay the leap into the void. Other elements, on the other hand, such as the clothes drying at the windows, draw us towards the background of the image.
USE OF COLOR: Color is as important as design. The use of a strong color – the red of the roofs – encourages us to seek its complement. Between the two are the white walls that act as a buffer. Color is something very important to me – as much as drawing. It is on the choice of colors – and their intensity – that the atmosphere that you want to convey depends. It is also important to paint in a continuous stream. Watercolor is a struggle and your best blade is your sluggish brush.
El patio de mi casa. 70 x 50 cm.
Arezzo, 51 x 25,5 cm
Michael Reardon
Drawing a landscape in perspective requires two elements: a horizon line and vanishing points. Some drawings require only one vanishing point (central perspective) while others require two or more.
Page 64 Michael Reardon
The horizon line is simply a horizontal line at eye level. Imagine a view of the ocean. The horizontal line in the distance is the horizon, hence its name horizon line. The same line – invisible – exists in all the paintings that appeal to perspective.
The lines that converge towards the vanishing point(s) create the illusion of perspective. That is, all the lines on one side of an array radiate out from the vanishing point, while the lines on the other side converge to the other vanishing point.
Many paintings, such as urban scenes, have a single vanishing point. This is called central perspective. The second vanishing point is so far away that all the lines are horizontal.
WHAT IS ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE? Atmospheric perspective is the effect or illusion that light, shadows and atmosphere have on the subject. Landscapes painted with the atmospheric perspective look softer, perhaps a little hazy, like in a dream. Perspective is the way to create the illusion of depth in an image. According to Leonardo da Vinci, there are ways to achieve three-dimensionality in an image other than by using the linear perspective seen previously. Leonardo da Vinci wrote extensively on perspective.
He considered atmospheric perspective to be as important as linear perspective. By blurring your backgrounds, you can – just like Leonardo – accentuate the depth of your watercolors. Notice how the backgrounds in these watercolors are not detailed. In fact, there were many more details in reality, but I chose to simplify the shapes. This absence of details makes it easier to distinguish the foreground and the intermediate shot.
Golden Gate Bridge Overlook
55,6 x 28 cm.
L.Evans
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
Lyn Evans Raw color
The overall composition is very important, especially in my still lifes. But in my floral paintings, it is the flower that counts and must be recognized.
Describing her painting as "instinctive, impressionistic and sympathetic", this English artist is keen to paint flowers in an array of colors and free forms. If her style is not frankly realistic, she nevertheless applies precepts that dictate her way of painting.
My style of painting comes from my emotions and the way I react to what I have in front of me. I first see colors, values and light. This leads to a specific style, which can be abstract or, on the contrary, more realistic. I believe that, under the best conditions, a watercolor can paint itself…
Page 56 Lyn Evans
This is especially true for my floral paintings and my still lifes. My work sometimes adopts an impressionist style, even if I would be hard pressed to define my style precisely. My process varies from painting to painting, as I work instinctively. But generally, with the flower paintings, I am challenged by the way they are arranged. Using a watercolor pencil, I will map out the main shapes, before applying color. Initially very pale and free, it will then be denser when I add the details.
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
My floral paintings and my still lifes are all painted from nature – even if the composition is very often a construction. If I see a flower that I want to paint, then I will look for objects to surround it.
The work of values and colors is of paramount importance in my painting. My still lifes are largely based on the work of values, because the colors are quite close.
When I paint any subject – and especially flowers – I want the viewer to smell their fragrance, see their textures and the curve of a petal or a leaf. Above all, I don't want my painting to look like a photograph: it must have life, movement, gaiety and beauty.
My backgrounds are sometimes created by placing the colors directly on the sheet, and letting them blend… I also sometimes add a pinch of salt. I use the masking eraser to draw straight lines, counterpointing the curves that the paint has created.
I will look at the colors, the light source and start by applying a first transparent wash, to which I can add a few pure pigments, in small quantities, in order to emphasize an element. When my support is still wet, I can use the handle of my brush to open up the blanks and represent the veins of the leaf.
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
Alighapoo Palace in Esfahan, 56 x 76 cm
PAINTING THE FLOWERS IN NEGATIVE:
Painting flowers in negative is a challenge. One of the tricks I use is to use watercolor pencils to draw the outline of the petals, then to add the dark color in the background that will allow me to define the shape.
I work this dark color, adding textures, etc., until the petal appears, as if by magic.
On the other hand, avoid going too far into the dark forms of the background: you would then risk losing the delicacy of the petal, which should not be overwhelmed by the colors and textures of the background , but on the contrary, sublimated.
Painting close-up petals: values and perspectives
1
THE SUBJECT. I need to show how the colored petals curl back and forth using warm and cool tones; using the values correctly allows me to show the volume of the petals. Warm tones bring the color forward. Each petal is located in front or behind its stem.
2
I start with a simple drawing of the shapes of the leaves before moving on to the first translucent washes of Undersea Green color with a touch of quinacridone gold. Using a stick, I draw the veins of the leaf in the cool. Once these lines were dry, I added quinacridone orange mixed with some dark pigments from Derwent, and let it dry.
3
I darken the back sheet with a cooler blend of colors, while wetting the sheet and letting the colors blend. I darken the contours in order to advance the sheet to the right. A few splashes add a little dynamism to the whole.
4
I can now paint the left sheet. I add some translucent washes, while incorporating some dots of stronger color; I keep the central vein and scrape the sheet to represent the others. In order to balance the composition, I add the tail on the right.
5
I concentrate on the left sheet, in order to move it forward: I thus apply warmer glazes. I let my sheet dry completely.
5
Once the paper is dry, I continue to paint the sheet using hot glazes and pigments. Finally, always with the idea of adding life, I add a few splashes.
L.Wolford
Green Chairs 56 x 76 cm.
Surrender the Day 56 x 76 cm.
Lois Wolford, Shapes, Values and Contours
Lois Wolford is a signatory member of the National Watercolor Society. She is also a life member and serves on the board of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. His paintings have won several awards and have been exhibited at many corporate events across the United States.
His watercolor Green Chairs is on display at the NWS International Exhibition until December 14. Lois Wolford will be the subject of an exhibition in March 2017, at the Hofberger Art Gallery along with the other members of the Complimentary group.
Color and values are for me important elements that contribute to the mood of the painting. I wonder what colors will be best suited to reflect my state of mind.
I like to use a limited palette, and I use variations based on a few colors to achieve harmony.
The color wheel in my studio is a great source of inspiration. The range of values must also support this atmosphere.
I simplify my value structure into light, medium and dark values. Sometimes a painting with only dark and medium values is called for. These are considerations that I ask myself before starting to paint.
I like my shapes to have interesting contours. I also seek to install a dominant shape and other less important ones.
Page 68 Lois Wolford
I then try to link the shapes and values together. My negative forms must be as interesting as my positive forms. Every shape counts. I will simplify the shapes, change some of them, move them, or even add some to improve the composition. Everything that is not in the service of the composition is eliminated.
This is why I always have before my eyes, in my studio, a reproduction of the Sleeping Gypsy by Douanier Rousseau. There is in this painting a real simplification of forms in the service of a perfect balance.
Guilty pleasures, 76 x 56 cm.
The 5 precepts of Lois Wolford
- THE RULES OF COMPOSITION I often use the rule of thirds to establish my focal point. For other paintings, I bend this rule and place my focal point a little closer to the edge of my painting. I also tend to paint all the areas from the start in order to end up with a unified painting.
- THE DARK SHADES AT THE START I tend to put my shades dark from the start. This allows me to see very quickly what are the relationships between my different values.
- THE CONTOURS When I started to paint wet on wet, I learned to manage my contours better. I can thus, depending on what I want, obtain sharp or faded contours. Wet sheet gives me wet contours.
- LESS WATER AND MORE PIGMENTS As I progress in my painting, I use less water and more pigments, in order to keep control of my contours. This allows me to really set the tone I want in my paintings.
- PAINT ONLY WITH TRANSPARENT COLORS I have also learned over time to only paint with transparent paints. Ideal for keeping colors clean. Even today, I only sparingly use opaque and tinting colors.
Waiting for the check. 56 x 76 cm.
M.Linares
Miguel Linares Ríos : "Each painting is a challenge"
Aquel día en que mi perro se encontró con un amigo, 46 x 61 cm
He paints the city with frankness and warmth. No doubt this is the reflection of his temperament?
In May 2017, Miguel Linares Rios will have a solo exhibition at the Benedito Art Gallery, Malaga, Spain: "This exhibition will feature landscapes and works made during my travels, mainly urban views. He will also be present in some Watercolor Salons in France.
I have painted a lot outdoors, because that is how you can understand light well. I always try to use the same system and the same tools, both in my studio and when I paint outdoors.
My style? We could talk about narrative and emotional style... but the truth is that I don't see things that way and it would be a mistake to try to find a style at all costs. The style is the result of sincere work. I prefer to be free in this regard. Above all, I seek to “achieve” something with my paintings.
Before starting, I always make preliminary sketches to organize the composition, rhythm, tones, etc. But during the painting process, I leave enough importance to the intrinsic language of watercolor, it's a bit of a dialogue that is established between the painting and myself.I invented a tool to open the blanks and thus find the lights. But I can also use what I have on hand: my fingernails, twigs, cards, etc.
Page 80 Miguel Linares Ríos
My palette consists of China White, Cadmium Yellow, Naples Yellow, Ocher, Carmine, Cobalt Blue, Prussian Blue, Sepia, and Ivory Black. I also sometimes use other colors, but these are enough to make all my colored mixtures. I use watercolors from Rembrandt and Talens.
Una vez estuve tomando café en Bruselas, 46 x 61 cm
Mesa para cuatro. 27×65 cm
Demonstration : Street scene
A successful painting is for me a fusion of knowledge, technique and emotion.
There are several ways to start a painting. Usually I start with a part of the painting – at this point it's just abstract shapes – and then I focus on the different elements of the composition.
1
I start with a simple drawing. These are just a few lines to place the different elements of my composition.
2
I then apply my first wash, in order to place the light areas.
3
I build my background by quickly indicating the windows and openings of the building. I then tackle the left facade which closes the composition on this side.
4
The building on the right receives more light. This façade contrasts with the others, which are darker, thus creating depth.
5
I place the dark values marking the right facade, in the shadows. This gives me more depth in my composition.
6
I darken the shadows on the ground a little more. The tree is there to balance the composition as well as the dark part on the right of the composition. I also add the characters and the café terrace.
7
FINAL. I work on the finishing touches and add details here and there. I add birds to give vitality and movement to the composition.
J.Ledbetter
NOURISHED BY HIS MULTIPLE TRAVELS IN SOUTH AMERICA, PARTICULARLY IN GUATEMALA, JAN LEDBETTER HAS DEVELOPED A PERSONAL PAINTING BASED ON THE RHYTHMS OF COLORS AND SHAPES. SHE REVEALS HERE THE RECIPES OF HER WORK: USE OF GESSO AS A BACKGROUND FOR HER WORKS, AND OF COLLAGE TO CREATE PATTERNS AND TEXTURES.
INSPIRATION MAYA,
WITH JAN LEDBETTER
“The Maya of Chichicastenango” series, Watercolor, gouache and watercolor pencils, 76 x 56 cm
Serie « The Maya of Chichicastenango ». Aquarelle, 76 x 56 cm.
Serie « The Maya of Chichicastenango », Watercolor, gouache and watercolor pencils, 76 x 56 cm
Serie « The Maya of Chichicastenango », aquarelle 76x56 cm
It is only with transparent watercolor, passed over gesso, that I can remove and sculpt the forms of light allowing me to create the patterns so characteristic of my painting.
My inspiration for the colorful clothes in my paintings comes from my visits to the small villages that border Lake Atitlan, where women weave beautiful fabrics…
Page 80 Jan Ledbetter
Walking through the market squares and parks, you see flowers everywhere and the Mayans don their traditional handmade costumes. I am also inspired by the Textile Museum of Ixchel, in Guatemala City.
There is something striking about the contrast between these hard-working women and the intricate color patterns that surround them. Their cultural pride is evident in their every move.
My creative process is 100% based on intuition. I have absolutely no preconceived ideas about where my painting might go or what it will look like when finished...
Comment stimuler mon imagination ?
Demonstration in 4 steps
1
FIRST WASHES ALTERNATING BETWEEN HOT AND COLD
I start with warm, blue and cold washes, on a preparatory layer of gesso. When dry, these washes are followed by a line drawing of Mayan women, the main subject of this painting.
2
FOCUSING ON FORMS AND VALUES
Using a large brush, I add material to my characters. Once the forms and values are established, the painting begins to find its rhythm. At this point, the lights settle in, in contrasts of values.
3
PATTERNS AND SHAPES
My paintings are based on both my sense of observation and my imagination. The motifs of the huilpiles (the blouses) and the cortes (the skirts) begin to appear as I remove the paint in places, on my preparatory layer of gesso. Removing paint with a brush allows me to create expressive shapes, patterns and lines, highlighted through this negative work.
4
THE FINAL
The Mayans of Chichicastenango.
2016. Watercolour, 76.2 x 56 cm.
Work exhibited at the San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition