Monday, April 22, 2013

Crash

This is my first attempt painting a wave using watercolors.  I was excited to try it and I liked the format of this piece of watercolor paper that I had already torn in half (11" x 30") that I was planning to use for another project.  It is Arches 300# cold press paper.
The right side of the paper is a bit smoother than the wrong side which I would have liked to use, but I used the wrong side because I didn't want the huge water mark that Arches paper has to show in the painting.  That has ruined many of my paintings.  I still have a lot of Arches paper which I will use until it is gone, but it is no longer my favorite.

Before starting this painting, I saturated the paper so that I could get some interesting soft edges but had forgotten how much the paint moves on this heavy paper when it's really wet.  I intended to paint this using only transparent watercolors and didn't want to have the really hard edges that are created from using resist, but had forgotten how much the paint moves on this heavy paper and I lost a lot of my whites.  I used white gouache for the edges of the waves and some of the foam area.

I'm excited to try more of these wave paintings using watercolors.  I think this has a more luminous feeling that the ones I've painted in oils.

Crash
Image Size 11" x 30
Watercolor

10 comments:

  1. It really is luminous! I love the way you did the foam, too.

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  2. Oh this is so gorgeous! That paper size really allows this wave to be the star of this piece and I agree with you on how well watercolor gives this subject the depth, dimension, and presence it deserves!

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  3. This is magnificent, Nancy. Love your use of light and color.

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  4. Awesome! In the first glance it looks like oil paints. Love the size and the crash of the wave!

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  5. EXCELLENT piece, Nancy! Waves aren't easy to paint and you did it SO well....and with watercolor?! amazing!

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  6. Thank you Hilda. It was easier than I thought it was going to be and I can't wait to try another one.

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