Cactus Apples

Cactus Apples

Image Size 18" x 24"

Watercolor

I really fought with this painting.  I started it as a poured painting just doing one layer and then directly painted the rest of it.  I used Arches 140# paper which is usually really tough and easy to use but I had trouble glazing this without the previous layers lifting.  I'm not sure if that happened because the poured pigments sit on the surface or because the sizing was bad.  This is a piece of paper that I bought recently.  I've heard from many people that Arches has changed their sizing and I haven't talked to any artists that like the new formulation so maybe that was the problem.  This also seemed to buckle much more than my previous paintings on this brand of paper.

Anyway, I like the final look that I got by starting with a poured layer.  Also, I think the analogous color scheme gives this painting a very soothing feeling.

A Different Kind Of Apple

I know this subject has been painted by so many artists that it's become banal but I wanted to paint it anyway.  This is on a small piece of Ampersand's Aquabord.  I don't know why I don't use this more often.  It's a really fun surface on which to paint.  Also, it keeps me from blending everything to death (which is my normal inclination) because it's almost impossible to get a smooth wash on this surface.  The paint lifts very easily which made this subject fun.  I painted everything and then used the stem of a q-tip dipped in water to lift the spots on the cactus and apples.  The spikes were scraped out with a mat knife.  I would have had better control with an exacto knife but I was too lazy to go get it and the mat knife was right there begging to be used.

A Different Kind Of Apple

Image Size 6" x 6"

Watercolor