Skip to main content

Art Day

Yep, art day again. This time, I decided to use color, although all I have are basic colors like what your teacher gave you in the second grade.

This turned out to be tall grass. I laid down the yellow first and then the blue. And then on the saturated surface, I added a horizontal strip of green. As it bled down through the water, I saw it as a reflection of grass, so I added that above the water line.

This is a hillside with trees. I used less water, so there wasn't as much color blending. I decided I missed random blending here, so to add texture, I stamped the entire surface with a wad of dirty masking tape.

And this is an apple, in case that isn't clear. I stamped this with another wad of masking tape, and I like the results. It may not be a great painting of an apple, and it may well fit the second-grade paints I'm using, but I think I've got a good start in figuring out how the paint and water and paper work together.

All of this experimenting could go on for years, I suspect, because I doubt anyone really masters any medium, especially when they work on their own. Go paint something.

Comments

dive said…
Nobody ever masters water-colours, Robyn. I do like your leaky green line turning into grass; if you study Turner's watercolours (too many lunchtimes spent at the Tate, I know) you'll see he does many similar things. Creating something from happy accidents is half the fun of water-colours.
Robyn Martins said…
Dive, the word "leaky" is a good one for describing this sort of thing, as is the word "accident."
Madame DeFarge said…
I can't paint for toffee, so admire anyone who has a go. All I paint are walls.
MmeBenaut said…
Oh good for you; I love the grass one. As for the apple, I think another go might be required, perhaps a slightly smaller version but I admire you for having a go at it. I know how difficult it is and since I've tried it and have given up, I admire you all the more for that.
kyle@sift said…
Sometimes...with water-colours...it is best to think about negative space...the space that has no paint. You can't do that with all mediums...

Popular posts from this blog

Classic Green Bean Bake

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I feel I must post a recipe with plenty of good old American tradition. The classic Green Bean Bake was invented in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly, a home economist who worked for the Campbell's Soup Company. A study was done determining that 50% of all Americans have eaten the classic Green Bean Bake, and 38% of those believe it is best served during the holidays, mainly Thanksgiving. So, for the other 50% and for those in other countries where this dish may be unfamiliar--my treat: The Classic Green Bean Bake serves 6 to 8 1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon soy sauce Dash of fresh pepper 1 20-oz. bag frozen cut green beans, thawed* 1 2.8 oz can French-fried onions -Preheat the oven to 350 F -In a casserole dish, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper. Stir in the green beans and half of the onions. -Bake until bubbling, about 25 minutes. Top with the remaining onions and bake for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. *Or cook 1 ...

Bring On the Bombs

In today's edition : I generally try to keep on top of cultural trends even if I don’t adopt them, but there is a growing movement that I have only just discovered. Not long ago, I was walking along in Berkeley, California while visiting my daughter, and I saw a signpost that had been covered with yarn, like someone had sewn a knitted scarf to it. It was colorful and randomly striped, and I pointed it out as if it were the most unusual thing in the world. That’s when my daughter explained the nature of what is known as yarn bombing. It’s when knitters attach something they’ve created to a public object, most often doing their deed stealthily and anonymously. They leave a “bomb,” so to speak, for no other purpose than to brighten up the place and to bring a little cheer to those passing by. Their work has been equated with graffiti, except that the woven yarn is not permanently installed and does no damage to the object it covers. And instead of signifying the territory of a street ...

Cindy Loo Who In October

What is it with people and Cindy Loo Who? Of my last one hundred blog hits, forty have been direct visits from regular readers, and fifteen have been as a result of people searching for "Cindy Loo Who," the little pixie from Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas . A couple of years ago, I posted an image of the original Seuss illustration as compared to the TV cartoon image, and for some reason, that post is bringing in the crowds, relatively. Maybe it's the weather. It isn't even November yet, and already we've had frost and have had to dust off our winter coats. When it gets cold like this, I start to think about Christmasy things like listening to Nat King Cole and decorating the tree. It's ironic because I am offended when retailers start pushing holiday stuff early, but I don't mind my own private celebrations. When my sister and I were much younger and still living with our parents, we would pick a day in July, close the curtains to darken the ...