Saturday, May 7, 2011

Chinese White watercolor


I know I just said I was using only transparent colors in my watercolors but I needed to do something to these two paintings to save them! I was desperate! I reached for the Winsor Newton Chinese White to layer on top of some dull, lifeless color. I feel like I've breached a gap between watercolor and oil. After working in oil for so long I do miss not being able to just go over a color that wasn't working. Adjusting color is hard in watercolor. I worked on these two at the same time and spent way too much time sitting at my table and am now hearing my back complain. I wish I had scanned the painting before I used the Chinese White but didn't have much hope that it would work.
Oh, yes now I remember; I had seen the International Watercolor Exhibition at The Salmagundi Club (I think you can see it online) where lots of work used gouache and opaque mediums along with transparent watercolor and it looked really good; guess it was in recesses of my mind as an option. Funny how that works. I don't see myself using gouache (reminds me too much of work; we used that in textile design) but I don't think I'm repelled or afraid of Chinese White or the Zinc White Gouache.
"Floral Study" and "Floral Arrangement" 4x3 watercolor on board

2 comments:

suzannepaints said...

Lovely painting and fabulous blog

ladyheart said...

Paintings are one of the oldest art forms -- throughout history artists have played an important role in documenting social movements, spiritual beliefs and general life and culture.
flower paintings