"The Swimmer"...WIP

I didn't have a lot of time to paint today, but did manage a little time with my brush and paint.  Here is today's progress.

This is turning out to be some pretty tedious painting so things move along rather slowly.  At the moment it is difficult for me to wrap my head around the painting like I should so I just have to paint a little bit at a time.  I paint a little, leave it for a little while, then come back and paint a little then repeat the steps all day long.  Not the most ideal way to paint because I can't really get in the flow of the painting but it is the best I can manage at the time.  Do you ever have to just "make do" with the time you have to paint... and be happy you have that much?

These are some thoughts from Timothy Clark when he was at Watermedia 2003 in Houston. (Gosh that was a long time ago!!)

• Line inherits shape, shape inherits form, form is enhanced by value, value is enhanced by color.
• Pattern is 2-D and texture is 3-D.
• If you deal with shape and value, form will take care of itself.
• Composition is the way you organize the elements ~ organize with an underlying element (ie - triangles)
• Be aware of the emotion that you want.
• Local color + Light + Shadow = fully rounded form.
• If you paint orange on top of yellow your blue won't turn green in a sky.

Be Still My Art,


Kay

On Composition and Design

When I read watercolor books and also when I go to workshops or to demos I always take a few notes... or at least scribble on some note of interest.  Unfortunately I don't always label where I read what I wrote down or where I was when I heard some tidbit of interest.  I have all these "floaties" stuck in various places around my studio to inspire me or to remind me of something I need to be doing.  I'd like to pass them on... and I will give credit when I know for certain where I read or who said whatever it is.  Unfortunately, I don't know where I picked up the following information.  However, I thought it might be of interest to you or someone you know.  Just know that the original credit doesn't belong to me.  (A lady in a class asked me once why I didn't write a book.  My answer was that everything I know I learned from a book that has already been written... why write it again?)

When planning your painting concentrate on the following:

• Balancing shapes
• Harmonizing color
• Making the eye flow through the painting
• Simplifying forms
• Giving the painting clarity

Before completion of the painting ask the following questions:

• What is dominant?
• What shows repetition?
• How is it balanced?
• Do we see gradation?

Do you have "floaties" with bits of wisdom in your studio?  Maybe you'd like to share some with me.

Be Still My Art,


Kay