HARD SHAPES

Thanks, Bonnie, for the painting Cairns idea!

 Sometimes taking a break from what you are doing helps, sometimes it doesn't. After a couple of months of not painting at all, I was inspired by a gift from a friend. She gave me an apron with a watercolor palette as the pattern, the perfect gift for a painter.

Thanks, Debi, for the apron

I stepped back into painting by picking rocks as my subject. You would think that a nice relatively round shape would be easy to paint. Instead, rocks are hard and often end up looking like potatoes. Once I don't like what I've done, I start trying to correct the painting. I keep thinking that magically, the right color, the right brushstroke will make the painting work. The painting usually ends up all muddy. 

Sketches done with Kuretake paints

After my first try, I took a step backward and painted a palette of the colors from a new box of Kuretake paints, which are Japanese paints that are rich in color and creamy in consistency. 

Then instead of trying to paint an object, I painted quickly and abstractly just to get relaxed and loose.

Three important lessons that I learn over and over again, are that value is more important than color (squint and look at the variety of values in the abstract above), that drawing is really important, and it is easy to overdo watercolors. Keep it simple and fresh.

 

Abstract rocks

These quick studies relaxed me and allowed me to go back and look at rocks with fresh eyes. You will notice even on the smooth rocks in the Stone Cairns sketch that I've created edges with shadows. I had let go of my daily practice and it showed. I plan to focus on rocks and stones for a while.

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