I have been a classic
oil painter for most of my career. I like the impasto feel of the
paint and the realistic results of a finished oil on canvas.
So why watercolor?
A few years ago, my hobby of gardening resulted
in a myriad of beautiful blooms. They begged to be memorialized in
their full beauty. Somehow, oil paintings seemed ponderous and too
heavy-handed to capture the fragile delicacy of their silken petals.
So I began to experiment with watercolor.
So I began to experiment with watercolor
Using a layering technique, I began with daffodils I had received for
Easter. As I brushed lightly over the paper, stains of soft yellow-gold
began to grow in intensity while still remaining transparent. The
dark areas held the hint of translucent glow that could be observed in
the natural setting of sunlight and shadow. I was very pleased with
the results.
Since then all my floral paintings (with a
few exceptions) have been done in watercolor. The backgrounds are
usually impressionistic, with the primary flowers holding forth in realistic
detail. Besides the advantages
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of easy set-up and clean-up, watercolor is a
way for me to break out of the mold of traditional oil painting.
Recently I have painted other subjects in watercolor:
Watercolor is a quick, efficient
way to get the color noted
When I am out on location researching
lighthouses and seascapes, watercolor is a quick, efficient way to get
the color noted for future oil paintings. Often, the watercolor sketch
becomes a finished work in itself. Sometimes the glow of an autumn
afternoon or the grey monochromatic overcast sky are perfect subjects
for the misty look of watercolor.
Landscapes, lighthouses, beach scenes,
and, yes, even a seascape have been part of this new way of expressing
myself.. I was asked to do a larger sized watercolor of a traditional
seascape by a collector of mine. The experience I had with florals
gave me the impetus I needed to say o.k. The result was gratifying
to the client and to me. Watercolor is quick and easy and fun.
While I will always paint with oil, my florals will be executed in watermedia,
as well as lighthouses, beach scenes, landscapes and yes, even a
seascape. Look for these on my website in the near future.
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