Arum fields

W&N watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm

A happy meander through the fields and flowers of a sunny Spring morning ...

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Flowers so fine

"He must have an artist's eye for color and form, who can arrange a hundred flowers as tastefully, in any other way, as by strolling through a garden, and picking here one and there one, and adding them to the bouquet in the accidental order in which they chance to come. Thus we see every summer day the fair lady coming in from the breezy side hill with gorgeous colors and most witching effects. If only she could be changed to alabaster, was ever a finer show of flowers in so fine a vase? But instead of allowing the flowers to remain as they were gathered, they are laid upon the table, divided, rearranged on some principle of taste, I know not what, but never again have that charming naturalness and grace which they first had."
- Henry Ward Beecher

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm - Maree©

A wet-on-wet exploration during one of my watercolour classes in April this year.

Watercolour Workshop 3 - Another Wet-on-wet

“I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.”
- Unknown


Art Class wet-on-wet 31/03/2010 15" x 11"

For the third workshop I attended with Angela Eidelman last week Wednesday, we had to stretch and prepare our paper at home beforehand and this week's practice was wet-in-wet again. We had to draw the outlines of the scene we were going to paint, from pictures Angela supplied, with Cerulean blue and then, paint it wet-on-wet, keeping in mind our composition, light source, focal point, etc., with Angela constantly peeping over our shoulders, giving encouragement and advice. Thoroughly enjoyed this exercise! This is the painting I completed during the workshop.

Watercolour Workshop 2 - Wet-on-Wet

We all have time to paint. We have time to paint the minute we are willing to paint badly, to chase a dead end, to scribble a few words, to paint for the hell of it instead of for the perfect and polished result.
- Julia Cameron


Art class wet-on-wet 17/03/2010 on Bockingford 300gsm - Maree

This past Wednesday was my second watercolour workshop with Angela Eidelman, Honorary Chairman of the W.S.S.A. (Watercolour Society of South Africa), and this week we covered wet-in-wet, that loose, elusive style that so many artists strive for.

A new concept of painting for me - having to keep in mind good composition, focal point, light source, tonal value, and where the most detail or the least detail is. I usually just go with my gut feeling of what feels or looks good to my (untrained!) eye. So for the next two weeks it's the three big P's - practice, practice and practice!