3/6/08

YUPO LIONESS

Sliding paint around on YUPO can be compared to the phrase we often hear now --- '''herding cats.''' (Doesn't THAT paint a picture in your mind?)

For this painting, the sliding paint almost worked for the fur on this cat's face. Then the little spot dried between her nose and eye, leaving an unnatural hard edge where I did not want a hard edge. Somehow, for once, I was able to leave that spot alone and go on with the rest of the painting. Trying to correct it after it had dried would've resulted in destroying the beauty of the cheek area.

Once the whole thing was completed, I found that the hard edged spot no longer bothered me. In fact, I liked what it did for the painting.

I also got lucky under her chin where the background color sneaked into the wet paint of her fur, adding just bit cooler look to the shadow there. The grainy area between the ear and the eye is a result of the Lunar Earth separating or granulating in the Quinacridone Burnt Orange area.

If you haven't tried YUPO yet with watercolor, you are missing out on a great adventure. Although this was painted back in 2001, it's still one of my favorite paintings. Fortunately I'd made giglee' prints of it before it sold.

"GRRRRRRR" Transparent Watercolor on YUPO 10 x 12" Collected

8 comments:

Dawn said...

I saw your lovely photo over at Rhonda's blog, congratulations on a job well done. Love the lioness, that yupo is amazing! any cake left?

Barb Sailor said...

Oh my goodness, the lioness is a beautiful painting. Such control on a very unpredictable support! This is so impressive
Barb Sailor

Suzanne McDermott said...

Ha! I just left a comment after Laura on Rhonda's blog and came over to say the same thing. Except about the cake. And to add that I was just using Lunar Earth today. I still need to find what I other colors I like to use with it. Do you use Goethite? I love the way that works with other colors but a lot of it goes only a little way.

Congratulations! It must be a great feeling of accomplishment.

Anonymous said...

I think the area on the face looks like a tear. Could that be for the lost habitat, fears for the future of these beautiful creatures?
Love your work.

RH Carpenter said...

Sandy, this one and the one of a giraffe on yupo I saw hanging and they are what made me want to seek you out as a teacher - that was ALMOST 5 year's ago!!
PS. Happy SNOW DAY :(

Nava said...

After seeing the George James' demo and the resulting paintings of those who took his workshop, I am very, VERY tempted to give Yupo a try. I am now having my love affair with Tyvek, so once I get a good grip on that one (ha! no pun intended...), I might start flirting with Yupo. I lobe surfaces that challenge me!

Nava said...

Oh, and I forgot to say: WOW!!!

This is an incredible painting, and yes, that hard edge turned out to be a very happy accident. I think it adds a twist, as it makes the viewer stop for a second and think.

Sandy Maudlin said...

Dawn, Barbara, Suzanne,Lynne, Rhonda, and Nava, WOW- seven responses to one painting.
Thanks so much for checking out the blog. I'm glad you liked this little girl. Our son just adopted a blonde kitten who is a distant relative of hers!
Suzanne, I love some of the Prima tek colors but others are less than satisfactory to me, like the Goethite. I do use Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, Serpentine, various Hematites, love Blue Ochre and Lunar Blue (easily mixed with Phthalo blue and Lunar Black) as well as Lunar Earth. I use Rhodonite and Kyanite occasionally. Of course I had to try them all and love how they now send little dabs as samples for the colors. Daniel Smith produces a top notch watercolor paint line for sure, but I try to avoid most of the mixtures.
Nava, you've GOT TO GET SOME YUPO! It's the most fun of all, I think. And, Lynne, I thought it looked like a tear too. Thanks for the confirmation.