I love the catkins on pussywillows. They are so furry and soft, and a great sign that spring will indeed get here. I guess I'm more impatient this year for winter to go away than I've ever been. I love the snow when it falls; I like the ice on the trees if I'm inside; I like a good book and a bowl of soup on a cold winter day. I like winter. But this year's winter has been longer and snowier and colder than usual. GO AWAY!This is a small painting done with the same technique as the tulips from yesterday's post were done. First I saturated the wet paper with lots of strong, dark colors. Next I lifted out the shapes that were to be lighter. Thank you, Cheng Khee Chee, for sharing this technique of painting with us. It's just amazing that it works as well as it does.
The great thing about this method is that the background and foreground areas are both painted at the same time, while the paper's wet. There's no need to struggle with a background because it's the first thing finished in the painting. After the lifting was done, I added some detail in the twigs and catkins to finish the painting. I used a Q-Tip, or cotton swab on a stick, along with a sable brush, to lift out the catkins, too.
"WINTER'S OVER" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Arches, 5 x 8"
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5 comments:
Wonderful! The perfect technique for pussywillows! I think I'm going to give that a try today...I'm waiting anxiously for spring too...but winter just keeps hangin' around and hangin' around...
I like your both your paintings using the wipe-out technique a lot too, Sandy. The tulip one is fascinating with the sheer number of tulips that you wiped, as well as the different edges. It looks like they are dancing. And the pussy willows make such a happy springlike painting. (I've had it with winter here in NJ too.) Lucky you, to have taken a workshop with the master. I have seen some of Chee's paintings in person at NEWS shows and they are stunning.
I gave it a try Sandy, gonna do it bigger tomorrow. These and the tulips are beautiful!
Yes, it's definitely time to leave this winter behind. I was thinking this year that it's the bleakness of this moment after the nice winter colors and charm of the season have worn away and signs of spring are not yet apparent, that wears us down. Longer days every day and Spring in just a matter of weeks,
Those little pussy willows are sparkling :)
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