Wednesday, April 21, 2010

the river

 
7x7watercolor on wallis
This is a second painting from the pastel-less day. Tomorrow I will go back and add pastel. My concentration was on edge and not becoming defined in the watercolor. Leave the decisions for pastel. It's hard to undo a sharp edge. That also could be said for grisailles.
I was also very conscious about just using a few colors- alizarin crimson, paynes gray, green gold, ultramarine blue. At the end I added a speck of cerulean blue. I like the very transparent darks that watercolors have.

11 comments:

Caroline Simmill said...

Maybe you were trying to paint your watercolour like a pastel painting and this could have been making your concentration on edge perhaps! watercolour is very different isn't it as a medium, I think the way the pigment and water blend in is really special. I always find wet into wet watercolour painting very soothing when I don't worry about it. Could be something to do with water being healing and how we as humans are drawn to water too at times when we need to relax and find peace with the elements.
Your painting does have a different look to the first one you posted and you are right the darks are really lovely and transparent.

Donna T said...

Nice watercolors Loriann! You may be onto something. Do the watercolors on site to get the basics down and respond with pastels in the studio to reinforce the mood when the reality of the scene isn't as much of an influence. Not that you are a slave to the scene and rush to put in senseless detail like I do!

brian eppley said...

Hey Loriann. I haven't checked in awhile. Very impressive collection for the show. You've probably already mentioned the details but how long does the show run and what town is it in. Again, very impressive and I'd love to see it in person.

Double "D" said...

Hi B,

Very nice watercolors. I've always liked your approach to colors and technique. Someday down the road, I'll send you an email with pic's that might help undoing a hard edge. I think you've got some nice lost and found edges already. What paper did you use here?
PB

Casey Klahn said...

I admire these - you have a talent as a watercolorist. I have none whatsoever, and so another reason I admire these!

loriann signori said...

Hi Caroline,
It's funny since watercolor isn't my medium they are both different. I was just struggling to feel without describing. Knowing my pastels would not be available that day made me look at it differently.I can't say it's soothing, I guess that comes with ease and expectations.

Hi Donna, That's an interesting idea. We never want ot be a slave to the scene.

Hi Brian! welcome back. i know you have been real busy. i wished I could have made it to Timonium this weekend. Please let me know if you are in the vicinity again. The show is in Bethesda MD, right outside of DC. It's in an area with lots of restaurants and other galleries. Come if you can. The opening is May 14 with a demonstration on the 15th. Thanks about my work!

Hey PB!
I used Wallis sanded paper on this one. It tends to create edges. Please do share your techniques. I will never be a watercolorist, but the more I can learn to help my pastel underpaintings the better it will be!

Hi Casey!
Thank you. It was strange for me to post watercolors... it's like posting my underwear, since for me watercolor is underneath, never on top. Thanks too for thinking I have talent as a watercolorist.

SamArtDog said...

Funny comment you made to Casey about watercolors being like posting in your underwear! I was just thinking how you (I) don't have any control with them. I wonder what Jung thought about dreaming about painting in your underwear. {:D

Anita Stoll said...

This is lovely as is.

loriann signori said...

Hi Sam...I wonder too.

Thanks Anita! I like it became better with pastel added.....see today (Thursday's) post and tell me what you think.

Jala Pfaff said...

Wow. I'm always impressed by your watercolor "underpaintings" (which to me are paintings).

loriann signori said...

Hi Jala, I guess they could be, but I am never satisfied with them as is. It's like cake without frosting. I would not eat it. But just frosting (pastel), I'd eat that straight from the bowl!