Chuck n Splatter

It's been a while since I sent out a blog - have you missed me? 
I lost the rhythm of the weekly blogs somewhere along the line last year - too busy teaching I think. I decided to send out a monthly one instead, so this is only a little late!

I thought you might be interested in the stages of watercolour painting. There are many different ways of using watercolours of course, and building them up in layers is just one of them.
I like to start paintings out in front of my subject - I really don't get much of a buzz working from photos. I like to work for an hour or so and then stop before I think it's anywhere near finished.

Back in the studio I can assess where I think I'm going with it, or even if it's worth going anywhere at all. In the studio I can see it without the background chatter and let it become its own expression of what I saw and felt.

Climate change is hitting Malta, as it is the rest of the world. So far we have not had a winter at all this year; most days we have had glorious sunshine and no rain at all. This is perfect painting weather - no summer humidity or burning sun, just a chilly breeze and gentle warmth. 
It's ominous of course. The fields are suffering, the water table is drying out and the farmers are worried. There will be a price to pay.

But painting outside is a joy. 
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I started this watercolour in an unusually dry valley in Gozo. It took me about an hour and a half of drawing and then putting down washes. I left the trunks of the trees as white paper because they had to be very dark, and would bleed into the wet pools of colour if I had attempted to do them on the spot. 
I took a few photos and drove it home to dry in the studio.
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Adding the dark trunks and details was the next step. My drawing was pretty accurate and I could remember the scene quite well.

I took a black and white photo of it too, which is something I have been doing quite a lot recently. Without the distraction of colour, it is easier to judge tones and contrasts. 
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... then I added more contrasts and washes....... and splatter....


​I THINK that I have finished it now ??

I didn't want to look at the photos until after I had added more washes and done what I thought the painting needed rather than trying to make it look too 'real'. I prefer paintings to look like paintings, not imitation photographs. 

I like to use the technique I call 'Chuck and Splatter' for leaves - this involves literally throwing paint at the picture. It's very messy and very liberating!! 

Somewhere along the line comes the point of 'Have I finished yet?' which is the fine line between adding just a few more finishing touches and overworking the whole thing until it can't breathe at all. 

​I looked at the photos....