Another Try

Still on my quest, I went at my watercolor again. This time I used one of the Epping Road pictures as subject matter. I found a long narrow piece of paper left over from some former project.

I feel that I'm finally getting a handle on this. I was thinking about my conversation with Thelma the other day and remembered her mentioning using yellow ocre to put the "drawing" on the paper. I decide to try it and it made a big difference. It's what I used to teach my students to do, and it was a good idea. Lightly sketching in the values with paint got me started in the right direction. At this point pencil lines are making me forget value, which is at the heart of watercolor. Using the paper to make light values is essential, since there is no white paint. The degree of transparency is how values are established.

Stretching the original photo out to fit the paper was interesting. I like the reverse repeat in the shape of the tree line and the rock, the lines of the rolling hills heading toward the center of interest. It's composed almost like "The Last Supper." :-)

I am entertaining myself with this effort to restore my skill at watercolor. I like to have a project with a measurable goal to focus on. It doesn't matter that once I reach the goal I toss it asside and move on to something else.

It's good that I am process oriented, since Lytton won't wear his sweater. I enjoyed knitting it....