I got a couple of hours yesterday to progress the four watercolours I started a week ago. I have been progressing the four concurrently in each painting session.
Now that I have got the watercolours up to a developed stage, see the opening image and the one at the end, I will focus on finishing each individual piece.
A couple of progress photos follow.
The other image of two developed works.
I'm not sure what day I will get back to these works; but I hope to complete them in this coming week.
I have printed my 2025 new year's cards. Fiona and I don't tend to send Christmas cards. Instead we send new year cards which we print at Deckled Edge Press.
As you can see from the photo above this year I have gone with words not numbers. A key reason for this that I wanted to convey the sense that I am having a conversation with myself and friends. In 2025 there will be many big issues that are out of our control. So instead of being ground down by this lack of control I feel I need to just do the small things I can control. This is in part based on a quote of Fiona's - "circles of concern, circles of control" - we have circles of concern (often big issues - e.g. climate crisis, war) and circles of control (often smaller, personal, local things we can do - e.g. kindnesses, individual care and/or support).
My message to myself, and hopefully friends, in 2025 is - let us not beat ourselves up or down; may we just do small positive things.
From a technical perspective the cards are printed on heavy watercolour paper cut into post card size by Fiona; for the year I used Mistral 48 font; for the message I used Marion 30 font; and I used Australian art studio Gum Leaf Green for the ink.
Process photos follow including the proofing print that showed a glaring error.
At this time, and in the coming days, may we share a little more peace and love; may we continue to hold on to hope; may we discover fragments of beauty; and may we find moments of joy.
I'm doing second versions of a few of my postcard sized watercolour and ink pen paintings.
As you can see from the photo above I have been progressing the early stages of the four watercolours together. This gives me opportunity to lay down the similar underpainting coats of the watercolours. This of course is done after each is sketched onto the 300gsm watercolour paper; and in most cases I have gone over the sketch with a fine cool grey or sepia ink pen - see below. All paintings are based on photos I have taken on our visits to Scotland; and where I have used an app to remove the background.
A couple more process steps are shown in the flooring images.
I will get back to these four paintings next week; but at that point I will work each of them individually I think.
My experiments with inks lead me to ask the question: what pen or pencil would I use to sketch the base image for ink paintings; and would different pens or pencil react differently to a coat of alcohol or a coat of acrylic ink.
So with Fiona's assistance I set up a test for a range of pens and pencils on translucent yupo paper: and then swiped a coating of the two inks across the test sheets. You can see how the alcohol test worked in the opening image; and how the acrylic ink worked in the image below.
You will note I drew lines and wrote the different names of the pens and pencils on both pieces of paper - prepared paper below. I also recorded whatever ink was used on each - ink puddles below.
Some observations include: alcohol ink creates a more dramatic effect; black Copic pens seem to work better under alcohol ink; alcohol ink gives quite a gentle smudged look; graphite pencil seemed to hold up better under acrylic ink; and most black pens tend to turn brown under both alcohol and acrylic ink.
Fiona and I discussed the test pieces a
The experiment with these can be seen below. Observations include: hard graphite pencils work well; black ball point stands up ok; and Sharpies can be useful for smudged effects and don't go brown. I think I will be using hard graphite pencils for my base sketches if I want a clear image or contrast.
I'm quite amazed that, with Fiona and Megan's encouragement, I have spent quite a bit of time experimenting with papers, inks, layers, pens and pencils. The good news is that I think I'm just about ready to redo some of my pieces and apply the knowledge I have gained.
We have had so much grey and so much rain it has been difficult to pick times to get out and walk; but on one occasion I walked to G's orchid house and was offered the joy of the blooms in this post.
The orchids seemed to be enjoying the rain and warmer weather - beautiful colours and forms to bring joy and reinforce hope. I love the fresh raindrops on the orchids.
In grey and dark times it is so uplifting to discover fragments of beauty close to home.
As a few folk would be aware I have been experimenting with alcohol and acrylic inks to see how they might work together and on different surfaces (papers).
In this blog post I share the outcome of those experiments including the opening image that I have called - Burnt bushes - silhouette after dusk: translucent yupo 'paper'; archival ink and permanent marker sketch; acrylic ink applied over with balsa wood implement (see end of blog); and alcohol over that - again applied with balsa wood.
Moonscape - white yupo paper; alcohol inks dropped directly onto paper; ink lines and acrylic moon added when dry.
Moody Moon - translucent yupo paper; archival ink sketch; acrylic moon; and alcohol ink painted over.
Moody evening - white yupo paper: 2-3 layers of alcohol ink applied with 10mm flat brush.
Fishing poles - dark dawn - 300gsm watercolour paper: archival ink sketch; acrylic ink applied with brush; alcohol ink overlay; acrylic ink touch up; and posca pen sun.
Fishing huts - through mist and grass - white yupo paper: acrylic painting of huts, sky and foreground; alcohol ink overlay; acrylic ink overlay; grass drawn through wet acrylic ink with pencil.
Dandelion shadows -translucent yupo paper: rough archival ink sketch; and alcohol ink applied with balsa wood implement.
Silver moon in winter landscape - translucent yupo paper: archival ink sketch; acrylic ink overlay applied with wide brush; alcohol ink applied with wide brush; posca pen moon and stars.
Moon in dark starry sky - translucent yupo paper: alcohol ink base applied with wide brush; acrylic ink moon; second coat of alcohol ink; posca pen moon and stars.
Balsa wood implement - about 8-9cm wide. Fiona used this when doing huge calligraphic letters. She suggested I give it a go. I think it will become one of my things.
Quite a lot of lessons learnt. I have written notes on each piece. I will now think about which technique and sequence and paper I will adopt.
