Saturday, July 11, 2009

Birch pour

Today was bright and lovely and I thought it would be a good time to try some watercolour pours outside in the garden. I singled out this little birch at the rear of the house as my victim and started in.

I'm lucky to have a range of painting opportunities literally on my doorstep as lugging all the water and paints and brushes, etc. etc. is like packing for a trip where you'll be gone for weeks! While plein air painting is great, it does pose challenges, but if I want to draw from life, I have to put up with the problems.

I also wanted to complete a base of a watercolour pour in preparation for a painting I have in mind over the next couple of weeks. I tried one today, but it just didn't turn out as I planned. Too many hard lines and the colours weren't what I had in mind, so I'll try again tomorrow. I did complete a watercolour pour in the winter, inside, on a full sheet. After that I vowed it wouldn't happen again until the summer when I could take the mess outside.

So I played with the birch outside and the temperatures soared until I had to call it quits or succumb to the heat. The insects also seems to take a great liking to this painting while I was doing it and tonight there are a number of flying beasts with multicoloured legs being stared at by their friends and relatives.

I shall add this piece to Vivien's tree challenge and see if the watercolour behaves tomorrow.

7 comments:

A Brush with Color said...

It's fabulous! I'd love to have watched you do this.

Maree said...

Hi, excuse my ignorance, what on earth is a pour? Never too old to learn...

Jeanette Jobson said...

I'll try to remember to take photos next time! I'm a novice at pours, but it has the child appeal of getting messy with water and paint. :)

Maree, if you visit this link, it will give you a good idea of how the process works. I'm still learning (and still messing up)but its fun.

http://www.k8paints.com/Demos/pourpages/pour1.html

Jennifer Rose said...

I know you write that the lines are hard but I think they work in this case, nice definition to the tree. the leaves look great, was that section poured?

Jeanette Jobson said...

no, the leaf and truck sections were separate

SassyCannuck said...

I found your blog today and think it and you are wonderful! The watercolor you did of your mom I thought was awesome...I am but a novice watercolor painter as of Feb 26 this year lol! Btw your daughters are also very beautiful...and saying hi from Langely BC cheers

Jeanette Jobson said...

Welcome to my blog Sassy, great to see another Canadian. Its all a lifelong learning experience and my only advice is just practice, practice, practice! :)