LEARNING & TEACHING

It has been a whirlwind week…
First the WSO convention where I was given the people’s choice award for “Tranquility”!

Then Robert Burridge’s workshop Monday – Thursday.

Followed by giving a one day workshop for Southwest Washington Watercolor Society on USING ACRYLIC MEDIUMS with watercolor… as in my self portrait piece, below.

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First Burridge
I was lucky to get in — it was by lottery!
Here are the Bobers and Bobettes (as Bob’s lovely assistant, Kate, calls us)…

While working in acrylic was a stretch for this watercolor lover, Bob did not disappoint! He exudes fun. Maybe it’s his background as a magician or just his playful attitude — he genuinely enjoys teaching and his enthusiasm is catching.

We learned to paint drip trees… And carrot people… these are Bob’s examples.

I wanted to do birds. Here are a couple of acrylic paintings in progress — loose by virtue of using lots of water. I used the new Golden FLOW medium to make it extra juicy.
Bob doesn’t draw first, but I do. Pencil doesn’t work over an acrylic background so I used a white Derwent Art Bar (water soluble crayon) to make a quick sketch.

I’m using negative painting over a background of gold gesso with an over layer of greenish paint — covering anything that is not the swan. It still needs some work.

This heron appears out of the mist — I’m liking it pretty well as is.

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BEYOND WATERCOLOR: Acrylic Mediums

On Friday I went up to Vancouver to teach a workshop for Southwest Washington Watercolor Society. We had a blast!

We worked fast and covered a lot of territory. First we put watercolor paintings or paper on cradled panels, step-by-step.

Then we painted watercolor over matte medium to get textural effects.
I started this trillium painting at the workshop (left), drawing quickly with water soluble graphite. I’ve added another layer (right). The graphite bleeds into the paint when it gets wet, creating interesting effects.

Here’s Lynda working on a trillium. The matte medium makes the paper less absorbent and the paint tends to pool and make oodles of oozles. Sometimes I tilt the paper to direct the flow, propping up one side. Other times I allow it to do it’s own thing! Resist sopping up the puddles and be patient as the paint dries. Keep building up paint until the values are right.

This magnolia pod is finished, after several layers plus scribbling over the top with my black mix, adding to the darks — blending with a spray of water.

What a sweet group… some said it was the best workshop they’d ever taken! I look forward to returning next spring.