Wednesday, May 13, 2009

S: The S Curve


I hit the watercolor paper with acrylic once again last night. This time I used a medium to help control the saturation of the paper. It worked much better. When I started the painting, I relied on an old composition convention--the S curve. I thought that I would allow that general shape to begin the painting, then let the coverage develop as I added the paint.

I limited the pallate to blue and green paints and used a medium to create glazes of colors. As I moved across the image, I developed the lights and darks relative to the paint that was already there. After the first round, I used glazes of the colors to push areas and give them some depth. I decided to add some white highlights and scumbled the paint using a dry-brush technique.

I am still looking for a connection with the composition. After I was finished, I kept thinking that I should add some lines or shapes. But I fought the impulse and just left the image where it was. I think it has an earth and water feeling--although I didn't intend to do anything other than a blue painting.

I think this effort is going to pay off as I experience textures and applications. I just need to connect better with the composition.

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