I’ve let things slip of late, so here’s an update. Despondency and insecurity have crept in; I had a string of failures of late and consequently decided to try my hand at oils, just for a break. Oil painting certainly has it’s own challenges, but it’s good to be able to add the highlights at the end of a painting, rather than having to plan them at the beginning. I’m really having fun with this (I’ll post some work in due course) and recommend it to anyone who has reached a “block” with watercolours.
I did, however, manage to complete this watercolour commission before it all fell apart completely. Took 3 attempts though. I deliberately chose a difficult view; although it’s a portrait of the house, the scene was dominated by the copper beech tree, the colour of which matched the brickwork exactly. I liked the idea of not knowing where the foliage ends and the house begins.
I previously mentioned planning the highlights; I really don’t like doing it – my method is generally much more spontaneous and I don’t plan much beforehand. And I loathe masking fluid. So I cheat. Those little spots of bright blue are body colour – blue mixed with white – which were added at the end of the process.
Purists will now be switching off in droves, but for me it’s all just a means to an end. Whatever works is good enough.
Hornblower Watercolours 
I don’t think it’s a sin and I guess one decides how one wants to create. This piece is magnificent.
LikeLike
The paintings you’ve published here have already made me a fan, but knowing that a talented and proficient artist also has insecurities, ‘cheats’ and is willing to share them with us is reassuring.
For commercial work it’s necessary to do whatever works. And that picture does.
LikeLike
“For commercial work it’s necessary to do whatever works.”
This is, of course true. But is it not also true of non-commercial work? The medium is just the means to achieve an end. Why is it that a mixed-media work is perfectly acceptable, and yet a splodge of white on a watercolour is a mortal sin? I don’t get it.
LikeLike
Hey Keith – good to see you back – I find this technique most inspiring – I follow a more purist approach (I think) in the work I do but I really like your work – Stephen
LikeLike
Hi Stephen. I like your work, by the way – nice use of white spaces! I do try to be as “purist” as possible, by the way, and it is quite rarely that I use white paint. You can’t beat the luminous quality of white paper glowing through the colour.
LikeLike