The curious world of Iris

There have been many "starts and stops" to this painting over the past few months. Each time returning to work, I find myself re-evaluating my intention..what is it I see here?...what is it about this painting that keeps me returning? After all, a new day, brings new perspective (both in life and in art)...new interpretations, new insights.

So I have to ask myself...can my intention be the same each time I return..what I see in the image be the same...when I have changed from day to day? I don't believe it can..exactly; the mood, aesthetic, and way of seeing have changed. I notice these subtle difference in the way I have approached different areas each time following a pause in work. The challenge is in finding harmony among the various "intentions" within the painting and exploring the curiosity that attracted me in the beginning.

So, what is the intention here? Of course, most will see "flowers"; the iris a symbol for hope, faith and wisdom. But today I see energy, curious wonder in the flow of line, lost and found shapes, and the statement of color.

The curious world of Iris

Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord, 16X20

On Exhibit October 4th-November 8th

@

The Workhouse Arts Center, Gallery 16

Lorton Arts Foundation

First steps: Lights and Glazing

Painting with watercolor is simply applying a sequence of layers or "glazes" to build value, develop form, and create the illusion of light and depth. My process begins with recognizing the various "lights" in a painting (warm vs cool intense white light). For a painting in which the "light" is mostly a cool, white light (like the Iris below), the white of surface serves as the "light" and I will begin to build subsequent values around that white, beginning with the lightest values. I apply paint "wet-into-wet" for a given area typically using "glazing" pigments for this step. Glazing pigments when diluted with water are transparent, liftable, usually non-staining, and will not appear "heavy" or "muddy" over the course of adding layers. (Below: cobalt blue, viridian, permanent rose, aureolin yellow, and dioxazine violet) The challenge in watercolor...preserve the light and not cover these areas with paint...look first, then paint.

For yellow-warm or combinations of light, my first step in the layering sequence is to paint in the warm "light" with the appropriate yellow (usually Aureolin or Hansa Yellow Light), but still using the surface to reflect the white, intense light. See previous demonstrations.



My method for applying paint to aquabord: Wet-Into-Wet. Wet the surface of the area you want to work. I will often work in "compartments" (i.e. one pedal at a time). Saturate the area until the water stands on top of the surface. Drop in paint toward the edges where you want the most color, leaving the white areas. Drag your brush toward areas that you want value. Drop in more color as needed. Lift and tilt the board to allow the water to mingle the paint until you are happy with where the paint will settle. Let the water do the work. You will see subtle changes in graded value that will begin to describe the form. Once the paint has set on the surface, you can move to an adjacent area. Continue the process until you have covered all areas as needed for this initial step.

Happy Painting