A Passion for Watercolor (Art eBook)

A

PASSION FOR

WATER COLOR

PAINTING THE INNER EXPERIENCE

STEFAN

DRAUGHON

$21.95 U.S.A.

PASSION FOR

A

WATER COLOR STEFAN DRAUGHON Believing that strong feelings

strong

art,

make

the author— a versatile

and psychologist— suggests ways

tor

artist

for

painters to scratch the surface of their

unconscious to generate powerful emotions

and unleash more meaningful work.

The book encourages reach into their inner

readers to

self

a3

through

wide-ranging observation— of others, of animals, of food, flowers, holy places, real

and imagined landscapes, and

by tapping into childhood memories.

Working with these

varied subjects and

stimulating approaches to them, plus

the fluid properties of the watercolor

medium

as

it

drips,

forms puddles, and

responds to every stroke of the brush, the reader learns ings

from the

how

inside,

to develop paint-

with inner

life as

the model, and from the outside, with nature as the model.

144 pages. 5 'A x 9 'A" (13 x 23 cm). 175 color and 14 black-and-white illustrations. Index.

to

A

PASSION FOR

WATER COLOR

A

PASSION FOR

WATER COLOR PAINTING THE INNER EXPERIENCE

TEXT AND ART BY STEFAN

DRAUGHON

WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS

/

NEW YORK

—

FOR

DA

V

D

I

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you

to

those

who made

this

book possible:

my

to all

students and teachers,

also to Lewis Falb, Henry Spitz, Sarah Lewis, Marika Krech, Bernard Kirsch, Robin

Powell, John Schwartz, Cecile Stolbof, to

Candace Raney,

ness

to this

and

to

so

many

of Watson-Guptill, for her faith in

book, and for her help

in

giving

it

others. But most especially

me and my

shape. And

to

work, for her open-

my husband,

David

Hertzberg, without whose love and intelligence this book could never have been.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stefan Draughon holds degrees as Master of Fine Arts

School of Design and as Ph.D. taught courses on topics at

New

York University, the

Recent solo exhibitions

book— were

in this

SoHo

in

at

in

"Art

New

Psychology from

in

New

Painting from Parsons

York University. She has

and Psychology," which she designed and developed, School, and at the

of her paintings

Ceres Gallery and

Rhode

and drawings at the

Island School of Design.

— some of which

Broome

Street Gallery

are reprinted

in

Manhattan's

district.

Senior Acquisitions Editor, Candace Raney Edited by Robbie

BR BR

Capp

Designed by Areta Buk

ND2130

Graphic Production by Hector Campbell

2000x

.D73 Text set

©

in

Berling

2000 Stefan Draughon

Cataloging-in-Publication Data for this book

is

available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN 0-8230-0102-4

All rights

reserved.

No

form or by any means

part of this publication

may be reproduced

sion of the publisher.

1

2000

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Printed

in

/

08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00

Hong Kong

used

in

any

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or information-storage-and-retrieval systems

First printing,

or

— without the written

permis-

s

1

Contents PREFACE

INTRODUCTION one

The Basics A

two

s s

u

1

m ptions

This Book

12

Medium

23

of

The Watercolor

Materials and Techni q

it

24

es

Approaches

3

three Subjects, Approaches, Issues

and

the

41

They Raise

SUBJECTS ARE EVERYWHERE: FOOD

42

Approaches

4 6

TOOK CEOSELY: TREE

5 2

Approaches

CUTE

5 7

NOT ENOUGH: ANIMALS

IS

62

Approaches

74

OBSERVING AND BEING OBSERVED: THE OTHER PERSON

78

Approaches IT'S IN

8 6

THE DETAILS: CHILDHOOD

MEMORY

88

96

Approaches

WHO AM

I?

SELF-PORTRAIT

Approaches IS

ART BEAUTIFUL

10 1

FLOWER

MAKING CONTACT: PUTTING

c

Appro a c h

four

A

10 4

HOLY PLACl

h e

IT

2

112

Approaches

Ap pro a

98

ALL TOGETHER: LANDSCAP1 e s

116

\2\

124 1

J 3

Walking on Freshly Fallen Snow YOU'VE FOUND YOUR LATH: W1IM NOW?

137

GETTING LOST AGAIN: GETTING BACK AGAIN

142

INDEX

144

138

P I

R

E

read a preface to find out

when you Even

if

a

if

are ready to dig a

you've had

hook

little

may

then just scan "Materials and Techniques," and to the heart of

move

my

directly

hook,

"Subjects, Approaches, and the Issik-s

my

They Raise"—followed by

concluding thoughts. It is

scary to find your

path as an

artist,

own

rather than

follow established guidelines,

but the rewards make while. At life,

a

to see

what

watercolor

worth-

certain point in

decided to take

I

it

I

a

my

chance-

could do with

my own

way. Tired

of trying to please a teacher,

needed to please myself. I

find

path

my own way—and

is

I

When that

repeatedly found and

is

for

C

me. This hook

deeper into painting

some experience

teacher or From hooks, you

A

F

still

in

is

for

watercolor.

painting, have studied with

want

to read

"The

you

Basics,"

a

hut

and refound again—I

lost

whole and

satisfied

and

myself,

feel

with

see painting as

I

meaningful. Following another's I

way

and secure;

felt safe

was part of

a

group. But

I

was separated from myself. For me,

it

has been a perpet-

ual tradeoff

between belong-

and standing alone.

ing

Thoughts of being true to myself lated. Yet, I

make me I

have found that

when

never feel alone

what I'm

like

feel iso-

I

doing. For me,

being cut off from myself

my

and

development

painter

more

is

painful than

being physically or cally alone.

as a

And

artisti-

always

I've

found like-minded people,

new

friends, or altered rela-

tionships with people I've

known

for years.

a while,

may

It

take

and that in-between

time can be lonely, but haven't seen any

way

I

to

avoid going through those

periods of what

I

call

"regrouping," of losing aspects of myself as for

new

ones.

I

reach

Without

process of change,

I

some

this

feel less

alive

and more unsatisfied

with

my

My

life.

husband

ried a process.

says

He

he mar-

did.

And

change can be hard, but staying nation, like imitating myself,

Change

is

not for everyone.

still

and

Is it

feels

that's

for

worse to me.

even scarier for

you? See what you

It

feels like stag-

me

than change.

find.

Introduction I

walk between

chology or saw

a client,

my background

or

that

lite

and psychology. Even when

art

was an

I

in science.

with time,

pleasure o{ finding

watercolor

my own

my

its

medium own

my

tor

way.

It

my

my medium and

the surface to which

reflects each

an imprint just as each experience

microcosm

a

me much I

it,

of

I

Its

is

color

the touch true

is

contact between

applied. Every stroke leaves

impression on

in life leaves its

Doing watercolor

of

not therapy, but

it

us.

It

has taught

about the world and about myself.

didn't think

and

life.

is

it

is

currents, to the angle

air

mark—each recorded

it

more

It,

forms puddles,

drips,

ever-changing feelings.

and transparent;

is

adventure.

working surface, and most especially to every nuance brush, and thus, to

always

art. I've

unabashedly seek the

I

vulnerable to environmental temperature and

of

farther From

path — of "walking on freshly fallen snow."

the perfect

is

But now,

intellect.

than any other medium, uoes

of the

moved

I've

in psy-

scientist—in spite

a

connected to science toward one that centers on

emphasized emotion over

And

than

artist rather

And

taught topics

I

all

this

out beforehand; not

at

Yet,

all.

have never tired of working with watercolor.

consciously thought: in large ptirt

/

consist oj

with water or even,

should do watercolor.

Not

at

all.

97 percent water Most

it,

felt

I

certainly never

or The earth

is

covered

tonus are water life—therefore,

life

Instead,

I

knew

I

I

thought:

the it

way

now.

/

looks.

it

No

way

love the

And

I

I

love

question— oil paint

gives magnificent color ture. Yet,

moves,

it

still

I

and

tex-

hate the very quali-

do

ties that

permit

it

viscosity

and

density.

its

to

that: its I

cannot

stand shoving the paint around,

having

it

stay put.

interaction

need an

I

between

me

and

fluid watercolor.

Of course,

I

don't

mind

that

watercolor is— please forgive the

pun— the wave

of the future.

It

avoids solvents with their envi-

ronmental dangers.

It

doesn't

require excessive physical strength, so

throughout But the

even

life,

when we

medium— too

to emotional experience. a

passion for

And

I'd like to

This a series

Passion

it.

am

range of expression,

its full

It is

is

powerful because

potentially

contagious.

is

book— supplemented by my of ideas about

I

most powerful

have

a

it

will receive

it is

sensitive

for those with

passion for watercolor.

how

paintings and drawings— presents

to explore the possibilities of watercolor.

my own

experience in making

not necessarily aware of them while

ing sacrosanct about any

presented.

of choice

share that with you.

These ideas emerge from I

medium

have aches and pains.

deserves. Watercolor

it

can be the

often given short-shrift by critics— needs to be

trusted and explored. Given

the devotion

it

one

idea, or

I

make the

art.

about the order

Most beginners experiment with the

tools

in

art,

although

There

is

noth-

which they

are

and the medium

before being concerned with the subject of their paintings. Keep in

mind, though, that paint itself—the

marks— is

a possible subject

Each subject

area, for

colors, shapes,

of paintir,^.

example, animals,

experience with it—which provides painting.

Then

which you may life,

I

list

try

is

ferent

on

for size.

if

a general

first

my

viewed from

model of my approach

to

Some approaches

better than the other. Like blue and

from each other

in color,

you find out who you

focus on your inner

model. Yet, neither an inner nor an outer

as a

These ideas have expanded that

is

possible approaches to the subject in that chapter,

and some take nature

focus

composition of abstract

brown eyes— eyes

are dif-

but are equally good for seeing.

my

experience with watercolor.

are as a painter

haps you, too, will enjoy making footsteps

I

hope

and follow that path, per-

in freshly fallen

snow.

a

O

n

The Basics

//

Assumptions of This Book Everyone has assumptions. Even

llnit is

an assumption.

eas) to con-

It's

fuse lack ol knowledge with having no underlying assumptions. In

fact,

without knowledge—both factual and self-knowledge—our biases not only

exist,

about

And

it.

control,

they arc more powerful. This might sound odd, but think

an idea out

which makes

its

of

our awareness

is

also outside*

influence stronger, since

it

is

our rational

hidden from

us.

Discussed on this and the next several pages are four major assumptions of this hook.

what you

believe.

Knowing them If

might ask questions ideas.

will

we were engaged me, and

of

my

help you choose for yourself

two-way conversation, you

in a

answers would help

clarify

my

But with only the printed page connecting me, the writer, with

you, the reader, of course, your individual questions cannot he

addressed. That's

why

it's

important that

what the working assumptions

NO

RECIPl

First, this

is

of this

I

make

hook

are,

clear

from the

and are

start

not.

S

not

a

"how

to"

technical problem, such as

book

how

in

the sense that

we

start

out with

a

to paint the sea, or handle perspective,

or use pencil in combination with watercolor, and then set about solving that I

problem with

specific techniques, colors, materials,

have no recipe for painting in watercolor.

12

And

I

believe in

and so on.

no

single

technique that answers

one problem,

it

all

questions. Instead,

creates another. Focusing

on

when technique light

solves

and shade pushes

considerations of color into the background. Firming up the drawing a

watercolor with pencil or pen sacrifices some of

see a tradeoff— something gained, something

What this

I'm talking about

book,

I

have

passion.

is

a passion for

how

How

I

tap into that passion.

does

it

serve

me when

How I

spontaneity.

My

does

a

title of

strong set of feelings and an

aim it

We

lost.

As you know from the

watercolor,

individual vision about watercolor.

its

in

in this

begin?

book

How

is

does

to it

show you develop?

find that I've exhausted an aesthetic idea

13

and need to

mme

on to another? This book

color— mine, because

my

artistic process?

Specific steps,

I

I

know

best.

it

believe that

What

my

Sigmund Freud published But reading about

my me

his

his

dreams

own is

to doing water-

you gain from knowing

I

in fresh

ways.

mean. Everyone knows that

dreams.

I

le

analyzed them

unlikely to help

me know

in print.

exactly

what

next dream means. Yet, his system of dream interpretation helps

understand

color,

I

present

my a

dream.

way

of

In this

work

for

book about my passion

approaching

personal subconscious that feeds

14

will

one path

general approach, rather than any

might influence your work

Here's an example to clarify what

is

me— approaches

to the'

my

my

preconscious,

work.

I

a

for water-

part of

my

suggest approaches that

preconscious—which you may choose

to explore for yourself.

These suggestions emerge

from

my

a

combination of

background

logy,

my

in psycho-

emphasis on

self-

exploration as the goal in life,

and

my

strong wish to

communicate

ideas with

others in words as well as images. I

mean

By preconscious

those ideas and

emotions that are close to consciousness— not too scary to be conscious of—

but have not stayed conscious because they were

pushed aside by other concerns. As an

artist,

I

work

to

make the

pre-

conscious conscious, and to develop from that source of energy. If

you follow the flow of each chapter,

move more deeply time and

again,

art.

But

if

you

hope that you,

in a different direction

the straight and narrow,

with the work and

my

I've

feelings

too, will

get sidetracked, as

you may choose to follow what

one that goes off left

into your

I

I

call a

from the

"thumb

others.

I

have path,"

When

I've

often been pleased with the results—

about

it.

15

S

/

A

RONG

I

I

I

INGS, Vis

I

second assumption

of this

book

in his

political

concerns

work. Pablo Picasso loved each

time after time, and we can in every portrait.

he painted.

He

feel

it's

necessary to have strong

Think about

feelings to create strong paintings.

deeply about social and

that

is

ol

it.

and

ol his day,

ol his

shows

clearly

he painted

connection to them

Vincent Van Gogh passionately loved the landscape

never painted just another

time he painted the tree

ol trees,

the sun

tree, just ol ^uns.

any old

humble

little

tree.

Each

For me, an artist

loves individual living things, even a stallion can inspire

portrait ol that

it

women

the beautiful

the intensity

Goya cared

Francisco

me

who

to paint

a

onion.

Perhaps student paintings look "studentv"

in part

because students

paint according to other people's choices, not guided by their own.

Such methods may help students in

but great work rarely emerges

the classroom. The same might be said lor following the approaches

in this

16

learn,

book. But

I

think this

method

differs in

some important ways

from the standard classroom

situation. Here,

work— alone with your subconscious that

not exist

at

all.

Any

in these pages, or

passion for watercolor.

view of your own work. else will be.

is—but

it

a result

If

What you do

will

be

surroundings not even

a degree,

forget— you choose the order of the

Some may open up new avenues

own

when you

rewards you get will be from yourself or they

And— don't

approaches suggested

are alone

in the personal

you choose. You're not being graded or given

an encouraging word. will

you

It's

you will

less sincere

whether you

of exploration,

a

try

them

at

journey within your

important to be gentle but firm are not the

still

and

of your not making your

one

all.

in charge of

it,

in

your

someone

be your work— what we do always

less you,

own

and— I believe— less

strong as

decisions.

17

NO

APY HER

Till R

I

Here's an assumption to avoid. Several psychological terms running

through is

this

book might

about self-therapy. But

psychotherapy.

It is

hook

create the mistaken impression that this

has nothing to

it

do with

art

about finding and catching threads

therapy or with oi aesthetic

development fueled by your own subconscious. Whether you understand yourself better or solve your emotional conflicts— and

them, get

a

little

issue. Painting

watercolor approach going for you that

Once

meaning. into

and big ones— is not our

how

it

ol course,

you're on track,

came about,

it

alive

or even what should be

Approaches

The

pain,

point

have

all

to

is

and has emotional

necessary to delve

isn't

you experience personal

to be explored.

is

is.

we

more deeply

done about

it,

unless,

and then other avenues need

to watercolor

do not provide solutions

to

personal anxieties and problems.

But

il

you are searching

for a

way

oj

face of your subconscious to generate

seardting-oi scratching the sur-

more meaningful work— then you

stand to gain from pursuing the approaches foster

your working process

as

an

artist.

A

in this

book

as a

way

to

successful artistic result

is

pattern of strong work, and not the absence of anxiety or conflict.

Should

stress build at

any time

in life to

the point where

it is

hard to

handle alone, qualified professionals are available to help lessen that conflict

and

arena;

offers

it

strife.

This book

no treatment

is

not intended to be of help

for pain of

any kind.

in that

a

19

DRAWING BINDS The fourth and material

I

final basic

present,

is

STING

assumption

as

much

is

as

of this

hook, implicit

no substitute

for

in all

drawing from

the life

possible— and drawing from other

work, too. Drawing answers many questions raised by painting-

questions about

both from your answers other

reality,

own

artists

about yourself, and about

art.

You can

learn

explorations and by seeing what thoughts and

have

« I

20

I

that there

and from imagination artists'

PA

come up

with.

SUMMARY:

A FRESH START

Simply put:

you

start, if

would

If

are dissatisfied

with your artwork and want

you find that your watercolors

like

them

aesthetically,

to be

then

this

are not as meaningful as

a

fresh

you

and you don't know how to delve more deeply

book may speak

to you. So let's begin.

21

p

a

t

ilSL

Two The Watercolor

Medium

23

Materials and Techniques I

remember do

plans to

so clearly the day it.

work, taking

a

But there

I

was,

a

walk near home.

my

bought

I

first

watercolors.

young woman on her day

When came I

knew

I

exactly

minutes. For most in

I

of that time,

From

I

went

in.

I

had

To my

wanted. The whole process took ten the clerk carefully rolled

my

brushes

paper and secured them with tape. I

chose

cadmium bought

24

what

oil

to the tiny art store

passed thousands ot times and never entered before, surprise,

had no

I

a

six

red

watercolors light,

in

tubes:

ultramarine

small round palette,

cadmium

blue', viridian,

yellow,

cadmium

orange,

and burnt sienna.

I

also

two brushes—one round, medium-size

sable

and one

larger

round ox hair— and

purpose pad of paper of moderate

home

as if

I

were carrying

on the

street

knew what

my

final

I'd just

those paints would change

my

spiral-bound, 8"

quality.

a secret— like

married, or had just passed

a

I

10" multi-

brought the small parcel

knowing

exam with

done.

X

I

was engaged

to be

No one how much

flying colors.

And I had no

idea

life.

my parents had just discarded, spread and laid out my supplies, then gently held each newspapers over tube with the cap still on, pressing it between my thumb and index filled a finger. All the fresh tubes were soft yet resilient to my touch. I

set

up an old card

table that

it,

I

clean jar with water.

ceeded to

fill

my

My two

dry brushes

lay

near the pad, and

palette with color— one squeeze of paint

I

pro-

from each of

the tubes into the separated circular depressions in the palette.

Then

I

tenderly dipped the small sable brush into the blue paint diluted with lots of water,

and drew what was

in front of

me: the kitchen table with

-m

25

a

some

vase and

then

ers,

then

a

flow-

window,

doorway

a

the

in

distance, anything

saw— just

I

to begin

painting.

When much

as

done

I'd

could with

I

that first picture,

The next

dry.

it

as

let

I

day,

I

painted another pic-

hut this time, to

ture,

separate

it

from other

sheets in the pad so

my

could begin painting,

I

tore

the pad while still

all

L

m

My

wet.

next

from

it

was

it

colors ran

over the place;

destroyed

removing

I

had

I

my work it

by

from the

pad prematurely. So I

made another

paint-

ing right away, but

I

didn't like that one.

Discouraged,

work.

It

Early next morning, didn't look half

But

I

cally.

I

looked carefully

It

waited until

at all three pictures

The excitement of

scious as possible,

is

not

painting or drawing,

good mind-set

a

early in better.

and they

pulled from the pad.

the following day to evaluate

at least

up

made my day go

bad— even the one prematurely

left for

became my

habit to get

the morning to paint before going to work.

I

when

my work

criti-

I'm as unself-con-

for evaluation. Digging into

the preconscious emphasizes openness and receptivity, while self-evaluation

is

approach to rently doing.

quality of

Once

own 26

and tends to close

critical

I

for a

making

it,

A

my

little

it

me up—to

tighten

my work

easy to overvalue or undervalue

time

still

makes

me more

or

my

what I'm

cur-

objective about the

work.

had

figuratively

few

years,

I

took

wet a

my

feet

with watercolor, working on

semester's class at a local art school.

my

The

teacher had been painting in watercolor for forty-five years, and had

been teaching

He

doing.

for almost as long so ;

has since died, but

my

he knew exactly what he was

gratitude to

him has

write these words years

I

of those

first

routine.

I

Another

still

attempts use

palette

a

at

later,

my

daily

watercolor are

round

still

plastic palette,

you might

try

is

part of

although

are thicker than

used to

I

use,

a larger

aspects

work

one

(12").

an ordinary white ceramic dinner

My watercolor brushes— usually is

was lucky

many

it

again for food), although

doesn't have the depressions to separate colors,

rule

I

I'm surprised that

plate reserved just for painting (never use

you.

not.

worked with him.

to have

As

it

if that's

it

important to

round and made of animal hairs-

and often have bamboo

ferrules.

A fer-

that part of a brush (usually metal) that surrounds and secures

hairs to each other

middle-quality,

if

and to the brush handle.

And

I

still

not high-quality, paper for watercolor;

buy I've

at least

never liked

the feel of newsprint. I

continue to use high-quality paints—those same colors, plus

remain the mainstay of

my

color preferences.

Now

I

a few,

realize these are

mainly prismatic colors— the colors

you

when you

get

through

prism— more

a

like

the col-

rainbow rather than earth

ors of a colors.

shine light

However, one transparent

earth color, burnt sienna, forms

a

wonderful midpoint between reds

my palette. my colors from

and blues on I

arrange

light

and from yellow through

to dark

orange, red, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna,

and then back again from

dark through light with

violets,

phthalo-green or viridian, ultramarine blue,

and ending with cerulean

blue. In a circle, the lightest yellow

and the

lightest blue are adjacent to

each other. That way, should they

mix with each

other,

it is

mainly

a

color mixture rather than an abrupt

value change— a change in the lightness or darkness of a color indepen-

dent of

its

hue. For example,

if

a

27

powerful color

like

phthalo blue accidentally mixes with yellow, the

resulting painted area also

be

much

would not only be

darker than

it

of

bright yellow green,

softer

a

sudden, relatively uncorrectable value changes being artists

from placing colors

with powerful staining properties on their palette. Yet,

and dark colors on the I

often mix

palette, as well as delicate ones.

my own

"blacks," using

combinations

rather than using black watercolor or Payne's gray. o\ shirks it

1

mix myself. Sometimes

blend with the prismatic colors

Oiue

I've

squeezed out the

1

I

I

ol

like

intense

like contrast,

deep colors

prefer the variety

use black water-soluble ink and

I

for

colors,

let

other subtle, interesting darks. I

let

them

use and reuse the colors time and again. There

28

would

and paler yellowed green.

confounded with color changes keeps some

and

it

the adjacent color had been cerulean blue

which, mixed with yellow, yields

The danger

a

is

dry.

That way,

I

can

no waste, since water-

and redissolve

colors dissolve

When

repeatedly.

almost used up,

the colors are

squeeze more

I

on top of them and go on from there. This means, however, that

once

a palette

with

its

established

is

order of colors,

that way.

If

I

want

use

I

it

my

to change

palette— as happens at least

every five or ten years— I simply

buy it

new

a

palette

and prepare

from scratch with different

colors or an altered arrangement

of previously selected colors.

By the way,

I

palette too clean. Yes,

I

any huge puddles, but the

little

leave

I

residue and puddles

that remain

and

let

them

they give hues

Later,

my mop up

don't keep

dry.

a color

edge, a novelty, a subtlety that straight I

tube colors do not have.

prefer shades of color that are

slightly off the

or yellow.

pure

red, blue,

Sometimes

I

contrast

those so-called "grayed" colors

with pure

colors,

but that

is

an

work and not

intentional color statement for a particular

painting principle. While

opaque ones,

I

I

a

general

usually prefer transparent watercolors to

have absolutely no rules about transparency.

using thick paint or

a

nontransparent white

is

helpful,

I

If

do

I

it.

feel that If

you

have reservations about doing that, just look at John Singer Sargent's watercolors and see

opaque

how

in his paintings.

beautifully he integrated transparent with

However, opacity controls, puts

a limit

on the

freedom of the transparent watercolor.

My

approach builds on what

thirty years.

As we move

do remember that

if

I

have learned from painting for over

into the technique section of this chapter,

you find you prefer

a

rectangular palette, square

brushes, or any other materials that differ from mine, please use them. I

sometimes do,

that

I

too,

and even use shaving brushes or pastry brushes

keep on hand for exclusive use with

paints.

29

A If

oi

p

you've never painted before, or are

just

h

c

way

curious about trying this

working, that's great. Here are sonic techniques to familiarize your-

self

with the

medium

while trying some different approaches to

ONE BRUSHS TROK

i

Watercolor paper comes

AT in

.1

I

in

one

higher

at

the top than

at

Ml lias a lot ot

start exploring,

stretch, take" a sheet ot

bigger than IS" x 24") and tape

c

value possibilities, that

the upper-left corner,

it

when you have

to a board that

it

a

is

few

old-press watercolor paper (no

at a

time, with

brushstrokes to experiment with the medium, its

tooth, or tex-

is

raised

about an inch

the bottom, inclined to the tabletop. Think

covering the page, one stroke

and

it.

smooth, and "cold press"— which

is

somewhere between the two. To hours

I

"rough*—which

ture, to it— "Inn press"— which

oi

a

o

r

p

is,

range

ot

a sott grid ot its

individual

wide range of

color,

dark and light tones. Start

you are right-handed. (Left-handers begin

in

in

the upper-right corner so you can see what you're doing.)

Wet

a

#12 round, pointed brush

vour mouth), and dip

it

in

the right

30

container of water (never

in

any color. Hold the brush (not too close to

the ferrule) loosely enough not to to maintain control so

in a

tire

your hand, yet firmly enough

you can give the brush

amount of wetness

so that

when you

a little play.

Find just

place your color-loaded

brush on the sheet

in the far corner,

mark

of the paper, that

drier

is

making

on top and

you

It

should

get back to

sit

parallel to the

puddle on the

run, nor should

in the paint again

it

rests right against the side of

mark, but neither overlaps

it

nor leaves

if it

what you've done.

come out

doesn't

When

your painting

mark

a

your

first

gap between the two strokes.

a

may not be

too, leaves a puddle. This

over your stroke

dry up

it

and make

of a different color so that

It,

top

there comfortably until, in forming the grid,

Dip your brush

it.

mark

leaves a small

bottom of the mark.The puddle should not right away.

a

easy to do at

right. Just

dries,

first,

but don't go

go on and learn from

you may notice

small

a

section of white paper showing through at the corner intersection of

four strokes. That space can be

made

smaller with practice.

dle runs clear across the row, your brush

Blot

it

before resting

a bit

it

on the paper

should be drier but not so dry that

Now you

is

have two marks in

a

row

on, until you've sheet.

a third

mark

made one

Remember

no puddle

it

may

point of getting to

straight line of

above. This

at its base.

Reload your

second mark, and so of your

marks along the top

know

new mark.

that

once.

If

it's

you do,

This procedure can

important not to use you'll miss the

whole

the watercolor medium.

left

first line,

means

a

try your patience, but

more than

Next, return to the

under the

all.

to reload your brush with paint of any color(s) of

the same brush-load

right

at

against the top of your paper,

right next to the

your choice each time, before making take hours and

water.

for the next stroke— which

each with a persistent but not drippy puddle

brush and make

the pud-

much

carrying too

leaves

it

If

edge of your paper and begin

barely catching

you

lose that

a line

of strokes

up the puddle from the

row of puddles

in

forming

a

stroke

new 31

row

puddles

of

at

puddles

of

finish the

left,

and so on,

it,

there

across,

all

until every line

is

then

third

a

filled up.

row

You have

starting

the farthest lower-right corner, your picture in colors.

1

is

from the

not gone over

stroke from upper leit to lower right, and now, with your

Observe the variation

always

is

time across the page. Continue until

at a

second row

you

As each

ot strokes.

up the puddle" from the stroke above

stroke' "catches

only one row

the bottom of the second row

last

any

stroke

at

finished.

low similar are each of your

strokes? For example, are your strokes mostly reds or blues or equal

mixtures of the two? Are they values to your work? Are

reds the lighter ones'

new

color of the

all

all light, all

strokes

is

there

a

your blues the dark strokes and

low do the puddles

I

dark, or

alter

some

that

mixed with them? Look

closely at

may never have been made

other painter, And some that you

PA INI

.1

you— perhaps also based

a

on

should be done

may never make

a

simple form in front

cup,

a vase, a

what you've

32

a few-

before by any

again.

a grid

in

one

and

left to

of you,

any shape that pleases

spoon. As with the study above, this one

will take

sitting,

some time

to complete, but

it

otherwise the puddles will dry up and

your painting won't be completed

upper

your

SUM'

This time, place

is

all

of

and modulate the

done. There are innumerable colors on your paper from just tubes of paint,

range

in a consistent way.

Work from

lower right on your paper, but place your object on

a

table against a

background

while you make your

grid,

the object on the table.

when you

easily

won't be

a

the earlier painting, this one should so that your simple object emerges

look at your picture and see

photographic representation, nor

show planning

in color

and form,

from the pattern of your uniform

which capture the puddles from the

strokes,

are finished at the lower-

But unlike the purely exploratory color combinations of

be.

it

It

Think about hue and value choices

such that

your paper, you can

right side of

should

color.

line above.

WET-ON-WET Both previous techniques use ing

a

wet brush on dry paper.

on moistened paper— a technique known

Now try work-

as "wet-on-wet."

Immerse

a sheet

of 140-lb. cold-press paper in clean cold water.

sheet should

lie flat

in a clean sink or pan, left just long

some

the paper has long, the

play to

it

when you

pick

it

up. If

enough

it

on

a

wooden board and

all

four sides. Since paper tears

be

gentle.

the paper

more

easily

so that

immersed too

paper texture can disintegrate. Once your paper

not soggy, place

The

tack or tape

it

is

wet but

down around

when wet than when

dry,

Now, while is

wet and

anchored, take a brush

loaded with color

and apply your

first

Watch the

strokes.

paint run. See

how

from the

colors spread

more concentrated paint through the

water-soaked paper,

producing

a traveling

color effect.

The

hues may look bright, even

brilliant

where

they were originally applied, but

remem-

ber that watercolor painting dries lighter

than it's

it

looks

when

wet.

33

1)R V

BR IS

II

Some people

find the wetter techniques just too hard to control, too

frustrating, so "drybrush*

paper

is

You can make an watercolorists

ol

method they choose. is

barely moist

1

[ere,

enough

to carry

painting can be interrupted and returned

entire painting in drybrush, or you can

do—combine dry

the

to.

do what most

strokes with wetter ones to

make your

specific balance ol the two. This can even involve wetting a portion

of the

34

often the

completely dry and the brush

pigment This kind

own

is

paper before applying paint, while leaving other sections hone dry.

BLACK INK Try water-based black ink and see the interesting achieve by brushing paper,

it

effects

you can

on wet or dry paper. Using black ink on white

you can create the

appeals to you, build on

greatest value contrasts possible. If that

it

with washes of ink or even watercolor.

Chinese painting theory holds that

all

colors can be experienced

through black ink on white paper. Not that we actually see the hue; rather, the

image

is

so well executed that

it

calls

color to mind, makes

us "see" the red color of a peony or the blue feathers of

a bird.

35

/

XPl

ORE

II

X

FUR

I

Textured effects can be produced with watercolors. The paint can be

scumbled— whereby ing in such a

one color

and adds another

with

it

a

dry brush

is

dragged across

a

dry paint-

does not completely cover the underlying

against another.

You can

36

that

Scumbling produces

color.

ble

way

a relatively

a

shimmering

The

effect of light

on dark or

texture of the upper layer

is

of

readily visi-

level of variation.

also create textured effects by

drawing into thick wet paint

palette knife, a brush handle, a plastic fork, or similar tool.

I

even

make marks with my fingers— a technique ancestors,

who

used their fingers

their cave paintings. I

When

wear disposable latex or

I

use

that began with our earliest

as tools to

my

make

distinctive

fingers, and, in fact,

plastic gloves.

Some

marks

whenever

I

in

paint,

colors can be harmful

if

they get on your fingers or are accidentally ingested, so read and follow the handling instructions on each tube of paint before using

it.

STUDY GREAT ART Learn by looking masters to

a

at

other

art,

everything from cave paintings to the old

range of contemporary paintings.

ings "after," or inspired by, great works,

I

learn by

making draw-

and even more by doing water-

colors of them. Chartres Cathedral's stained-glass

windows

or the

paintings by Mathias Griinewald for the Isenheim altar have been won-

Doing watercolors of them showed

derful teachers.

large shapes that

you sketch

at a

ing to safety

form

their

museum,

Where

mitted to draw art

fundamental composition. But note that

and the flow of people through the

art

is

at

shown

all.

the simple,

there are likely to be specific regulations

when and where you may rules.

me

work, so always

call

if

relat-

galleries that restric

t

ahead to inquire about

in a place of worship,

In that case, reproductions

you may not be perand photographs of

can be good teachers, too, in spite of their reduced and altered

information as compared with the works themselves.

37

I

L

LUSTRA

Finally,

work

I

I

1

A

II

enjoy taking

a

oi literature that

pret scenes from

worked from plays, or

it

X

I

book is

that

love

and

illustrating

especially meaningful to you,

in a scries of

biblical images,

poems. Search

I

for

and

38

Think

oi a

try to inter-

watercolor paintings. Rembrandt

other

artists

have been

moved by

novels,

anything that was originally expressed

through words that you find stimulating enough to use ter for

it.

one or more watercolor paintings.

as subject

mat-

SUMMARY: LET MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES WORK FOR YOU I

cannot say this too often: There

is

no one way

color painting. Ultimately, there are probably as rials

and apply techniques

somewhere, to learn

how

paper. Perhaps there are

to.

I

a

we

all

strong waterto use mate-

need to begin

to approach our blank piece of watercolor

some agreed-upon

love the variety of

all

conclusions, but artists can

of them. Personally,

what watercolor can do

and with alternative visions— or by the same hand

C

make

many ways

as there are people. Yet,

never be expected to agree on

them

to

I

wouldn't want

in different

hands

at different times.

t

p

a

r

m

o-

T

h

r

Subjects,

Approaches,

and THE Issues

They Raise

41

Subjects Are

Everywhere Food With subjects everywhere, the question becomes: What Each chapter—accompanied by images

which

to rest

as flowers

child,

food

ol

and

fruits, are

now

will

be

the aesthetic issues raised

ideas

on

subjects, such

a

very different experience

in

each chapter. So

a

in

let's start

the

with

as subject matter. 1

there and

looking

at

is

it

a daily in

climb.

We

Chinese carpet cherries in

made

oi eating, like

in

Mount

Everest,

care about food, not just eating

markets, seeing images ol

patterns on our clothes, or

woven

it

on our

into our rugs.

I

walls,

it,

wearing

remember

is

but it

as

a beautiful

deep blue with delicately tormed bunches of red

two corners— cherries

that looked luscious in spite of being

of wool.

Food

42

Some

paint?

I

things you probably painted in school, as

For everyone, the everyday event

food

my work—offers

your colors, tonus, and compositions.

but painting them

context

of

shall

is

is

not only tied to

life; it is

love (a birthday cake);

a

also tied to emotions.

weapon

(to

We

learn that

be withheld or thrown

at

someone); (you can

a

medium

tell a

of creativity (for gourmets);

family's social class

from

its

center of our being whoever and wherever

a

garbage).

we

source of status

Food

hits us at the

are.

Painting of food runs the full gamut, from the delicate watercolor

images of fruit on tions of sides of

food

is

a plate

by Charles

Demuth

to the stark representa-

meat by Rembrandt or Francis Bacon.

In these paintings,

the apparent subject. But in other instances, food

is

indirectly

painted in myriad contexts: images of nursing babies in religious and secular paintings; depictions of the Last Supper;

Rembrandt's

self-portrait toasting his bride; Jan

pouring milk from

a pitcher; Picasso's

Dutch

interiors as in

Vermeer's young

girl

images of poor people eating

a

simple meal; Peter Bruegel's famous wedding banquet.

Am and

I

seeing food in paintings

isn't really

important?

I

where

don't think

only minimally referred to

it is

so.

I

believe that eating

is

so

43

fundamental to

daily

life

that

nature without food taking

a

it's

impossible to conceive

monumental

painting

oi

place in our art

I

have no

difficulty extending the subject oi food to symbolic representations in

mother-and-child images found

by Henry Moore, and In fact,

the food

in

Egyptian sculpture,

eat

and the way we

for an actual portrait oi a person.

realistic

the person

it

could be

substitute

image

sparse white table,

a

and

will sit

in his

a

eat at that table as

ol a

tells

Why? Because

setting,

how

personal choices say

things are arranged in

on the table can describe that individual's nose,

a

a lot

us as

any photo-

representation oi the shape oi that person's nose could

Perhaps more.

A room

who

eat

Andrew Wyeth,

country kitchen with plate and knife on

much about

by Mary Cassatt

in delicate paintings

we

massive pieces

in

about

a

tell us.

person.

and even breakfast foods

it,

person more accurately than the shape

which had nothing

ol

do with personal choice

to

(short oi having had cosmetic surgery).

And what

about garbage; can we

the food they throw away?

We

tell

what people are

enjoy pictures

our

chilled, set before us beautifully to please

when

it

begins to decay?

Can you

chicken kept too long look

Rembrandt made

like^

a side oi

Can

by seeing

food steaming or nicely

palate.

paint decay?

meat

Vegetarians— appalled by images

oi

like

But

is it still

What does

food

the smell of

that be a subject oi art?

at

the slaughterhouse beautiful.

o\ Flesh to

be eaten— can paint their expe-

rience of full-bodied acorn squash or a colander of iresh apples ready to

be eaten uncooked or made into pie or apple sauce. Or they could paint their revulsion to eating meat.

Or

paint the

compost

pile

where apple

peelings or fallen apples ready themselves to rise as next year's vegetables. I

sometimes paint eggplants. The purple

and carmines

in

the shiny skin

move me.

shape of the form. Eggplants offer watercolor darks. avoids

44

it.

But

The beginner

a faintly

is

a

I

color,

deep greens,

love the firm

blues,

and curving

wonderful opportunity to paint

sometimes

afraid of dark paint

and

painted eggplant looks unhealthy. Painting darks

lets

meld

deep, rich colors

of the vegetable in

Once

into each other while forming the solid shape

surroundings.

its

discarded, could peelings of an eggplant sitting in the sink be

seen as weaving into and out of each other, forming an abstract image of flat

Could peelings be painted

planes or rings?

surrealistically,

becoming

snakes writhing in the sink? Consider a progression that moves from painting the vegetable relatively realistically, to

its

becoming an

organic,

two-dimensional design with no necessary reference to content—that

on

to "vegetableness"— and

is,

to painting an identifiable mathematical con-

cept the forms bring to mind, and finally to letting your imagination go a little

wild as you paint the vegetable forms

as if

they were coming to

or even moving.

life

may

Vegetables or fruit

painting—that

is,

shown

in

also

be part of

more complex

a

still-life

conjunction with cups, bowls, flowers, and

other items— usually placed on a table in an indoor setting. But couldn't that eggplant be painted while

difference in

from

ing

how

it is

their stems,

jects, too,

they grow

ensnared large,

painted?

it is still

What about

still alive, still

in their

on the plant? Would

a

painting string beans hang-

own huge

leaves

and

in each other's vines as

almost before our eyes. painted his remarkable landscapes

by arranging bunches of broccoli and other vegetables on

them

as

and other elements. like

make

growing? Pumpkins make good sub-

Thomas Gainsborough sometimes

table, using

it

models Yes,

for the shapes

and contours of

he already knew what trees and

and how to paint them, but he

also

his kitchen

knew

trees, hills,

hills

looked

that compositions could

be strengthened by working with nature's forms in this unusual way. 45

Appro I've

never met an

artist

budget. Food

made

der

a

it's

often

cornice,

I

a

wonderfully contoured eggplant or

pear, there arc

single pear

a

ing to you, paint

it

many

in

main

whose

on the surface

objects are

a

problem

less likely to tloat

in

positions.

some

in

one

I

like

I

of

the pear because

round shape

a

46

Gainsborough

them together

did.

Once

it

more

ol its well-

likely to rest

like

is

an orange, which

place. a single fruit

or vegetable,

or add different shapes to your

composition. You could even try building just as

over.

as

fnintentionally "floating*

After you've exhausted the painting of

you might put two

such

beginners, hut an eggplant or pear

on the page than

only touches the surface

all

If

shape, color, and texture are pleas-

your painting.

lor

pear.

varieties to consider,

defined shape, and being larger on one end makes solidly

\o won-

approaches to consider.

[ere are

and anjou; go to the market and look them

you've selected

a tight

ITEM

a single,

you choose to paint ,

doesn't love to eat well, even on

subject for artists.

Start simply, with

h

c

beautiful nourishes heart, soul, and body.

PA INT A SINGLl

hos^

who

a

a

landscape from vegetables

FIND INSPIRATION IN LEFTOVERS Look

at

what's

left

on your

plate after you've finished a meal.

Are there

any interesting shapes or colors that move you to take out your watercolors and begin painting? Perhaps a tableful of dinner leftovers will

even provide enough inspiration for

you gather up and wash your

dishes.

a

second and third painting before

Approach these paintings

as

abstract compositions or as realistically portrayed food items.

47

PORTRAIT FOOD FOR THOUGH1 Try painting food to represent place setting, showing a

cup and

will

saucer, can

diner?

table

plate filled with food next to utensils, a glass,

communicate

a

great deal about the prison in

who

the picture.

the choice ol food and tableware say about an individual?

leftovers are depicted

one

someone you know. A

partake of that meal, without that person ever being

What does If

a

a portrait of

Do we

on

a plate,

what might they

each leave food on our plates

side or spilling oxer the rim?

food, others just

a

tell

ways— neatly

in different

Some people

us about the to

leave a huge portion of

token pea, others may wipe their plates absolutely

clean— among them, perhaps someone never forget that food

is

who

has

known hunger and

can

not to be thrown out. Images of leftover food

can become powerful characterizations

of specific individuals.

UNLIKELY SOURCES HAV1 POTENTIAL What about that

a

trash can or a garbage truck as subject matter?

compost heap

that's

been

in

in

your backyard? Or the colors on

a

Or perhaps

moldy lemon

your refrigerator too long to be edible— but might

right as a fascinating painting subject?

Of course,

if

it

be

you are completely

revolted by the sight of decaying food, leave the painting of garbage to

others— or use those feelings creatively by painting that revulsion.

48

GARDEN VEGETABLES AND FRUIT If

you have the opportunity, you might paint

side, as

they are growing.

or a single tomato plant

It

on

food differently by painting cut down, and

is

need not be on a

fruit or vegetables out-

a farm.

windowsill might do.

it still

Even

a small garden,

Do you

experience

growing rather than once

no longer technically

it

has been

living?

/M'.f'"

A

"

49

FOOD AS MET A FHOR You might consider food

symbolically.

What do

mean

to you: bread, milk, a slab of rib roast just

oven,

a

potato, or

a

single clove ot garlic?

those specific foods

coming out

candle, with

no other

a

Three small bowls

a

way

For a single

are set before

each bowl with steaming broth, poured

pot that has three eggs floating

Doesn't that describe

50

fills

in history.

simple clothes seated around

light source.

them. Someone quickly

from

in

the

Worlds can bo created from

such images— portraits of entire societies or periods

example, picture three people

of

of

life, a

in

time

it,

in

one

for each person.

history?

SUMMARY: When

you

UP TO

IT'S

paint,

you

YOU

are in charge,

you

are the boss.

You decide what

and how to paint— subjects are everywhere. Every decision and every brushstroke you cannot control ter as well as

your task

as

reflects the artist.

that.

in a painting

Viewers are free to

But finding your

own voice—your

and

react,

subject mat-

your way of expressing that subject with watercolors— is

an

artist.

Many

talented people

who

are

good

at their craft

never find their voice in subject or medium. Perhaps they feel stuck painting only pretty things, or ing at the

what others

are painting, or what's

moment. Don't be slowed down by such thoughts.

what you find

some others

interesting, paint

will find

it

it

sincerely,

and

I

sell-

Paint

believe that at least

genuinely moving and meaningful.

51

Look Closely Tree At the 1992 World's so that

it

Fair in Seville, the

had one toot

in

roots of

stood majestically in

Tree."

while

AM

down

tree constituted the focus of atten-

upper trunk and branches on the top floor

With no ornaments, not even

a tree,"

leaves,

the large space, asking for nothing

room with

I

"A person

Imagine a

02000

tree so full of

more than

a

a^ a tree," are ideas that percolated

my theme

for that

"I

Am

a

show.

Stefan Draughon

energy

it

dances.

Imagine a person with spreading subterranean Imagine the two

the tree

it.

wrote sounds

TREE

A

a

to see the

spent two years painting for an exhibition called

I

The poem

/

floor.

filling

the

"A person and

me

the building, visitors walked on

were standing, while the roots and lower trunk were

visitors

seen under the glass

in

of

The whole uprooted

tion in the room, with the

person to be

room

only from the floor below. They looked

lit

a tree.

where the

lungarian Pavilion was designed

the twelfth century and the other in the

twenty-first. In the central ulass floor,

I

roots.

in one.

Imagine the drag of gravity on her body. Imagine the thrust of her

tree in motion.

Imagine "always." Imagine tension.

Imagine me.

How did

it

start,

my

trees?

hunger for the

sight of a tree

time in

had

left

years,

I

left

my

How

and even

studio to

that familiar space— not to

of

its

glass

I

muse on

Even

as

in

deep

I

left

my

imagination,

another enclosed space-

write this years

that World's Fair pavilion,

its

later,

I

tree stepping out

enclosure and slowly, elegantly strolling from the fairgrounds

in Spain, returning to its family in

52

work outdoors,

turf.

satisfy a

for existence as a tree? For the first

draw the model

but to draw from nature on her smile while

does a city person

the beautiful parks of Hungary.

53

Like

my daydreamed

tree,

I,

to get out into the "real world"

needed

too,

to escape confinement,

and paint the landscape— but

at

other

"

times,

I

looked

at trees

and painted only the

"tree

aspect of myself,

1

finding that experience to be totally different from creating complete

landscapes (which appear

another chapter of

in

become entranced, perhaps even

this book).

obsessed, by the

I

had the tree

single tree,

as portrait, the tree as self-portrait, the particular tree. Specific

caught

my

eye, shapes of the flowering cherry tree in spring,

shapes

with

its

gnarled branches reaching out, lush and covered with clustered pink-

and-white blossoms.

A

nearby oak stood

from the previous year branches— as

The cherry I

in

it

if

still

hanging limply from

were observing "mv" tree and

returned to

my

studio with dozens of sketches

I

also carried in

used every

coal, pastels, I

medium

and

for

back

my

absorbed the structure into

my

of course, watercolor. I

its

was more suited to

54

mv

tree

and

to allow its

my

it

the cherry tree

of that particular

from memory, having

But when

I

on top

it

repeatedly.

got back to

of

my

my

stu-

to continue

earlier images.

characteristic of leaving every stroke later in this exploration; for

my

task.

While

immediate adjustments

surround.

once more.

tree: pen, pencil, ink, char-

tree, right

on the paper, would come

opaque enough

image

life

needed an opaque medium

Transparent watercolor, with

acrylic paint

painted

of

being from drawing

my

visible

1

to search for

immediately found that

reaching out to

stabilizing

a

mind.

searching for the structure of

of

objectively, wisely.

a

cherry tree—engraved

dio,

my

me

was

metaphor

otherwise bare

its

tree

bloom, but

I

with one or two leaves

tall

still

in

now,

water-based,

it

was

form and structure

worked

I

upon

layer

layer of

each layer hiding the pre-

paint,

vious one, until

I

found myself

comfortable with the

result.

I

found that toning the entire

also

surface with burnt sienna before

painting on

it

created the effect

of light on the blossoms. I'd crystallized I

my

Once

idea of a tree,

shifted to transparent water-

color

on white paper. That went

better now.

I

could create the

of trees with color on the

light

white paper, but

I

was

not

still

pleased with the composition of

my

paintings.

I

liked the shapes of the trees,

into a context that

Again,

I

was

as

developed

but they needed to be

set

as the trees.

used opaque paint, white or another color on top of the

painted watercolor, to unify the composition. Using gouache, casein,

and

acrylic paint over the watercolors

provided interesting

effects, as

did using black ink selectively over the watercolor forms.

But

I

wanted

still

more from these

enhance the compositional elements. a

tenth of the original image, until

I

cropped too much, of course,

Or could

I?

I

but attached

I

images. So

satisfied

couldn't stick

I

glued the cut piece of

cropped them to

cut and cut, often retaining only

was

I

I

my

it

with the whole.

back together

again.

watercolor not just next

another part of that same watercolor. Then

to,

the flexibility of opaque, without the opacity.

I

also

I

to,

had

developed

If

all

a set

of

collaged watercolors. I

worried about putting up

based medium.

Dark

Would

acrylic paintings

and on paper, world.

It

all

I

more than one

and

light watercolors, varied value

traveled together and belonged to the

of working,

my

it

wasn't.

more— that presented

evolving style—that

"will" helps

tions that keep

my needed

me

They

did.

images with

same aesthetic

had struggled long

I

would return

a

itself in

image after

step in the develop-

to paint

and

to drawing.

to paint every day, to avoid meaningless distrac-

me from

supplies,

I

water-

"style"— a combination of color, form,

sensed that the collaged paintings were

ment of my

My

in

the various images hang together?

composition, brushwork, and image.

show

could have been otherwise, but

my way

to find

a solo

and

my studio and purchase my family, and other

painting, to organize still

see to myself,

55

fact,

me

my

will

colors tor hotels.

me

a

was

I

I

back

The buyer

skilled

artist.

to

enough,

I

ol

brushstrokes. But

need

a

They were

I

style. In

my way

or lead

water-

knew someone who could I

needed the income. as

my

I

I

con-

made

could paint them.

paintings, but said they

"too personal."

Not the content

and landscapes; the "personal" parts were

my

could not turn

on and off

"style"

balance between the "will" that gets

intuitive

in

my

make purely commercial

the hotel art loved

for his clients.

can get

It

purpose"

as "general

of the images, the flowers

more

an

once decided

were

that

charge

in

were useless

I

as

useless in determining

is

with the appropriate market, and

dozen pieces

my

alone

will

me

can hold

For example,

astray.

nect

my

But

responsibilities.

me

to

in

at will.

work and my

and subconscious elements that take charge during the

aesthetic process of painting.

My

subconscious searched not for photo-

graphic images of trees, but for their essence in paint, for images that

would make viewers see themselves as

feel

the

one with the tree

Perhaps finding myself as

and expressionistic to more parallel shifts

both

that theory. But

work can right. If

may

I

like

go, feel

I

and

in

my

have I

"tree,"

I

the tree in their mind's eye, and painted.

and

classical

come

must find

my

aesthetic shift

my

art.

I

could speculate on

to believe that there

that way. it,

When

is

only one

the work feels

I

ated years ago. I'm different,

way my

right,

it is

the work must change, even though

and respect that aspect of other people's work. feels right.

from baroque

and formal, are one and the same,

character and

distanced from

what no longer

56

tree, see

cannot duplicate

now from

then,

a painting

I

must

I

forget

today that

I

cre-

and can only paint now.

A

p

As you develop

a

o

r

p

h

c

e

perhaps your painting will evolve,

as a watercolorist,

or perhaps you've already found your "style." In any case, periodically, artists try

new approaches just

to test the waters.

Here

are

some streams

of thought and technique to explore.

LIMIT YOUR FOCUS Many people find

it

give

to be overwhelming.

constant motion. animals

come

Admitting side,

up painting on

all

The wind

into view,

location out of doors, because they

There

is

so

much

going on; everything

in

is

blows, the light changes, insects and other

and then there are the people, the onlookers.

the possible distractions, what

if

you were

focusing your attention on just one element? In

to

my

work

case,

it

out-

was

a

flowering cherry tree, but in yours 1 Perhaps another kind of tree catches

your

eye, or a small cluster of

would ignore or even

step

your eye,and stay with see

how

it.

wild violets at your feet that you normally

on inadvertently. Draw or paint what catches

Make

that the subject of your painting,

long you can sustain your interest in

it.

Portray

it

and

over and over

again— changing the composition, the color, the values of your work,

move up

close, step far away.

57

w*

|TF V^ Wfj

1

J& w*^

.•-•

fij^' ^

IMAGINATION

VO( ."/<

7.1/'

^HnSfe

Once you've worked with an imamyou think about

you may find that

even away from your work space. Try tapping into

it

memory and

your

for a while,

imagination and paint the image both from your

conscious knowledge

ol

and now

it

also

from

conscious. Let the image enter and travel

in

its

place in your sub-

your mind's

eye,

and

let

your hand and eye travel—not rush back to those violets or the model. Instead, even literally turn your back to the subject—some artists

work

that

See

way from nature— so

you

if

like

from imagination

as

not to be

these images done

even

as well as, or

better than, the ones you did from life.

I

find each approach useful at

one time or another, but goes by,

I

as

time

spend more and more time

drawing from

life

until the

image

becomes mine, and then using that

my memory. life provides me

image to paint from Just painting

from

with too great

become

my just

art.

a crutch, so that

I

reluctant to stray from

On

it

in

the other hand, working

from imagination can lead

repetitive images, so that

both

to artist

and viewer become bored with the paintings that are produced. third option, drawing first

The

from

life

and then moving on to painting the

58

memory

of

it,

allows

me

to

be

bound

or stilled by

it.

nourished by the richness of nature, but not restricted to

or overly dependent

on

as

it

it

an

aesthetic resource.

CONSTRUCTIVE CROPPING If

you find the watercolor me-

dium too

fluid to control as

you

search for a particular compositional organization, consider

cropping some of your pictures (a

many

technique

oil

painters

have employed for centuries).

Sometimes by cropping them, your compositions get stronger.

Once you tighter

get used to seeing

and more controlled

compositions, your

new

water-

colors can absorb those lessons

and you may find that your watercolors are better com-

posed than before.

Look

one of your

at

watercolors.

eye

first,

What

larger

catches your

which section

is

most

compelling? Take a straightedge

and move the

work

it

along one side of

until

you find

ments of the painting into place

ele-

"clicking"

and your reduced

composition looks

better. After

temporarily adjusting that

do the same with another

edge,

on around the that

first

makes

move the

it

painting, until

stronger and

straightedges

straight edge perpendicular to

you have corralled your work

more

pleasing to you.

away again

just to check.

in a

way you had

it

and so

way

Mark the corners and Be sure of your

placement, because once you cut the paper, you can never get exactly the

it,

it

final

back

before.

59

MODI

A

TED CROPPING

requires bravery to cut into your painting. But even

It

a

I

mistake, you'll learn from

image, leaving

make and

a larger

it.

Next time, move

more open space around work

smaller, patching

aesthetically complicated.

it.

if

in less tightly

While

it's

on the

an easy option to

work hack together can

get

messy

Although paper segments have been

added

to watercolor paintings by artists so skillfully that

ily tell

that the image was expanded,

sure before you cut into your work.

60

you make

it

is

we cannot

eas-

extraordinarily difficult. He

SUMMARY: LOOK AND LEARN In order to "see"

and paint

a single tree, a cluster

of violets, or any

other focused living subject matter, you will need to look closely at

nature— if you choose to go

in that direction— or inside yourself,

if

you work from imagination and/or memory. As your watercolor work develops, you will need to look closely at each painting, as well.

picture

you consider finished what you

experiment with

it

further?

Look

really

Is

the

want, or do you need to

closely, learn,

and find what works

for you.

^^(P^U^j

61

Cute

Not

Is

Enough Animals When decided to paint animals, focused on the one— other than my husband or friends— about whom cared most: our canary. He I

I

I

was named Conway,

alter the hero in search of Shangri-la.

seemed appropriate,

since this

quickly to his environment I

had watched him

the pet store the day he arrived there.

in

sing,

day, at 5:45 in the

on, he sang often

and

bird was courageous and adapted

little

two hours and then brought him home.

lor

no idea whether he could

The next

That name

but

knew he was

I

I

had

brave and flexible.

morning, he sang lustily and from then

beautifully.

He

always seemed to wake up

in a

good mood, even when construction noises upstairs had disturbed and agitated

him the night

before. Every day

ing his weight in food just to stay alive,

He had

that he

was never

favorite

body positions—just

much and

so quickly that

ish a line or a

facing aw ay r

I

still.

as

me

would watch him

and

busily eat-

was struck by the

I

his set routine, his

own

fact

repertoire of

people do. But he moved around so

when

I

mass before he was

from

I

tried to sketch him, in a

I

could never

fin-

completely different pose, often

instead of facing toward me.

thought he was just

ble drawing him, even

a

busy

little

bird and that was

when he seemed

to

be

resting.

that other artists, with different animals, had had the

why

Then

I

I

had trou-

found out

same experience.

Animals often turn their backs to someone drawing them. Perhaps they sense being watched in a particular just as there are

many people who

being sketched by

Whenever would

shift

the line as

I

it

r

prefer not to cooperate-

resent having their picture taken or

artists.

tried to

from

w ay and

make

a

painting of

his position to

my

my

little bird,

my

attention

feelings for him, to the quality of

stood for the bird, to the color and the interaction of the

color and the line.

I

would consider whether the previous brushstroke

was dry enough to place another one over it— without losing the impact of the

62

first

brushstroke— and so on.

63

After sketching

Conway

in various positions,

working with him, together with

my

I

drawings, to

took

my

my memory

studio,

where

of I

painted studies of him in watercolor, in mixed media, on white-paper

ground, and on toned ground. Since he was white with exceptionally

dark brown eyes, toning helped to bring his body into relief on paper, without

Conway as

64

an

my

my

having to resort to outline.

certainly

artistic subject,

was cute enough to keep and

I

my

attention for a while

did have caring feelings for him, but

I

could

not get

a series

of finished paintings going that pleased me. Perhaps cute

was not enough that

I

liked,

I

for

felt

me.

When

pressure to

didn't have other pets,

I

went

I

finally

captured an image of

move along to the zoo

Conway

to another animal. Since

and was soon well into

I

a series

of watercolor sketches of macaque monkeys.

As

I

started

was working, some geese that shared space with the monkeys

making

swim around

a

a racket, fighting incessantly.

Normally, these geese

rocky center island where the monkeys spend their

time, occasionally going after food or a play stick

thrown

in the

pond.

jft

**

65

But the monkeys do so reluctantly, staying

enough

submerging

to retrieve an object,

the water only long

in

as little oi their

body

as

possible while keeping their heads above water as they awkwardly

dog-paddle around.

my

So you can imagine

when one

surprise

the larger monkeys

ol

dove into the water from the rock, right into the midst of the noisy

The shock quieted the

geese.

sent

them

as

pulled

ii

stopped their quarreling, and

geese,

scattering. Mission accomplished, the totally

yo-yo on a string, immediately

in like a

pond, vigorously shook the water

of!

Us

wet monkey,

jumped out

and Stood—satisfied that

fur,

quiet had once again been established in the neighborhood.

had posed no threat

at all to

to,

But events

and

help, so

I

how

visited

The Sleeping Gypsy.

at

other

a

studied

I

any artwork,

had to search

I

fur-

were inspired by animals

artists

museums.

What

me

the zoo, did not yield

no problems to be solved.

left

it

Perhaps studying

would

to put

however memorable, and other fascinating

observed that day

possibly because ther.

geese

did.

this incident, I

The

to be respond-

which the monkey evidently wanted

ing only to their noise,

stop

who seemed

the monkey,

the

ot

Rousseau's lion

lenri

I

an intelligent and benign animal

it

is.

in

So

unlike Rembrandt's drawing of a lion which, though resting, looks

more capable

of violence than Rousseau's lion does while standing.

loved the lions and other animals featured in the great art day,

but for the animal paintings

found the inspiration I

I

I

wanted

needed. So

I

to create,

still

turned inward, to

thought: What kind of animal would

I

like to

be?

dove, like the ones Matisse and Picasso painted?

I

A

my

saw that

had not imagination.

bird— to

fly?

A

drew

doves. Again,

book

in

developed no body of work.

I

Then, unexpectedly,

There was I

I

I

I

It

was not

some

it

owls.

pastel.

My

watercolor palette

color.

I

that's

work of art

as

immediately did

I

Then

paint and ink.

and black

anymore,

as great a

hooked on

leafed through a library

reproduction of

a small

can't even find

I

I

reached for

my

a

insignificant

Rousseau's

drawing

66

but

seemed I

at first.

was soon

in black charcoal

with

brown

improvised owl studies kept growing, and since is

always set up,

paintings. Next,

I

I

my

added some colors to the brown

painted owls in a broader spectrum of

did large owls as well as smaller ones.

in feeling

lion,

it

black paint and ink; next, for

adding casein and crayon marks, even collage.

human

studio.

fifteenth-century print of an owl.

how

a

my

and more abstract

in shape.

I

tried

My

mixed media-

owls became more

67

68

I

went

to the natural history

museum and drew

sketched the few owls kept at the zoo. To learn

between person and owl can

progress,

I

owls.

how

read whatever

to raise them.

Then

account from the point of view of an owl described

I

the relationship

hands on, devouring nonfiction descriptions by people

young owls and gotten permission

Then

I

could get

my

who had found a fictionalized

how he was

cap-

tured to be used as a decoy for other birds during the day. Although at night other birds— especially smaller ones—fear owls, during the day

they

feel free to attack

an owl that

stay in place during daylight, an

is

owl

out in the open. So,

if

trained to

will attract birds that can

then be

69

bagged by hunters waiting

in

ambush

for

them. The novel's theme was

about freedom— the owl's freedom. As the plot evolved, the owl was unpredictably set free and returned to his cave and former

much

wild, with

life in

the

trepidation and physical difficulty along the way. But

despite his troubles, he flew silently and long, and was tree. Perhaps

there was

Before

out

my

some I

of that

knew

it,

I

owl

in

me.

had hundreds

losing the capacity to generate

and unremarkable reproduction longer even find.

70

of images.

It

wasn't

work

of a print of

a living

A

year had passed with-

built

on seeing one old

an owl that

owl that captured me;

I

it

can no wasn't

a

fine painting of an owl;

it

wasn't even a good reproduction of that

teenth-century engraving; no,

upon

ble

so

still

where

jumped

many

was simply an ordinary print stumbled

it

now-forgotten book.

in a

was

I

painting owls

a friend

at

when

had

I

chance to

a

worked. Never having been to

visit

an urban

a stable before,

be

I

sta-

I

the opportunity to be close to the horses, and took along

carrots

and apples,

I

could hardly carry them.

I

fed each and

every horse there and had a wonderful time, but as soon as sick.

fif-

couldn't stop coughing,

felt

I

miserable, and feared that

left,

I

got

might

I

allergic to horses.

When

the problem did not resolve

allergic to horses,

and used to

itself,

I

was

I

was not

but to the mold that grew on the hay fed to them

line the floor of their stalls.

comfortable with the idea that elegant, large animals,

Coughing long and

hard,

The

the gray carpet. Under

was

allergic to

I

removed the all

my

mold

feet

up

now were

visually as

my

stu-

soon

as

I

removed

old, beige-colored asphalt tiles.

less attractive

more

loved the studio that way.

I

rather than to the

industrial carpet in

Although the room was workplace.

emotionally more

felt

watercolor drippings— it might be

studio opened

my

I

had to find and protect myself from other

I

dio on the chance that— with getting moldy, too.

I

While

couldn't go back to the stable again.

still

I

possible sources of mold. So

like a

No,

tested.

without the carpet,

was

it

looked

clean,

and

coughing and taking

my

It

I

could work more "cleanly" in that environment.

But horses remained on medicine,

I

"saw" horses

all

my

mind.

Still

around me. Carl Jung

says that an artist's

71

strong preoccupation makes strong strong preoccupation, thanks to

the stable. So perhaps ration for an animal,

monkeys series of I

And a real

at

it

my

art.

Well,

I

was preoccupation that

however

want

in

where.

I

a

drew them

to be a

horse—after

mythological one. in

I

just

admi-

liked the

the park— from

now

horses, did.

all,

they couldn't

real

enough.

I

fly.

had to be

began finding horses every-

I

a

distance, studied pictures of

mLsy"

72

needed, not

paintings— but they produced no

being Pegasus wouldn't do; that wasn't animal, not

I

cute, for the art to develop.

the zoo and the lions

didn't

certainly had another

body's unmistakable reaction to

images for me, while the owls, and

knew

I

them I

in books. Finally,

began to paint them

I

in

got so tired thinking about horses

my

memory,

studio from

all

the time,

again, first in black

paint and ink and then in color. I

found that

wanted

I

needed more substance,

to say about horses, so

yolks that ordinarily

cooking.

I

I

would

I

brought

a thicker paint, to say

jars

discard once

I

my

yolks

shape. However,

worked

found the

its

right

studio-

had used the egg whites

in

loosely applied

The more yolk used

tion to paint and water, the stiffer the mixture its

I

paper, changing the texture of the paint mixture by

varying the proportion of yolk to paint.

held

my

of egg yolks to

mixed the yolks with water-based paint and

the blend to

what

it

was

way through

greasier,

a

too— so greasy that

number

propor-

became and the more

to the other side of

mixture and created

in

my

oil

it

from the

paper. But

I

soon

of paintings using differ-

ent colors, as well as the different textures.

My horse

paintings kept coming.

I

made

watercolor— pure watercolor this time— of

with

his

back to the viewer. Layer

a large,

a partial

densely painted

sideview of a horse

after layer of watercolor

produced

an opacity that contrasted with the light and thinly painted tints of the underlying white paper in other areas. That horse pleased me.

When horses.

I

My

recovered physically,

I

suddenly stopped making images of

preoccupation with them was gone; the impetus that drove

the work just disappeared, and

Now

I

had to wait

until

began again to discover

my

I

I

knew

found

my

that

I

could not force

next preoccupation.

next work passion.

through another animal? By

now saw I

Would

myself in

many

it

it.

My

come

search

to

animals.

me

My

search reopened.

73

Appro

a

h

c

Living creatures are not just observed; they interact with us as act

with them and with our artwork.

observing observer.

your

74

art.

it

at

In effect,

[ere are

some approaches

to try.

inter-

are in a situation

the same time as an involved participant, not as

Such interactions can he recorded 1

we

we

in several

a

and

detached

ways through

PAINT AN ANIMAL YOU Do you

have

a pet? If not,

KNOW

maybe you

see a friend's or neighbor's pet

often? Perhaps you have caring, positive feelings about

my

canary— or you may strongly

your preoccupation, your interest

if it is a

it,

as

dislike or fear the animal.

strong one,

it

I

did about

Whatever

has a chance of sustaining

as a subject for painting.

75

AN

.1

\ IMA

YOV

I.

'/)

I.IK

Which animal would you

like to

mals have their crucial place

whichever animal you find ties as well as

some

less

size, its

qualities

AN

.1

ol

may

be, the

be an important one, with ^ood quali-

Owls

NIMA

like to be.

I.

SI

Ml

I

important

it,

and

vour

art.

it

opposed

may come

Whatever a

^ood

the order

it

to tin-

one you would

as a surprise that the

The animal you

may be more humble than you

in

no sense

in spite ol their

legs are readily injured.

really are like, as

you thought Whichever qualities

76

are strong, but have almost

Mi TO YOV

are not necessarily the same.

link to

found that canaries are won-

art.

Think hard about

ers see in you?]

tion,

1

animal that engages your interest has

generating your

All ani-

nature's order and balance of things, so

and their thin

easily,

Consider the animal you

two

will

more than one?

Horses are beautiful, but they are vulnerable

they choke

chance

in

be? Perhaps

desirable ones.

derful, but they are fragile. ot smell.

TO BE

/

are

(is it

thought, or grander than

possesses, that animal

ol things,

the one oth-

is,

by defini-

and could provide an important

GROUP OF ANIMALS

A

You may come It is

to see yourself in

not only Buddhists

many

who embrace

animals, or even in

that view.

Western

all

animals.

scientific

research examines the complexities of animal behavior and repeatedly

demonstrates the striking parallels between the behavior of beings and other animals. art

not

Maybe you can

by putting more than one animal all

be

bring that concept into your

in a painting.The pictures

portraits, in the sense of having a single

SUMMARY: I

SEE

need

focused subject.

Think of the powerful paintings of Frida Kahlo with

you paint the connection of person

human

a

monkey. Can

to animal?

HOW YOUR WORK DEVELOPS

learned that "cute" subjects were not motivating enough to permit

me

to develop a

body of work, although

a

simple image of an owl was.

Pay attention to what captures your interest—without worrying about

whether

it is

Your work

noble or

will tell

a "suitable" subject for

you which way

art— and draw

it,

paint

it.

to turn for subject matter.

77

Observing and Being Observed The Other Person It

think

I

me.

II

life,

I

think

large atelier

for a master's

a day, live

78

in

a

still, it

natural subject for helps.

painting,

days

a

we

all

worked

it

in a

Two mod-

week. Although models stayed

we could move around. And some other

the "best" view. They searched lor in

degree

is

with enough space, hut no individual partitions.

posed, seven hours

put,

So another poison

that person, the model, can stay a bit

While studying

els

people.

students did, looking for

outside of themselves,

the environment surrounding the model.

in

the model,

But

stayed in one

I

warm

place— a

spot in the

drafty room, close to the door, so

I

could take

break whenever

a

needed

I

to without disturbing the others.

I

chose to paint

whatever pose the model struck vis-a-vis where easel

was

To me,

set up.

human body

the

ing in

my

all

my

is

fascinat-

poses. Then,

from

£

place in that large

room, side

I

searched— not out-

but within myself—for

answers to questions on composition, and for solutions to drawing views of

the model convincingly. I

in

had learned, by staying

one

model

spot, that the

always returned to

a

com-

and that

fortable position,

each model had only

a

few

comfortable positions. So

I

looked and waited before beginning to draw, waited until the

model had

in like a cat

nap.

settled

about to take

a

Once the pose was model was

established, the

likely to return to that

position, even after straying

from

it

occasionally.

poses, the natural ones for each model,

and expressed the

son's personality

model was not and revealing I

in

as

my

view.

model.

If

I

likeness,

characteristic of the per-

even

The back of a person

any other part

believe that "seeing"

were

when

comes from

I

when

is

the face of the

just as distinctive

accurately perceived. inside myself in relation to the

needed more distance from the model

get farther away;

Those comfortable

in

my

painting,

I

didn't

simply recomposed the work to include more of the

79

surround. To foot, or

move

even an

in likeness.

in closer,

As long

they worked,

as

Working

in a

remnant rug

when he wrote is

table,

and

a

I

work

poses,

to pose for

in literature,

really I

was

a

couple in

me who

my

I

I

it

and

my

Gombrich was

lans

model posed

a

My

paintings.

to

some

right

limita-

of

I

there,

all.

Although

painted what

was "the

A

was

I

colleague-

greatest."

could not

I

could

see,

whom, doing what? Both

easily.

I

studio contains an easel,

mainly

questions

recommended

The model,

graduate

a

into her busy schedule.

Her positions never looked as

a

room from the

up her favored

liked to read. Sharing her love of books,

real stances,

exaggerated in

room, on

became accustomed

she assumed

them

increasingly sensitive to subtle changes in her

80

Living

protected the floor from

of chairs, that's

wove me

of

well with spatial limitations.

one glance,

that she read while posing.

I

way

a

affect others.

great model. Waiting for her to strike

saw that she

they were

found

in

limited space.

resolved themselves quickly and

She

it

I

painted

inhibiting.

heads and torsos. But portraits

student

until

good stead over the

small studio and

in a

view the entire figure

someone

a

weak

a

comes from limitations—that without

my

had

prepared for working

drawing

I

problem. But

in

art historian Ernst

if

that art

I

hand,

a

me

sectored the room,

no art— then

when

Later,

problem

a

that visually separated off a portion of the

confinement. And,

a

studio,

which could have been

tions there

was not

Only then, could

my own

The rug not only

spills,

a

it

confined space has stood

years. Before having

rest.

me— was

interesting to me.

it

the head,

a detail:

Paintings might stray from reality in color, in form,

ear.

drawing— one that bored

making

focused on

I

like

I

"poses"—

so naturally,

mood and

suggested

I

became

attitude,

which

/ 4t

81

For an entire year, while she read or just thought about her reading, I

painted.

Her

small studio inspired

whatever she chose

from day to

In I

When

to,

and although items

in

my

little.

I

made hundreds

them

I

she looked

if

way.

One

my

a

had read that offered

good vantage point

set to film

a

intelligent,

at

my

observant other,

my

facial

paintings in process

thought-provoking scientist

a

for weeks,

them, he saw no wolves

at

appointed, he turned to pack up his

row behind him, comfortably

82

creative

commented on

day, this observing/observed state recalled

remembered an account about

from

wore

painted her image from memory.

naturally in her view, she occasionally

in a positive

story I

worked, and

my

of fresh images.

not only observed her— she watched me, too. She observed I

in

clothing might differ

studio provided high points in

she wasn't there,

when they were

a

I

that period. She

ot

such close proximity to the model, an

expressions as

a

numerous images over

day, her look varied

Working with her process.

were comfortable

five or six natural poses that

parallel.

who had

but on the day all.

gear.

resting,

1

lours

studied wolves

Ins

later,

cameras were

confused and

Then he saw

all

dis-

the wolves

in

watching him. Had they delib-

erately

be the observer— not

Working with

a

at

the

progress, too.

I

also see

I

was

to

student experi-

earlier

what

I

was doing, and

a canvas

when

from green

at

any

saw

I

they changed

to a

sunny

yel-

part could transform an entire painting.

used to drawing in public. Through appointments made

also

in advance,

my

by

observed what happened

an oil-painted form in the center of

low—how changing one

easier

where teachers might appear

atelier,

moment. Other students could work

He was supposed

dare they!

them.

model was made

ence under scrutiny

their

How

turned the tables on him?

many museums

graciously allowed students to paint in

how

front of great artworks. Permission usually stipulated

far

from the

works we could position ourselves; that our copies would be painted a size different

other

from the

and that we didn't block

Some museumgoers

visitors.

for long periods of time,

see that they

original;

wanted

tive energy. Happily,

my

a

home and

paint, to

make

most onlookers

said nothing.

I

But when adults

me

worked did help

mistakes straight in the eye. That's

work

globs of paint take

as

I

worked, that

jarring.

But to have others watch while

my

could

I

canvas— like magic. Children brought posi-

chastised their children, or attempted to chat with

could be

of

work, others watched

and children stood quietly entranced.

to go

on recognizable form on

glanced at

traffic

in

in pencil

and charcoal

why draw I

occasionally,

but

I

find

me

learn to look

in black ink. I

I

am tempted

do to

allow myself to "settle" for an edge in those readily erasable media. Ink

won't allow that— and neither does watercolor— which I

love about

it.

glared at me.

It

When

I

first

is

part of

drew with black ballpoint pen, any

couldn't go away! But

it

gave

me

what error

an anchor on which to 83

hang the next— more- accurate—line or form on that same surface. Ink

me

helped

where correct forms were. To my

learn

take" lines wlu-n left in place strengthened

drawing

as a search,

and each mark

any teacher, ink taught

Working lust

get

it

line

the mark

feedback. With

in its

hut

right,

is,

it's

racy of the

One

And

form— the power

decision

working with

I

to see

than

is,

mistake- that

a

and whether

a readily

irreparable,

is

it is

right or

knowing

wrong— is

changeable medium, you can

continue to miss the image because the edges that determine the accu-

it is

of that

drawing or watercolor.

didn't anticipate was whether or not to talk while

model.

a

came

I

as part of that search. More-

also possible to

of the ambiguity of edges.

drawings.

to draw.

watercolor—risking

in

where the

generous

me

my

surprise, the "mis-

In a group,

people usually work silently and do

not speak to the model, except perhaps during the break and probably

not even then. That avoids the din of everyone talking at once. But

working alone with nonstop selves,

as

a

model provides more

work— a monologue about

they

flexibility.

Some

their work, about

artists talk

them-

about anything that focuses their energy on painting. Other

artists find that

the model

is

more

natural and less bored

when

talking,

often with the self-revelation of an encounter between strangers, while

the artist can concentrate on working.

But when

When

w orked with my model and r

We

it.

That, too, entered the painting, or even stopped

came

to understand each other better.

of intense concentration on

what we were thinking reading and 84

she read, there was silence.

she was tired reading, she might talk about what she'd just read,

and react to times.

I

me

with

my work

at that

my

It

some-

found that periods

interspersed by good talks about

moment

images.

I

it

helped us both, she with her

solidified a

working relationship

that spanned a year.

when we do

meet,

Even though we don't see each other often now,

we

pick

up where we

left

off— somewhere in the

discussion of eighteenth-century literature.

Once, after being up asleep in her chair.

I

all

night doing a term paper,

painted that.

thought, rested, laughed, and all.

For

us, getting to

know

I

fell

always followed her lead. She read,

I

relaxed

felt

my model

enough

to

make images of

it

each other was natural and more comfort-

able than silence.

What

I

seek in

You can argue there

is

no

art.

my work

is

that sincerity

Children's

are genuinely involved in

sincerity in the is

not enough— and

work

issue

we

Whether will

is

moving and

what they

succeed in communicating with cal skills.

children's

immediacy of the moment.

us,

work

not solve here, but

it

I

interesting,

are painting

even is

when

"art" or

agree— but without

it,

because they

and drawing. They

they don't have techni-

not

is

a

philosophical

does communicate.

A

p

a

o

r

p

my

Regardless of the current subject of

watercolor paintings,

weekly from figure models just to keep skill,

unless

might make

is

kept up,

life

drawing

it

it

a

fades.

1

h

c

my hand

[ere are

work

trained. Like' any

some ways

part ot your ongoing

I

that

you

development

as a

watercolorist

JOIN A LIFE CLASS you haven't already joined

If

human models

(even

in

a life

Jass or worked

small towns

have an important experience ahead not,

whether you decide

learned

in a

group, lor

it

work— observing changes them but from

I've

in a

group with

always found one), then you

of you.

Whether you

to paint people or not, there

is

much

offers the opportunity of seeing in their

across the

room)

love

how

it

or

to he

others

paintings (not by standing over as

they develop

a

composition and

plot out their colors.

Some

artists feel that

working with nude models

learning the structure of an individual

human

is

essential for

form. Others find

clothed models to be just as informative for figure studies. For me, the

important thing clothed or not.

86

is

to

draw and paint the

live

human

form, whether

MODEL

FIND A Ask

a friend to

pose for you in whatever she chooses, even her baseball

uniform or her wedding miraculously

still fits.

which she

dress,

Whether

for you, expect that

than others. Even

when people

it,

some models

scrutinized,

found

a friend or a

it's

model who poses

doing

just

in the closet

hired professional

some models

are easier to paint

agree to pose as a favor, or

make

a living

more comfortable being observed,

are obviously

and interpreted by you

and

in

your painting than are others.

POSES AND PROPS If

you have the opportunity to decide on the pose and determine what

the model rests on, which chair, which stool, which color cloth

draped on the chair

if

that. If you're painting

you choose any drape

with others, no single pose

you hear what they do

in a group,

but

you'll find

your kindred

if

at all—you

spirits for

is

can learn from

will please

everyone

and what they don't

like

like,

next time.

SUMMARY: OUR ART SPEAKS EOR US After repeated forays in the direction of other subjects,

returned to painting people. to

my work

with

human

I

carry back

beings, or

I

come

context of— or as extensions of— people. that nor did gears

I

consciously create

it.

communicate

the world and themselves to

Some images

may speak through

But independent of sub-

it all.

and emotions about

the other person.

art.

artist's level

Transcendent moments

through joy or through struggle— show

still

artist

communicating

feeling.

interact with a work,

it

in

of awareness. Either can

in

art— whether attained

work

And when

that

jumps out

giving permission to our

was probably created

skills,

training,

best that they can be, and trusting in it is

as sin-

generation after generation in

moments

scendence.Those moments cannot be willed. Instead, go,

on the support

flow already formed from the beginning, some-

times outside of and below the

cere, as

probably can neither change

their thoughts

us, to

have learned elsewhere

are painfully battled through in paint

surface; others joyously

produce great

I

I

have always

to see various subjects in the

Another

and bridges or find that boats say

ject matter, artists

what

I

it is

of tran-

about

letting

and hard work to be the

what emerges from that— whether

appreciated in our lifetime or not.

the Details

It's in

Childhood Memory Reflecting on childhood

memories can conjure up

a

wealth

imagery

of

for an artist.

When

I

was

and

central heating a

my neighborhood was

a child,

a full

bathroom.

potbelly coal stove and bathtub

summers were

City

remember

up

right

metal

friend

my

down

hot and humid.

On

Jose

to the

had been installed to keep

out

children from falling

when

ular,

in partic-

the temperature

was 104 degrees outside

and probably higher I

my

stuck

dow. At

feet

only catch

my

bare

inside,

out the win-

six years old,

convinced that

if

I

feet,

was

I

could

breeze on

a little

then

I

might

not explode from the heat.

A sensitive feel

the slightest

of air over

ing

child,

it

my

I

could

movement

body, savor-

and getting

a full,

though momentary, benefit

from

it.

Each puff of

brought hope that

it

air

would

not always be so hot. That day was the highest temperature

I

window

had ever heard

Everyone talked about

of. it.

^

h

I

as possi-

hare feet out over the windowsill, putting

against the curved

afternoon

the block had only

especially sticky days,

window guards which

One

we had

her kitchen.

pulling a straight-back chair as

then draping

ble,

in

My

not stylish. But

them

A,

'.

'J

Two weeks Would

of heat in the nineties, and that day

it

Would we

the temperature just go up and up?

At that time, even wealthy people didn't have a

few movie houses were

in a chilly

would be.We did have

friend's a

home where

ice

air

all

be cooked?

conditioners, but

That system was uncomfortable

"air cooled."

way— damp and clammy, much

refrigerator

got even worse.

as

imagined

I

a refrigerator at

was delivered

sitting in

home— unlike my

daily for their "ice

wooden box with two compartments: one

our

box"

(literally

for a block of ice with a

drip pan beneath, and the other for foods to be kept chilled).

Since our refrigerator had no ice-cube compartment,

washcloth with cool water from the

good on

my

forehead, but then

As

it

tap.

got

For

a

warm and

else.

book

alternately rested

like a

woolen blanket over my knees. Shifting

wooden dowsill,

chair,

and

Sitting this

got

I

for

sought

my

on

a

a

corner of the

feet either

way took

all

chair, or

comfortable place

my

on or

dampened

the cloth

a

felt

sticky just like every-

more and more uncomfortable,

thing

I

moment

I

I

tried to read.

on

my

The

lap, feeling

my weight on the hard for my calves on the win-

against the metal

energy for what seemed

window

guard.

like hours.

89

Then ish.

I

Could

noticed the sky turning from it

get hotter^ Suddenly, there

several seconds.

Then another

drop of water on one

Then another

drop.

shin.

Was

The sky

my

just

hot spell each

ended.

away by water

got even grayer and

breeze—lasting

it

more

I

for

felt a

yellow;

it

was

was raining—lightly, tenderly

I

falling

The

rain.

summer— that's what

heat spell was bro-

people said—and this

was calmer, much calmer— my discomfort washed

from

a

yellow-gray sky.

downstairs to the sidewalk, and stood

90

a real

toes.

One win

one had

was

the neighbor upstairs watering her plants?

Lightning and thunder brought more ken.

pinky-gray haze to yellow-

breeze, as the sky got yellower.

almost green. Another drop and then tapping

its

in

the

I

jumped

rain.

off

the chair, ran

91

When

painting

a

childhood memory, chose the experi-

I

ence

o\ that

panicky

and uncomfortable chose

six-year-old.

I

to paint the

growing

breeze, the yellow-

and the won-

ing sky,

derful cooling rainto paint the blessed

from being

relief

hot

painfully

But memories are

What

fickle.

happened

that day?

low muc h

I

tion of

my

memory? way

to

fully.

rely

I

actually

is

elabora-

skeletal

There's no

answer that

Mostly, though,

on

feelings.

I

trust not just

emo-

tional feelings

but

memory

my

of physical

sensations of heat,

my

pressure on back, on

experience of of the title

my

window

tender,

my

lower

legs— the

young toes on the rough, rusty metal grating

guard. These are sensory memories. Other details— the

of the book

I

tried to read,

what

I

wore, what

we

ate for dinner

that night— are lost.

The

taste of a

madeleine cookie

writings of his memories. tions,

both

as repositories

rich material for

my

I,

Marcel Proust's powerful

set off

too, have

come

of memories of

my

been

a rich

photograph— printed on grays— shows tiny

92

me

my

bodily sensa-

past and as a source of

paintings.

Another way of recapturing past images particular has

to trust

from old photos. One

is

in

source of images for me. This black-and-white

thick, grainy

standing next to

my

between the thumb and index

paper

in varied

father.

finger of

I

am

my

shades of pearly

holding something

right hand.

I

believe

I

mm Printed

in

Hong Kong

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