Watercolour Workshop
Well, I am very glad that I spent time working on washes and other basic skills, because the workshop I attended in Jasper National Park organized by Gregg Johnson was phenominal. Had a great time and painted a lot last week. Here are three quarter sheet water colours done in the studio at Tekarra Lodge. Hopefully you can see the progression of skill that occurred.
The mountain landscape was on the first day, the apple blossoms on the third, and the lighthouse on the fifth. I see them as going from muddy, messy, and tight, to less muddy, less messy, and looser (but under control). Heheh.
At any rate, I really learned to love watercolour, at the same time as I really learned to hate plein air painting! I hope some day soon to be proficient enough with the tools and the flow of the pigments to feel that the additional challenges of painting outside aren’t completely overwhelming. It is amazing how much impact wind, fast drying washes, changing light, insects, carrying and setup, and an unstable ground have on a painting. And I have to include flipped palettes and easels, lost sunglasses, punctured toes, soaked feet, and pencil stabbed windblown paper in the list of distractions. I have the utmost respect for any watercolourist that can head out of doors and deliver a half-decent painting!
You did good especially if you haven’t done watercolor before. I like all three paintings, even the green one! Just think of plein air painting as a challenge – man against nature – with the odds stacked heavily in natures favor.