In beginning watercolor, we have to paint a landscape. But not just any landscape, an invented color landscape! Millie, the watercolor professor, looked at my collective work up until this point and custom made an assignment. On my slip of paper, it says:
"Good light value and line work. Very fresh paint. Now let's try: Dark value that moves throughout the picture plane, making for a well balanced composition; saturated, dark colors - intense orange, green; A painting that is mostly dark values. Different and more complicated, Essence."
She also gave us a postcard with an example of the colors we're supposed to use. I got:
Family at Work, 1988 by Jonathan GreenBoo. I am afraid of these colors, people.
But for now, I only had to worry about the location. I went to Lion Park to be inspired.
If we could have man-made items in this painting, I would totally paint that bridge. Alas, these must be uninterrupted landscapes. So, I started painting. We have to paint a thumbnail in local color (colors found in nature) first, so here's the photo and thumbnail:
On the computer right next to each other, my thumbnail looks like a child's drawing. They totally look the same though, right? Right. I was in the park from 11:00 AM - 2:10 PM. Then it got hot and I was hungry, but I took notes on what was going on because documentation is part of the assignment.
But for now, I only had to worry about the location. I went to Lion Park to be inspired.
If we could have man-made items in this painting, I would totally paint that bridge. Alas, these must be uninterrupted landscapes. So, I started painting. We have to paint a thumbnail in local color (colors found in nature) first, so here's the photo and thumbnail:
On the computer right next to each other, my thumbnail looks like a child's drawing. They totally look the same though, right? Right. I was in the park from 11:00 AM - 2:10 PM. Then it got hot and I was hungry, but I took notes on what was going on because documentation is part of the assignment.
Documentation
Date: March 18th, 2010
Time: 11:30 AM
Light: bright and blinding
Weather: sunny and hot, slight breeze
Location: I'm slightly off of a popular jogging trail.
Happenings: Random people jog past.
11:34 - PUPPY! It's a Jack Russell terrier. I want a puppy!
12:03 - Why did I pick this?!? I can't draw a tree, much less paint one!
12:10 - I just made awkward eye contact with a woman pushing a stroller...
12:12 - Okay, painting trees is so much easier than drawing them. I can just swish the brush around and it looks like a tree!
12:27 - Birdie!
12:34 - Leaves are easy too! I feel like Bob Ross!
12:42- A man just walked by with 3 boys under the age of 5. <3
12:47 - Birdie!
12:57 - It was looking okay, but I messed up. :( Typical.
1:01 - Maybe I should have started with the sky, then glazed the trees over it...
1:09 - That bird again. I think he has a nest behind the fallen tree.
1:23 - Okay, it looks like a third grader painted it. I guess I can go back and sgraffito (You take your Xacto knife and scrape the paint to let white paper show through) white back in...
1:33 - It's still ugly, but I'm hot so I don't care anymore. Plus, this guy has walked past me 3 times and he inconspicuously looks away from me as he walks by.
So, it's ugly so far. But the actual landscape will be pretty, I promise.
Time: 11:30 AM
Light: bright and blinding
Weather: sunny and hot, slight breeze
Location: I'm slightly off of a popular jogging trail.
Happenings: Random people jog past.
11:34 - PUPPY! It's a Jack Russell terrier. I want a puppy!
12:03 - Why did I pick this?!? I can't draw a tree, much less paint one!
12:10 - I just made awkward eye contact with a woman pushing a stroller...
12:12 - Okay, painting trees is so much easier than drawing them. I can just swish the brush around and it looks like a tree!
12:27 - Birdie!
12:34 - Leaves are easy too! I feel like Bob Ross!
12:42- A man just walked by with 3 boys under the age of 5. <3
12:47 - Birdie!
12:57 - It was looking okay, but I messed up. :( Typical.
1:01 - Maybe I should have started with the sky, then glazed the trees over it...
1:09 - That bird again. I think he has a nest behind the fallen tree.
1:23 - Okay, it looks like a third grader painted it. I guess I can go back and sgraffito (You take your Xacto knife and scrape the paint to let white paper show through) white back in...
1:33 - It's still ugly, but I'm hot so I don't care anymore. Plus, this guy has walked past me 3 times and he inconspicuously looks away from me as he walks by.
So, it's ugly so far. But the actual landscape will be pretty, I promise.
I enjoyed reading about your struggles. Don't mind me. I'll just pop in every once in a while. Wish I was studying art or how to draw. Good for you!
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