This began as a well-structured exercise in a book called "Exploring Textures in Watercolor" by Joye Moone. All wet-on-wet painting, I was supposed to create an orderly design of shapes. Wetting the interior of each shape one at a time, I was to paint around the edges and let the water in the shape do its magic. Some shapes were to be with one color and others were to be with multiple colors so that the "wet" would blend multiple colors within a shape together. So far so good.
The thing is, I was supposed to wait for a shape to dry before painting its neighbors. But I kind of, well, lost patience. I mean, I understood the concept anyway, right?
So colors from one shape began running into others and then I had streams going, and then rivers, and then veritable tzunamis; I was sailing happily in the ZONE, as Raena would say, placing color here and there, wherever I pleased, creating abstract art until it looked good to me. This was my mess - mine! - not some academic drivel.
Disease (n) (definition) - a disordered or incorrectly functioning structure.
So you might call this little painting diseased, since it took order and turned it to chaos. In fact, it kind of looks like an illustration of colorful germs smugly floating about their microscopic world, doesn't it?
Well, it just so happens that this week's Illustration Friday topic is "Germs". Coincidence? I think not! So I happily failed the assignment and I am quite satisfied that I have an Illustration Friday entry for "Germs".
This next sketch is colored lighter than usual, and I used brown ink which is new for me. I think these changes give the sketch a different feel from past drawings.
Disease (n.) (another definition) - a condition wherein one or more of a body's parts does not display normal functioning.
I never entered the ZONE for this one and the arm and face of the woman (the copy, not the original) suffered a bit as a result, though I've patched her up as best I could. And I've posted her with my germs, which seems appropriate to me, even after treatment.
.jpg)
I think your sketch is very expressive, you did manage to capture their attitudes. And I love your "germs" (:D !), especially as I wanted to have a go at IF and got stuck wth this topic (I suppose it's because I'm scared of germs and diseases). You definitely understood the concept !
ReplyDeleteYou have started my day with a laugh - again! I do so recognise the impatience as I too seem unable to just let paint alone until it is dry. Anyway, your 'germs' are very expressive so all turned out well in the end.
ReplyDeleteGreat exercise - I love the juiciness of the germs and share your inability to ever let things dry enough. I also like the brown ink - is it a dip pen? or disposable pen? I haven't found a disposable one in a brown color I like.
ReplyDeleteOh the devil impatience .... it hangs out here quite often. Your humor never fails to amuse, and your art to inspire. nancy
ReplyDeleteGreat job on those impatient (a shared affliction)germs! And sepia ink is my favorite - did you use Pitt pens?
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny! It's a joy to follow your "struggles"
ReplyDeleteMy grand daughter would love your germ picture. We did something simular this weekend. She thought she was special to get to play with color. I think we are too- to be able to "play" with color and create. I like the laying effect that yours has.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's fun to just play and let the apinting dictate what it will become. That's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it :-) These are all wonderful. I do enjoy visiting your blog and seeing your work!
ReplyDeleteHi Dan.
ReplyDeleteYour narrations are so much fun to read.
At first glance I saw the germ, and then
I remembered my trip to the Peruvian
Amazon and the first time I saw those
huge, luminescent, blue butterflies
emerging from the hollow
of a tree...
Like your sketch too. Your characters
exude a real, downtoearth quality.
Great "germs" and love the brown ink. Visiting here is always a pleasure. Keep sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny! I like the painting! If you notice, there is no "mud" in there. All the colors are good. And you're learning. That can't be bad.
ReplyDeleteAbstract huh? ^^ I think it looks more like exploration... and a very fruitful one too. Mix of colors, the flows and the forms, all coming together in one picture... germy you may call it, beautiful is the word I'd use for it :)
ReplyDeleteThis was so down to earth and enjoyable. Maybe that impatience is why watercolor doesn't work for me. Yes, her arm looks a little off but the guy looks great. I think you are really doing well.
ReplyDeleteOK...so what does it say about me that I see not germs, but Jelly Belly jellybeans which are melted in FL sun? geez. When I enlarged your 'germs' I saw transluscent color, not mud. So many colors mixed, remaining pretty transluscent is really very successful. :) I've a friend who does watercolor who handles her impatience by working on several paintings at a time so she can put one aside. My own impatience is why I turned to pencils, I think. My brain overloads at the all the choices required at various stages of drying. You've done well here.
ReplyDeleteI love your sense of humor, it really comes through your posts and comments! To me, it looks like a bag of jelly beans that melted in the sun, or maybe a bag of jelly beans seen without my glasses on! Thanks for posting this exercise, I had to have a go at it. I thought for sure I would be able to be patient enough. I don't know why I thought that, it doesn't fit my character at all! I made it through about four jelly beans before it started going all over the place! It is beautiful though, and I like how I didn't have to mix colors on my pallet!
ReplyDeleteYour couple is cute even with the mistakes. I especially like the man's hands and the woman's right leg.
By the way, my word verication just now, was skaghor. Think I should be offended? lol
Very entertaining post! A pleasure to read and your painting just as nice.
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much for your comments. Shirley and Vintage Moon, it is a Pigma Micron01, waterproof, disposable and cheap, about $2.50. Brown ink - they called it Sepia in a different size nib, but I couldn't see much difference. Raena - I am so sorry for the impertinence of my blog's artificial intelligence. Obviously the machine has no taste in women which is as it should be since it is a different "species", I guess. But having no taste, it should not comment, should it? I would reprimand it, but I am afraid of it.
ReplyDelete