iAbstract Watermedia Workshop Notes (June, Watershed Essex UK)

think and plan ahead
think about the shapes you love, if abstract is new to you, you might have to go on an adventure of discovery first. What is your subject? When you're oohing and aahing, you know you've hit a jackpot!! Articulating what you like is just the beginning, could be deep and meaningful, or, just as important, because you like it (say yes!!).

kitsch - twee - cliche - are our enemies!!

Stylish, sophisticated abstracts are difficult to design

make a list of the shapes you want to have fun with, then in a pinch, you've got some ready made inspiration.

Watercolours are richer for having an underpainting, wet-in-wet soft edged. light to mid-value - think of blocking in. A cruciform is an interesting abstract underpainting which lends itself to abstraction.

When designing and sketching, think of style and good taste, BUZZ word is sophistication. sketching helps you to understand the possibilities.

How can you repeat your shapes?

My style is crooked, nasty, loose, rough - what's yours?

Limited palette, let them blend to create more colours, however, think:
Dominant
Non-Dominant
Accent

maybe a split complementary palette, start with a favourite zinger and add two neutral complementaries

match to other watermedia tools

ALSO:
BIG, Medium, small = variety - EVERY inch should be different from every other inch.

Nothing equal, no circles, no squares, no straight lines, NOTHING DULL!

think about mark making tools to experiment with: sticks, corks, clingfilm, stencils etc.

Do not fixed perceived mistakes, let them happen, they add charm and character. Further, "fixing" them often leaves nasty traces.

Practice a shape, repeat 20 times, fill up a sheet of sketch paper then paint it 50 times - try to paint it with one brush stroke.

remember contour drawing, don't left the pencil, try it with your brush too!! be messy and enjoy the interesting marks and surprises!!

while still damp, use your squirter to create lost and found edges and let the drips run!!

use spatter to create texture and move colour around.

ciao i miei begli amici!!
​Amanda

Come paint with me in Italy


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A wee sketch (see below) while having ANOTHER coffee waiting for L'agenzia di viaggi to open. I raced home in the rain all excited to paint. 

Some of my favourite wee passages and what you can see in my painting this morning in Lucca:

1. that super-rich dark background really makes the flowers and foliage pop out. This background is a dark rich purply black, i also splashed in some white and burnt sienna also some phthalo green (italian green) and the same crimson red of the flowers. Some areas are super dark and some are lightened with a drip or two of water. The umbrella is a light-value dirty, earthy yellow - a complement to the dark purply black background.
2. I love calligraphy and one of the best things about watercolour is the opportunity to have a little play. there are several elements of calligraphy in the "la signora dei fiori" dark value calligraphy street lamp inside the Palazzo, some branches and twigs and dots of red flowers.
3. the "lady" with the green bag has become a balding man with wispy grey hair.
4. detail on the flower lady - there is almost none apart from her hair and some green earrings.
5. there is a gorgeous wee spider bloom amongst the terracotta pots on the left - it looks like a dried branch.
6. on the left some light value greenery that blends into the background, gives the painting some depth with layering and overlapping
7. i'm thinking about adding a broom
8. i'm super happy with the dry brush scumble on the dark under-side of the umbrella

​sorry about my shadow on the pics :(