Over the last week, I have endeavoured to crank up my efforts of watercolour and focus on a 'Christmasy' theme.  And although not a huge collection of works surfaced, I have learnt that it is not the amount of work one puts out, but indeed the quality of work that evolves.  

I have learnt a great deal, stretching myself toward other areas of watercolour technique that I would not have explored had I not chosen to pursue a different theme of enquiry.  Playing around with all sorts of paper again, using what was intended for a variety of uses (of which watercolour painting was not suggested), enabled me to test my ability to produce works, even though the conditions were not perfect.  This meant, I was compelled to resolve whatever issue that arose. 

Some of those issues were: soggy paper, pilling, weak colours, inability to layer paint and glaze, transparency of the final product, mounting issues and the list goes on.  However, valuable lessons can be learned and discovery of which types of surfaces one prefers to paint  on, can also be discovered.  And believe it or not, I have now come to the conclusion - after all these years, I don't really like painting on the standard 300 gsm watercolour paper, presently available . ​

My reasons for this, I love having the freedom of creating a free, easy and very fluid style of sketch up with graphite or ink. 
I hate my tools catching on the grain of the paper because of the coarse-textured surface.  Ah, I know what you are thinking.  How about trying smooth surfaces like hot press Arches, Fabriano or Waterford?  Well there you have it - smooth surfaces are available to work on, but both the pencil and ink nib do not easily glide easily across the surface; there is still a great deal of tension involved.  They're nothing like sketch paper.

So, I compromised.  I sacrificed the ability to apply huge layers of watercolour, for the ability to bring back life to my drawings.  I went back to the basic 80~100 gsm copy paper.  Yes, copy paper.  I grew up using much the same thing.  Having three other siblings in our family, meant we weren't always blessed with spare cash to buy up all sorts of paper, whenever I needed it.  So, I got used to testing out a picture on copy paper or whatever paper Dad had lying around in the paper recycle basket.  Using this sort of paper, I really needed to lay-down watercolour quickly, because if I didn't the paper would get all soggy and the surface would be a mess.  

Anyhow, this week I got so frustrated I actually went though my entire drawer of art paper, just to see if I had any old paper - so I could 'find my hand, again'.  If you're an artist you will understand what I mean.  You'll also be asking, who keeps paper for that length of time.  Me.  Over my years, I have learnt to savour each sheet of paper, because it was always hard to come by, when I was a kid.  Plus, I'm a bit of a tree-huger and I could never waste a tree's precious gifts, knowing they take so long to grow.   

Back to my point,  surprisingly I found in the back of my drawer, a sketchpad of 'Bockingford' paper.  Can I remember from where it came or when - Nope.  Yet, this lovely paper has delighted me all week and I am now on a major search for this exact paper.  I expect it won't be as yellow as mine and will have improved over the years, but I hope not. I'm keen to see what I can find.  

I'm also keen to know, what watercolour paper you use?  Any pet hates?

Having time to get back to the drawing board is not always, an easy task.  So, this revisit, is a watercolour I worked on, in late April.  It always starts off as a bit of a scratch arrangement, and somedays - like this particular day - I was not a hundred percent committed to the task.  My mind was elsewhere, yet my watercolour and painting are always good therapy.  

So, this is where I am at this week - trying to catch up on the list (I always have a list - Yes, it does get bigger!) that I usually get around to working on, over the school holidays.  Even my writing suffers during school terms. I just manage to find the strength to keep up with the socials - can't let that die away - or I am in big trouble.  Well, that's the plan anyway. ​

I have been working through a few surface design ideas, that usually start off as either pen and ink pieces, or watercolour designs.  Given, I pass heaps of gardens - walking to and from school every day, my designs have gone a bit rouge; the weeds and flowers are dominating my work.

And the results have become quite intricate again, but they look quite okay as surface designs - that is my thought anyway.  

It has been a couple of weeks since last I did a blog, so here is what I have been up to - Not a whole lot!
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Watercolour has again touched my palette and I am busy with a series of mousy characters that will be used as plates for a new bundle of commissioned work.  As you know, I like to take my time throughout the whole process from ideation to testing and then laying out the watercolour.  I do heaps of research to get characters looking just the way they should or rather would have looked in the days of Beatrix Potter.  Actually, I find the whole process an incredible step back in the past and puts me very much in touch with my technique.  I get so worried I will stuff up the treatment of work that sometimes, I think I overwork my pieces for fear of failure.  This is something that I fear most in all spheres of my artistic world, as many of you well know. If it is not just right, I will rip it up and start again, no matter the hours spent on creation of the piece.  Tell me, I know not if that is good or a bad thing.  

A good friend of mine always reminds me that this is not always a good decision and suggests to, “just put it out there and get perfect later”.  I reckon this works well for most things in business, because as one develops a product you can always tweak the product a little way down the track.  Yet, as you know this is not the case for creatives of illustration, tales, design or performance.  All are what make up my being.  So I guess, even though I would love to follow this suggestion – it is not as practical as when I first thought.
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On a personal note - I would like to thank all of you who have encouraged and given me strength over the past trying months with the Big C.  It has been a huge learning curve; lots of mental adjustment and just trying to move forward and not thinking about any of it.  I feel so blessed and much stronger than I was a couple of months ago and with God’s blessing, all of this will be very much behind me.  So again, thanks to everyone.   Mwa! 😊