Sunday, December 16, 2007

Pouring Watercolor




I don't usually include my failures on my blog, but these failures were so much fun to do that I decided to share them.


Last spring my sis and I took a collage workshop right next door to where Jean Grastorf was doing a pouring workshop. We peeked in a few times and everyone was having so much fun that we decided we had to try it. Last week we both did a few small "pours". Mine were on 7 1/2 x 11 Arches, kept small so that we could easily pour into a foil roasting pan. The colors were Winsor Red, Winsor Blue and Winsor Yellow.


This technique involves a lot of masking, something I usually avoid doing. It's supposed to produce really vibrant, glowing colors. Well, my first pour created a really pretty mixture, but as I masked and poured subsequent layers I ended up with DULL. In my estimation, my colors are dull, my whites too white and blobby, my lights are too dark and my darks are too light, even after several attempts to darken. A lot of work for not so satisfactory results. I suppose I could add brushwork to these and improve them, but I think I will save them as learning aides for my next try. Yes, I will try it again.


6 comments:

Lorraine said...

these are great. what an interesting idea it would take a lot of thinking ahead of time.

Michelle Himes said...

Thanks, Lorraine. Yes, it does take a lot of thinking ahead and since this was my first pouring session I had trouble visualizing those steps. Google Jean Grasdorf to see what I was "trying" to do.

RH Carpenter said...

I don't think any of these are failures! You may need to "finish" your poured paintings off by going in and darkening some areas once you've got your pours done. And remember - spray-wet the paper first, then pour your yellow as your first color. I think that will help. But again, these are lovely!

Joan said...

Mickey, The more I see these, the more I like them. OK maybe you didn't get Jean's glowing colors, but they look good off the boards and with the white of the blog around them like a mat. We'll have to pool what we've learned from doing those pours, and the advice so many people gave us, and try again.

Michelle Himes said...

Rhonda, lovely is a pretty strong word, although the first pour did make some lovely colors.

Joan, I was pretty discouraged when I took off the masking, but I'm ready to try again.

laura said...

I can't think of these as failures!
I have a book on pouring watercolors and it looks so difficult and process-oriented. To me, these are especially nice as a group and for their design quality; I would call the colors muted, not dull. I applaud you for trying this method!