Monday, July 27, 2009

Pouring Technique for Baby Giraffe


Here you see the first pour of the primary colors on Baby Giraffe. First, I wet the entire surface with clean water, then I poured the diluted paint where I wanted that color. I lifted the paper and manually manipulated it until the colors mingled and produced secondary colors - but this is a wild and unpredictable process. One can only hope that colors are in the approximate place you chose for them.



Here is the result after I have allowed most of the paint to run off the painting. It will now dry and await the second and third pours where I will add more of the same primary colors.  I used Aureolin,  Quinacridone Rose and Pthalo Blue... but next time I will vary the strength of each according to what I want to accomplish for the underlying colors. 

Once the next pours are completed and dried, the painting with brushes begins.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Very interesting process. How long did this take?

Paz

Unknown said...

Hi Paz,

Each pouring of color does not take all that long... I wet the paper and pour on my prepared colors. I then take the paper and move it around to make secondary colors, where the paint mixes and creates a different color. Then, once I am satisfied, I drain the excess pigment and water into the tub. Then the painting has to dry.

Once it is dry the colors are a lot lighter, and so I go back in and pour pigment again. Most of the time, I need a 3rd pouring to complete the process. I then have a rich base which will shine through the colors I then paint on the background and the subject(s).

It makes for a very unique approach to watercolor. Elephant and Rhino were both done with the same approach. :-)

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Joanne, for the explanation. I'd love to watch you demonstrate this. But the next best thing is to see your photos of the process on the blog. That's cool, too. I can't wait to see Baby Giraffe when she's completed. Does she have a name, by the way?

Paz (who still has a swell head from all your kind comments)