Adding Collage

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

My conference was delayed as class had a slow start and I met with my instructor more than an hour late. We were friendly enough, shared stories and some jokes and eventually got talking about my painting. He suggested I use washes to unify it. I told him where I would put them and he agreed. (at right: trying out collage; before adding black)

Unity is a good thing in a painting; one that’s sometimes hard to achieve while you still keep the excitement. This is my goal and it is a tricky balancing act. He then wants us to add collage and then a block of neutral color in the white area, at least one black section and line work. I am not so enthusiastic about the collage and use it sparingly. But BLACK! That’s another story. Coming out of a traditional watercolor experience, I was taught to create dark colors through mixing of colors, never to use black. Here I am—not only being given permission to use black, but being virtually compelled to do so!

I placed it in a large section that was already quite dark, That felt so good, I found two more prominent places for it in varying sizes and shapes. It felt terrific! But then I got nervous about it and scraped out most of one section. We’re just about finished, I mean myself and most of the 24 other students in the class. Their work is interesting and well executed although few in the class truly like their work, pledging to change it when they get home,

Tonight, after dinner, was the walk around. All the studios are open for touring, What strikes me repeatedly as I walk through the studios, is the exceptional high quality of these artists’ work. Creativity, talent, hard work account for it.