Not Exactly Watercolor

I have to come clean...I can't allow you to think I did those paintings that I posted the other day in watercolor. I really don't do watercolor. I have done them, but they were either disasters  or they were so stressful that I couldn't get myself to do more than necessary to pass my watercolor assignment.

Here is an example of watercolor technique, not done with watercolors, sorta.

Two Pears and an Apple

12"square watermedia on canvas

I used only the watercolor crayons and watercolor pencils, no other paint, just water.

Watercolor paper is half the problem, as it ripples, and you have to wait til everything dries before putting on the details. It seems I always want to fix things and then I kill the clarity of the paint.

So my solution is to eliminate the watercolor paper entirely and while I'm at it, use acrylics, or watercolor crayons or pencils instead.  I like fine linen primed canvas instead of paper, cuz you can iron out the ripples. And acrylics are so usable because if thinned down with water they become transparent. And permanent. I can go over a layer and it doesn't come up.

Cruciform

Acrylic, pencil, pen on acid free mat board, 5x7"

Acrylic is so versatile and flexible and requires no stinky medium to make it work. And I like being able to draw into it with pens or pencils afterward.

Friday Afternoon

15 x17"

Acrylic, Prismacolor and inks, with collage

Sometimes I will use watercolor paper, but not watercolor paints...to get an effect, like torn edges, or collage. Acrylic paint works like glue to stick two pieces together.

Here's an example of lots of paintings assembled into one piece.

 

All of these are 'ancient' works. I got stuck on knitting and can't seem to want to get unstuck.