Monday, August 27, 2012

Blobbing Paris

 Continuing with the blobbing theme PBers. These are water puddles with color dropped in plus tilting the paper to get the color to run around and 'mingle'.

 I learned to mingle colors and make blobs from watercolor artist David Dewey.

 And from his book, The Watercolor Book.

 Here's a good exercise anyone can do if they have a few art postcards. Piero Della Francesco used a wonderfully harmonious color palette and you'll understand it better when you try to match the colors.

 Some color blob thumbnails jammed on a page.

 Several Tuscan blob buildings plus color swatches.

 Multiply color swatches with a landscape plopped in the middle.

 A color wash ground with a little Tuscan landscape laid on top.

 Another.

 There were plenty of color wash pages in my old sketchbook. These are 'color beginnings' as J.M.W.Turner called them - a big atmospheric wash of colors.

 Why not paint a Paris skyline on top with a little help from Google images?

 After mixing up (but not well-mixed) a biggish puddle of cobalt blue + French Ultramarine blue + Burnt Sienna + Burn Umber, I begin drawing the Arc de Triomphe with a brush loaded with unmixed 'organic color'.

 Extending the puddle of 'mingled' paint down and across, always keeping it wet and working fast I add the Eiffel Tower...

 Ever onward, tilting the paper a bit to help the wet paint/colors run and mingle across the page.

Et voila.
Now YOU do it!

28 comments:

  1. How is it that I believe I can do this after reading your posts? You are such an inspiration!

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    Replies
    1. Try finger painting this skyline
      Just draw it with your finger to loosen up!

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  2. I am in awe!
    Wondering how I could replicate that with my camera.

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    Replies
    1. "Astoria, France"
      Now that's a fine way to move! ;-)

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  3. Thank You! You make me realize how much, beaucoup beaucoup practice it takes, many sheets of washes & blobs & experiments!
    Will you be going to his September class?
    Looked up "blog" in Fr-Eng Dictionary: une tache (de peinture), une goutte, une form indistincte...(which you then turn into des formes distinctes et jolies! Merci encore une fois, SW

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  4. correction of above...whenever I try to write blob, my fingers type blog...

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  5. That is gorgeous!I really don't practice ..at all..You are so inspiring!

    Are yo going the the sea for a workshop again this summer

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    Replies
    1. I went to Paris instead of Rockland Maine Monique bt skechbook wandering went and you can read her post on David Dewey's July class.
      Your not so far away to go...

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  6. You are so talented Carol. I hope you will exhibit or publish your watercolours one day!

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  7. Carol - have you ever offered classes? You are a constant source of inspiration for me to get back to work. I buy the books you recommend and try your techniques - Thank YOU!

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  8. .. LOVE LOVE LOVE these little tutorials ... one day I'm going to take up water color ... just so I can play around ... I have no ability, but it looks like so much fun. Thank You for the "peep in" ... Karen in CT

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  9. You have more art in your "blobs" than I would in a lifetime of trying to paint.

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    Replies
    1. wrong wrong wrong!!!
      give it a swhirl

      Delete
  10. Anonymous10:30 AM

    Thank you for sharing these insights into your world of watercolors! I agree...you make it seem SO easy and that anyone should be able to do this. I have watercolors, etc. at home but feel a bit intimidated...

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  11. The most inspiring and beautiful post!!!

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  12. ok, you hooked me! time to drag all of the watercolor stuff out of the closet and see what happens!
    merci!

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  13. Anonymous12:55 PM

    Beautiful Post! Not a macaron in sight , and I still loved it! ( Because it is PARIS!!!) You really are and inspiration of the best kind!
    Merci, from Fan in rural Oregon

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  14. Beautiful. Are you going to sell these sketches?!?

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  15. Sure, I can do that too!

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  16. Thanks for this! I am very inspired. I love water colour and I think it captures the essence of travel and its fluidity very nicely.

    Glad you found my suggestion helpful!
    I am at a new URL now and I do hope you stop and by and maybe even follow me.

    Murissa

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  17. Anonymous10:18 PM

    I'm a watercolorist too. It's so much fun to drop the color into a puddle of water and watch them do their thing. For anyone who hasn't tried it, give it a try you will be amazed at what will happen to the colors as they blend. It's like magic.

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  18. Très joli! Merci beaucoup Carol!

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  19. Love seeing your process. Beautiful work!

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  20. Ooh, I love these blobby paintings!! I'll definitely give it a try.

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  21. So cool!!! Thanks for sharing these!!!

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  22. Anonymous10:43 AM

    WOW, these are really gorgeous, Carol. I think my favourite might be a work in progress instead of the finished version. The Tuscan blob buildings with the color swatches around them are just stunning.

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  23. Barbara L your blob admirer5:40 PM

    Wish you were here, to help me do my blobbing !!
    what a mess mine are !!
    It's either too much water so it looks like muddy rainbow coloured cauliflowers, or not enough & the colours are too vibrant !! How do I get the hint of a strong colour ?
    Maybe I was in too much of a rush, trying to do it too hasty.
    I'll try again.
    Barbara L your blob admirer.

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  24. How to Blob
    yes it's a sloooooow process Barbara and a meditative one.
    'Like watching paint dry' as they say.
    1st put down a blob of water
    Use just TWO colors
    a warm color like Bt Sienna
    + a cool color like Ultramarine Blue
    Put your warm color down 1st
    and then the cool on top
    Tilt your paper so the paint moves around.
    Use gravity to move the paint on the paper.
    Practice practice
    you can change the colors
    Do you have David Dewey's book? It's very good for color exercises
    Be patient with yourself and BRAVO! for trying it out
    You'll get it.
    I promise :)
    cheers Carolg

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