Thursday, October 1, 2009

Sponging Watercolor


I went back into yesterday's watercolor of the Sandhill Cranes. I always expected to do this since yesterday was just a start. Still I knew that I had a freshness yesterday that might disappear with more work.

Well I hadn't gotten far today before I realized that I used too many full strength colors and that the painting had become far darker than I'd intended, especially since when I'd seen the cranes much was enveloped in a blue-grey early morning fog.

So out came my new natural sponge. I often don't like watercolor with a lot of sponging but sometimes it just seems necessary and seems to work. However there is a fine line between subtle luminosity and mud!

This still needs more work. When I next look at it will probably be clear whether luminosity or mud has won.

4 comments:

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Stop! These colors are wonderful - at least on my monitor! And, what beautiful blending. Looking forward to the detail you add on the cranes.

Ken Januski said...

Hi Pam,

It's always good to get such direct advice, e.g. 'Stop!'. I've already gone too far once and that's why I needed to try the sponge today. Tomorrow I'll try to add a bit of detail on the cranes and perhaps some on road and foliage in it. All the while I'll keep 'Stop!' in the back of my mind..........

Hopefully that will keep me from going too far.

Pam Johnson Brickell said...

Nothing like being subtle, huh? :)

Ken Januski said...

For me subtlety doesn't normally work. A 2x4 to the head is generally needed to get my attention.:-)