Color Blocks - more thoughts on abstract
As I mentioned in my post Thinking in Abstract...I can't really wrap my brain around creating abstract paintings in watercolor, but I realized I must revise that statement just a bit. I don't create intentional abstract paintings with watercolor like I do with my acrylic abstracts. However, sometimes I think being an artist also means being as frugal as you can with all your materials and supplies, which aren't cheap. I just hate to waste anything that I can find a use for with my art. Thus are born my UN-Intentional abstracts in watercolor. :)
I call these little paintings "Color Blocks." When I am creating one of my typical watercolor paintings, I always have nearby (taped to my board or on the table somewhere) a scrap piece of watercolor paper (waste not!) which I use for testing my colors before applying the paintbrush to paper. The palette will show you a color you have mixed, but that's not always exactly how it appears on paper. Sometimes it is too light, sometimes too dark, too purple, too blue, too red, etc... I have found that these scraps are then filled up with wonderful little brushstrokes in interesting color combinations. Or sometimes I have a painting that just didn't work out for some reason, but I find little sections here and there in the painting that I really love, even though the original composition isn't to my satisfaction. And thus, my tiny Color Block abstracts are born.
Typically, I cut these scraps and "failed paintings" into small squares and use them to make hand-made greeting cards or note cards. But, more recently, I have decided to see how they look as little framed abstract paintings, and I have been pleased with the results.
While representational watercolors will likely always remain my calling, perhaps it helps my subconscious artist's brain to work out the abstract energy in these little byproducts of other paintings. :)
Here are my first few Color Blocks, simply named "Color Block 1" "...2" "...3"
![]()
![]()
![]()
I call these little paintings "Color Blocks." When I am creating one of my typical watercolor paintings, I always have nearby (taped to my board or on the table somewhere) a scrap piece of watercolor paper (waste not!) which I use for testing my colors before applying the paintbrush to paper. The palette will show you a color you have mixed, but that's not always exactly how it appears on paper. Sometimes it is too light, sometimes too dark, too purple, too blue, too red, etc... I have found that these scraps are then filled up with wonderful little brushstrokes in interesting color combinations. Or sometimes I have a painting that just didn't work out for some reason, but I find little sections here and there in the painting that I really love, even though the original composition isn't to my satisfaction. And thus, my tiny Color Block abstracts are born.
Typically, I cut these scraps and "failed paintings" into small squares and use them to make hand-made greeting cards or note cards. But, more recently, I have decided to see how they look as little framed abstract paintings, and I have been pleased with the results.
While representational watercolors will likely always remain my calling, perhaps it helps my subconscious artist's brain to work out the abstract energy in these little byproducts of other paintings. :)
Here are my first few Color Blocks, simply named "Color Block 1" "...2" "...3"
Comments
Post a Comment