From Out of a Sloppy Wet Watercolor A Heron Rises

"Rising" watercolor

This is a new image, which I had started at Arts on Genesee at May Memorial back in June. 

I like painting when I am at a show, especially outdoor shows, because it engages the customers in conversation.

For this painting I had this idea of a heron rising from a swampy area, similar to the one at the end of our lake. I often see heron flying to and from that spot. I also wanted a moon rise, or sunset depending on how the viewer interprets the painting. So I lightly sketched the heron and then looked around for a large circle to trace. I ended up in the kitchen at May Memorial tracing a large platter for my moon/sun.

Then I headed back outside to my display and began a sloppy, drippy watercolor wash in orange-y yellow colors on the top, blues toward the bottom. There were a few people gathered around to see what I would do next. I had no idea.

Now What????

Then I laid crumpled plastic wrap over the wet paint to add texture by giving the paint places to pool into darker values.

Later I removed the wrap and was satisfied with the texture. I added a bit of extra color in some places to accentuate the irregular pattern. 

Finishing

The swampy areas were made the next day. I was working under a nice shady tree, listening to the musical entertainment and letting blues, greens and Payne's Gray run down my wet paper as I held the painting upside down. Wherever the colors ran into the orange areas, trees and tree stumps were formed. Little bits of some type of plant life was falling from the tree I was under, maybe a few bugs too--they all became part of the painting.

I finished the painting at home in my studio last week, no bugs or plant life in there, just two nosey cats looking at a picture of a bird. Yum.

"Rising" is the 5th in an ongoing series of Heron images.

"Early Riser" watercolor

"Heron" fabric dye and paint on silk

"Keeping a Lookout" watercolor

"Night Flight" watercolor